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OSUBasketballJunkie
Never Forget 31-0
Dispatch
ELITE ONES
Troy Smith leads the Heisman pack, but Ted Ginn Jr. has fallen off the radar
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
TROY SMITH QB, OHIO STATE On pace for 2,568 yards passing by voting time. He would be the first Heisman-winning QB with fewer than 3,000 yards since Vinny Testaverde in 1986.
The happy throng of Ohio State players had just reached their sideline after scoring a touchdown Saturday when an Iowa fan began heckling Ted Ginn Jr.
Though the Buckeyes scored five touchdowns in a 38-17 victory, Ginn did not have one of them.
"The fan yelled something to the effect of, ?There goes your Heisman campaign,? to Ted," receiver Anthony Gonzalez said. "And (Ginn) turned around and said very matterof-factly, very naturally, not forced in any way, he just turned around and said, ?That?s OK, because we?re a team.?
"And that?s how he feels."
It?s a good thing he feels that way, because five games into the season, while OSU quarterback Troy Smith appears to be the Heisman front-runner, Ginn no longer appears.
The Scripps Howard News Service conducts a weekly poll of Heisman voters. It?s a respected barometer, because it has correctly predicted the winner in 16 of the past 19 years.
This week, Smith was the clear favorite, garnering 49 points. Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson was next at 35 points, followed by Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe (20), Florida quarterback Chris Leak (16) and Notre Dame quarterback and Dublin native Brady Quinn (13).
Ginn did not get a vote.
Some years, a team can have two candidates finish near the top of the voting. But it?s usually a quarterback and running back, such as Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush of Southern California the past two years.
In Ohio State?s case, Ginn has solid receiving statistics. He?s on pace for a 60-catch, 876-yard, 13-touchdown season.
But because every catch and receiving TD he gets also goes onto Smith?s resume, the key to Ginn?s candidacy is how well he does on special teams. To win, he has to dazzle voters with his all-around performance, and that hasn?t happened. Coming into this year, he had five career return scores (four punts and a kickoff).
This season, he is 50 th in the nation in punt returns, not in the top 100 on kickoff returns and has yet to run one back for a score.
Neither player cared much for the Heisman talk when it began in the summer, other than to acknowledge it was neat that two players from the same school (Cleveland Glenville) were candidates.
"It?s not about who wins, who loses," Ginn said earlier this season. "We?re both trying to go out and play, help each other as best we can. It?s not about trying to get our stats up."
Meanwhile, Smith has smoothly directed the Buckeyes to a 5-0 start, solidifying their hold on the No. 1 ranking. Two of those wins were in nationally televised night games on the road against quality opponents (No. 2 Texas and No. 13 Iowa), which certainly raised his profile.
In any season, the most valuable player on the nation?s top team would be a natural frontrunner. Smith is 11 th in the nation in passing efficiency with 12 touchdown passes and only two interceptions.
Asked last Saturday if Smith was emerging as one of the nation?s elite players, coach Jim Tressel said, "He?s got a great grasp on what we would like to do and also what (an opponent) is doing, and that?s what it?s about when you get good. I thought he was one of the elite ones before this game, but I think he?s getting better."
Smith?s front-runner status also has been a quiet source of pride for his teammates. They don?t talk about it much, but it is a definite undercurrent.
"It?s cool, because that?s the award that everybody who ever watched college football relates to," Gonzalez said.
Guard T.J. Downing said, "I would love nothing more than to say my quarterback my senior year was the Heisman Trophy winner."
Downing?s quarterback has been steadfast in his refusal to talk about winning the award.
"It?s not something I think about day in and day out," Smith said. "I give all the respect and kudos to my teammates, because without them I wouldn?t be in this situation."
If Ohio State keeps winning, expect him to repeat that speech in New York.
[email protected]
Thursday, October 05, 2006
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jimotis4heisman
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if you saw elway in college youd probably think im letting him of light...
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CPD
Pointed elbow, words may still haunt Smith
Friday, October 06, 2006Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
He never saw the elbow that knocked him out. After almost six years, John Floyd read Troy Smith's excuse for throwing it in the pages of Sports Illustrated.
Floyd wonders even now how many will want to hear his side of the story and how many will not be blinded by the celebrity of his assailant.
"Nobody wants to hear my side because he's a great success story," said Floyd of the Ohio State quarterback. "I'm glad he's doing well. I'd like to sit down in a room with him. I hope I'd see remorse from him."
In December 2000, Smith was a guard on the basketball team at St. Edward High School. Floyd, who is white, was Smith's counterpart at Toledo St. John's. St. Edward was losing, which was not expected for a team with Jawad Williams and Smith.
