Ohio State Football: 2016 Season Preview

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Happy Friday to all and I hope everyone reading today's post has a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.

It is that time of year again! College football has started once again!! Time for everyone to once again believe that on any given Saturday their team can make a run at greatness.

With that in mind, I am setting out today to preview the Ohio State Buckeyes 2016 season. My preview is cutting it a little close to the Buckeyes opener against Bowling Green; I will not be going into a game-by-game preview of the season. I would like to apologize for that oversight.

To say the Buckeyes are a young team might be a bit of an understatement. The offensive line returns only two starters(a thanks goes out to my friend Brad Koebel--who pointed out that both Billy Price and Pat Elflein started in 2015), and true freshman Michael B. Jordan will start at left guard--the last true freshman to start on the offensive line for the Buckeyes in his first game was Orlando Pace in 1994. How the o-line plays will ultimately determine whether the Buckeyes make their second trip to the college football playoff in three years.

As far as the backs and receivers go, Buckeye fans can rest a little easier knowing that junior J.T. Barrett is the unquestioned starter at quarterback. The running back competition appears a little jumbled for now, but it should sort itself out before Big Ten play. There is plenty of hype surrounding freshman Mike Weber, and it will be interesting to see how he plays tomorrow. The wide receiver corps might be the biggest question mark for the Buckeyes offense, as sophomore Noah Brown will be counted on to lead a very inexperienced group. (As I write this I realize that the depth chart for both the OSU backs and receivers will be very thin, and staying healthy will be key to the team making and Big Ten title run.)

There will be a lot of new faces on the defense as well. Joey Bosa's little (if you can call a 6-4, 265lb true freshman little) brother Nick should see some playing time tomorrow. The line may have the most experience to replace following the departure of  Adolphus Washington and the elder Bosa. A player to watch in tomorrow's game will be Sam Hubbard, defensive end from Cincinnati Moeller. A few experts at ESPN believe Hubbard can break surpass Bosa's 2015 sack numbers. Interestingly enough, on this morning's talk show on 97.1 THE FAN in Columbus, hosted by Tim Hall and Beanie Wells, I called in and let them know I thought Hubbard could get at least 3 sacks in tomorrow's game. A little bold perhaps, but I think given the opponent (Bowling Green) it's possible. I will be at the game tomorrow, so you can be sure I will be focused on No. 6 for the Scarlett and Gray.

Other returning players on defense include junior Raekwon McMillan. Despite leading the team in tackles last season, there are many who believe this former 5-star recruit hasn't lived up to the hype. In order for the Buckeyes to shine this year, they will need outstanding play from Raekwon. The secondary also appears to be somewhat inexperienced, but if safety Malik Hooker plays like he did in the Spring Game that may not be an issue.

So, where do I think the Buckeyes will finish in 2016? I believe if they can beat Oklahoma, they could run the table. The problem is I think they are too young to go into Norman and come away with a victory. I see them going 11-1 in the regular season and then beating Iowa for the Big Ten Championship.

That's all for now, tune in tomorrow for my week 1 college football preview. (Which will normally run on Thursday).

College Football Cupcakes: Quit Eating them

Recently there has been much ado made about college football powerhouses Ohio State, Louisville, and Miami (FL) scheduling games versus FCS opponents Florida A & M, Florida, International, and Savannah State. More than that is the money these teams receive before being humiliated on the field.

And while I think these games should go away, let's not ignore the elephant in the room. The problem is not that these teams are on the schedule, it is the large margin(s) of victory that the FBS schools rack up.

But let's not be ignorant about this. It's not like Alabama and the rest of the SEC aren't scheduling cupcakes of their own. In fact, the Crimson Tide face Chattanooga, an FCS squad that struggled to a six win season in 2012, a week before they play hated rival Auburn to end the season.

Alabama isn't the only one from the South to play weaker teams, either. Texas A&M feasted on Sam Houston State a week before hosting the Tide, and No. 6 LSU plays Furman.

And where was all the uproar when Oregon beat Nicholls State 66-3, an FCS school that WON ONE GAME ONLY in 2012?  Actually in the eyes of the Associated Press, that opening week victory vaulted them to No. 2 in the nation above Ohio State, who beat FBS school Buffalo handily, but didn't put up 70 on them.

Point is that teams need to stop scheduling these games, regardless of conference. And that everyone is guilty of doing it, not a few select schools. It's no less of a travesty whether it happens in week 4 (in the case of OSU, UL, and Miami), week 9 (LSU), or week 11 (Alabama).

So we should all stop pretending that this goes on among a few schools that are looking to rest their players, and hope the new playoff format results in better scheduling across the board.

Ohio State Football: Rapid Reaction

Okay, so maybe this post shouldn't be called rapid reaction since it has been almost two days since the Buckeyes' victory over Buffalo. But here are some thoughts on that contest and some observations in general about this Buckeye team:

THE GOOD

Jordan Hall's return was a smashing success. The senior tailback, now in his fifth(or is it sixth?) year with Ohio State, ran all over the Bulls to the tune of 159 yards and two TDs. For anyone wondering how the Buckeye run game would hold up with Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith in street clothes, I think Hall erased any questions the doubters might have.

Dontre Wilson is as good as advertised. I know it was only Buffalo, but fans have to be pleased with the true freshman's performance on Saturday. Not only did Wilson show some of his elusiveness on a screen pass that he turned into an 18-yard gain, but I am sure many people thought he was going to take his lone kickoff return(which ended up as a 51 yard gain) to the house.

Kenny Guiton proved once again why he is the best backup qb in the nation. When Miller went down early in the third quarter, I'm sure everyone in 'The Shoe' were holding their collective breaths. Yet Guiton, as Mr. Joe Cool, calmly went in and led Ohio State on a three play scoring drive. As much as OSU fans think the season would be lost if Miller were to go down, I think they'd be surprised to see how well the offense fares with Guiton under center.

THE BAD

Ohio State's defense. Not only did the Silver Bullets defense, with star recruits Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington as bookends on the line, fail to produce any pass rush, they only forced one turnover against a mediocre Bull offense. What's even more concerning is that the linebackers, without Shazier in the lineup, seemed to lack punch. As I have said before, Curtis Grant needs to step up in a big way at the mike linebacker if this defense is to be successful.

Turnovers. Ohio State lost one fumble, had one pass intercepted for a touchdown, and almost had another fumble recovered by Buffalo for a touchdown if it weren't for an illegal hands to the face penalty. The Buckeyes can get by with mistakes like these against lesser teams, but once Big Ten play starts they need to be winning the turnover battle.

THE UGLY

Offensive line play. It was to say the very least, offensive(pun intended). Right guard Taylor Decker, so highly touted during the offseason, got beat so many times he should have been playing for the other team. And aside from Hall's two TD runs and some runs by Braxton Miller late in the fourth, the run blocking could definitely use some work.

Moving Forward

There are many in Buckeye nation who believe that Ohio State doesn't belong in the top 10 after their performance against Buffalo, let alone the top 2. To those people I would say slow your roll, homies. Ohio State won the game, and, although the margin of victory wasn't 60 points, I think anybody would be hard-pressed to say the outcome was ever in doubt.  So bottom line is Ohio State did what they needed to do, regardless of what anyone else might say.

Do I think Ohio State is a top 2 team right now? No, but that is beside the point. Everyone in Buckeye nation is chomping at the bit to get their hands on an SEC team in the national championship game. Personally I don't give a shit about the SEC at this point. They're a great conference, and they've won the last six or seven national title games, but Ohio State can only worry about the games in front of them. There is no use worrying about how we stack up against