"We had been talking back and forth. Just game talk, like you do with opposing players," said Floyd, a junior then, who later played one year at Oakland University in Michigan and two years at Bowling Green.
Floyd lost his scholarship this summer after being convicted of driving un der the influ ence of alcohol. The point is not that he is blameless in all facets of life. The point is that he is not a racist.
"When the situation occurred, I asked John if he said or did anything to provoke the mugging. He was adamant that he had done and said nothing," said Ed Heintschel, the school's coach for the past 28 years.
According to Floyd, as he came off a screen after a strong third quarter, Smith said: "You ain't finishing this game."
St. John's center Jake Beck, who was near Floyd at the time, setting a screen, confirmed Smith's threat to Heintschel.
Said Floyd: "I passed to the wing, cut down the lane, and got ready to set a screen. The next thing I knew, he hit me in the head. When I came to, I was dizzy, and they helped me to the bench."
Smith's elbow knocked out Floyd momentarily and left him with a concussion, which forced him to miss the next game.
Smith told Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel, in a story in the college football preview issue called "Big Man on Campus," that St. John's players made racist slurs to him.
"It was a mental breakdown. I snapped," Smith said.
He did not make such charges in 2000, however. St. Edward officials said his actions were incompatible with the school's ideals. They dismissed him from the team, and he transferred to Glenville before he might have faced expulsion.
"I applauded St. Edward for its decision that he would not play for them," said Heintschel. "I am very disappointed Troy Smith chose to play the race card when he was asked what happened."
Smith declined to comment on Floyd's remarks Thursday.
Although Smith was suspended for two games at OSU for taking $500 from a booster, he seems to have reformed in many ways. He has earned his degree in communications. His face appears on billboards in inner-city Cleveland, urging youngsters to stay in school. He has exhibited maturity and humility this season as the top-ranked Buckeyes' leader.
"I don't know if anyone wants to be judged by his actions when he's 15 or 16 years old," said St. Edward principal Eugene Boyer.
But being a football hero, even being the Heisman Trophy front-runner at OSU, does not confer the freedom to smear others.
Said Heintschel: "It's easy for Troy Smith now because everything is going well. There will be a time when it's not easy. The last time that happened, he didn't do very well."
Pointed elbow, words may still haunt Smith
Friday, October 06, 2006Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
He never saw the elbow that knocked him out. After almost six years, John Floyd read Troy Smith's excuse for throwing it in the pages of Sports Illustrated.
Floyd wonders even now how many will want to hear his side of the story and how many will not be blinded by the celebrity of his assailant.
"Nobody wants to hear my side because he's a great success story," said Floyd of the Ohio State quarterback. "I'm glad he's doing well. I'd like to sit down in a room with him. I hope I'd see remorse from him."
In December 2000, Smith was a guard on the basketball team at St. Edward High School. Floyd, who is white, was Smith's counterpart at Toledo St. John's. St. Edward was losing, which was not expected for a team with Jawad Williams and Smith.
"We had been talking back and forth. Just game talk, like you do with opposing players," said Floyd, a junior then, who later played one year at Oakland University in Michigan and two years at Bowling Green.
Floyd lost his scholarship this summer after being convicted of driving un der the influ ence of alcohol. The point is not that he is blameless in all facets of life. The point is that he is not a racist.
"When the situation occurred, I asked John if he said or did anything to provoke the mugging. He was adamant that he had done and said nothing," said Ed Heintschel, the school's coach for the past 28 years.
According to Floyd, as he came off a screen after a strong third quarter, Smith said: "You ain't finishing this game."
St. John's center Jake Beck, who was near Floyd at the time, setting a screen, confirmed Smith's threat to Heintschel.
Said Floyd: "I passed to the wing, cut down the lane, and got ready to set a screen. The next thing I knew, he hit me in the head. When I came to, I was dizzy, and they helped me to the bench."
Smith's elbow knocked out Floyd momentarily and left him with a concussion, which forced him to miss the next game.
Smith told Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel, in a story in the college football preview issue called "Big Man on Campus," that St. John's players made racist slurs to him.
"It was a mental breakdown. I snapped," Smith said.
He did not make such charges in 2000, however. St. Edward officials said his actions were incompatible with the school's ideals. They dismissed him from the team, and he transferred to Glenville before he might have faced expulsion.
"I applauded St. Edward for its decision that he would not play for them," said Heintschel. "I am very disappointed Troy Smith chose to play the race card when he was asked what happened."
Smith declined to comment on Floyd's remarks Thursday.
Although Smith was suspended for two games at OSU for taking $500 from a booster, he seems to have reformed in many ways. He has earned his degree in communications. His face appears on billboards in inner-city Cleveland, urging youngsters to stay in school. He has exhibited maturity and humility this season as the top-ranked Buckeyes' leader.
"I don't know if anyone wants to be judged by his actions when he's 15 or 16 years old," said St. Edward principal Eugene Boyer.
But being a football hero, even being the Heisman Trophy front-runner at OSU, does not confer the freedom to smear others.
Said Heintschel: "It's easy for Troy Smith now because everything is going well. There will be a time when it's not easy. The last time that happened, he didn't do very well."
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]OSU's Smith on target[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Oct. 6, 2006[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? Which came first, the highly accurate passer or the sure-handed receivers?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]For Ohio State this season, the answer has been both.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Going back to last season, quarterback Troy Smith has thrown only three interceptions in his last 10 games.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Only Wisconsin?s John Stocco can match that accuracy among Big Ten quarterbacks. Iowa?s Drew Tate has thrown nine interceptions his last 10 games and Michigan State?s Drew Stanton has been picked off 13 times in his last 10 games.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?Troy has always been very careful with the football. However many interceptions he has here at Ohio State, I would bet you a high percentage of them are deep throws,? coach Jim Tressel said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?Troy is very aware. One play during the Iowa game, he came off and I said, ?Troy, the post might have been open,? and he said, ?No, Coach, you?ll see on the film that it wasn?t.? And he was right.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels said, ?When he throws the football it?s where it?s supposed to be, not only to the right individual, but he completes them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?When he doesn?t complete a pass, that surprises me. I totally expect him to not only know the right guy to throw to but to throw a catchable pass and hit the receiver. He has spoiled me.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ohio State?s passing game has produced 200 more yards through the first five games of the season than it did last season, despite losing 2005?s top receiver, first-round NFL draft choice Santonio Holmes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Holmes? departure was a concern for Tressel before the season began.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?All I could think was that Santonio Holmes was a first-round draft choice and I hope we can approach the type of production that we had while he was here,? the OSU coach said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Daniels said he was ?a little bit surprised but not completely? at the development of young receivers like Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?I thought some of these young guys really showed some ability a year ago. It was just a matter of them maturing a little bit and that?s exactly what happened,? Daniels said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SHARING THE WEALTH: When offensive guard T.J. Downing won the Jim Parker Offensive Lineman of the Week Award for the Iowa game, he became the fifth OSU lineman to earn that honor this season.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?We?ve turned it into a competition,? Downing said. ?The guy who wins it always gets teased and is called Jim Parker all week.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]STAY-AT-HOME MITCHELL: Safety Brandon Mitchell is Ohio State?s second-leading tackler, but one of the turning points in his life came when he threw him self onto the ground.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When Mitchell was three years old, his then-18-year-old mother decided to move from Atlanta to California. At the airport, Mitchell dropped to the floor, began crying and said he didn?t want to go.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It was decided he would stay in Atlanta with his grandparents. He continued to live with his grandparents even after his mother moved back to Atlanta.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mitchell, a fifth-year senior, has emerged as one of the leaders of OSU?s defensive backfield, which has four new starters.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?Anytime you have a chance to step on the field and play, you try to play above your head. That?s what I?ve been trying to do lately. I try to be a leader of some of the younger guys, trying to make sure they?re in the right place,? he said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mitchell had an interception and a fumble recovery in a 38-17 win at Iowa last Saturday.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HEISMAN THOUGHTS: Troy Smith?s Heisman Trophy candidacy is not a frequent topic of discussion in the locker room, defensive end Jay Richardson said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?That?s probably in the backs of everybody?s minds. But no one is concerned with that right now. It?s about winning games,? Richardson said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]OSU's Smith on target[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Oct. 6, 2006[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? Which came first, the highly accurate passer or the sure-handed receivers?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]For Ohio State this season, the answer has been both.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Going back to last season, quarterback Troy Smith has thrown only three interceptions in his last 10 games.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Only Wisconsin?s John Stocco can match that accuracy among Big Ten quarterbacks. Iowa?s Drew Tate has thrown nine interceptions his last 10 games and Michigan State?s Drew Stanton has been picked off 13 times in his last 10 games.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?Troy has always been very careful with the football. However many interceptions he has here at Ohio State, I would bet you a high percentage of them are deep throws,? coach Jim Tressel said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?Troy is very aware. One play during the Iowa game, he came off and I said, ?Troy, the post might have been open,? and he said, ?No, Coach, you?ll see on the film that it wasn?t.? And he was right.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels said, ?When he throws the football it?s where it?s supposed to be, not only to the right individual, but he completes them.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?When he doesn?t complete a pass, that surprises me. I totally expect him to not only know the right guy to throw to but to throw a catchable pass and hit the receiver. He has spoiled me.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ohio State?s passing game has produced 200 more yards through the first five games of the season than it did last season, despite losing 2005?s top receiver, first-round NFL draft choice Santonio Holmes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Holmes? departure was a concern for Tressel before the season began.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?All I could think was that Santonio Holmes was a first-round draft choice and I hope we can approach the type of production that we had while he was here,? the OSU coach said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Daniels said he was ?a little bit surprised but not completely? at the development of young receivers like Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?I thought some of these young guys really showed some ability a year ago. It was just a matter of them maturing a little bit and that?s exactly what happened,? Daniels said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SHARING THE WEALTH: When offensive guard T.J. Downing won the Jim Parker Offensive Lineman of the Week Award for the Iowa game, he became the fifth OSU lineman to earn that honor this season.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?We?ve turned it into a competition,? Downing said. ?The guy who wins it always gets teased and is called Jim Parker all week.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]STAY-AT-HOME MITCHELL: Safety Brandon Mitchell is Ohio State?s second-leading tackler, but one of the turning points in his life came when he threw him self onto the ground.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When Mitchell was three years old, his then-18-year-old mother decided to move from Atlanta to California. At the airport, Mitchell dropped to the floor, began crying and said he didn?t want to go.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It was decided he would stay in Atlanta with his grandparents. He continued to live with his grandparents even after his mother moved back to Atlanta.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mitchell, a fifth-year senior, has emerged as one of the leaders of OSU?s defensive backfield, which has four new starters.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?Anytime you have a chance to step on the field and play, you try to play above your head. That?s what I?ve been trying to do lately. I try to be a leader of some of the younger guys, trying to make sure they?re in the right place,? he said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Mitchell had an interception and a fumble recovery in a 38-17 win at Iowa last Saturday.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HEISMAN THOUGHTS: Troy Smith?s Heisman Trophy candidacy is not a frequent topic of discussion in the locker room, defensive end Jay Richardson said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?That?s probably in the backs of everybody?s minds. But no one is concerned with that right now. It?s about winning games,? Richardson said. [/FONT]
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DCBuckFan
Fark You
LOL - Saw this in the BG thread... pretty funny
Dispatch
Mystery player
Iowa was down to its thirdstring free safety Saturday. Starter Marcus Paschal suffered a hamstring injury early in the game and backup Devan Moylan already was injured.
Not long after Marcus Wilson came in, he said Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith approached him.
"(Smith) came up and we had a couple words," Wilson said. "He was like, 'Who are you? You're not even on the depth chart.' That's when I knew they didn't know who I was."
Dispatch
Mystery player
Iowa was down to its thirdstring free safety Saturday. Starter Marcus Paschal suffered a hamstring injury early in the game and backup Devan Moylan already was injured.
Not long after Marcus Wilson came in, he said Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith approached him.
"(Smith) came up and we had a couple words," Wilson said. "He was like, 'Who are you? You're not even on the depth chart.' That's when I knew they didn't know who I was."
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Fungo Squiggly
Mortal enemy of all things Bucky
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DCBuckFan;626820; said:
Huh. That would explain the thuggery coming from him. He's the punk that so kindly placed his knee across Pittman's face and also spent half his free time jawing at OSU players. Guess that's one way to make an impression.
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DCBuckFan;626820; said:
If anyone ever questions how much Troy actually gets out of film study...when you start immediately noticing that a player is not even on the opposition's depth chart, you've done your homework.
Also, if Wilson is indeed the punk who put his knee on Pittman's face after a tackle, I think Smith's comment meant "Just who the fuck do you think you are...your punk ass ain't even on the depth chart, bitch" more than it did "Hey, I'm not familiar with you"...
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Zurp
I have misplaced my pants.
MililaniBuckeye;627153; said:
Just out of curiosity, is there any rule against changing players' numbers? Could a team change everyone's numbers right before a game, and try to screw the opposing team? A quarterback is told to watch out because safety #26 will do this and then you throw it here, he's already expecting it. But safety #24 gets fooled on that play. So the QB fades back, sees #24, but it's really #26 with a different number.
Maybe the team has to announce changes in numbers in advance, so that teams can't do that.
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Buckin Crazy
All-American
MililaniBuckeye;627153; said:
Lol great post.
You win the Internet.
Also I think it can easily be both of what you said.
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ytownbuckeye
Heisman
troy for heisman i hate all quarterbacks with brady as first or last name 
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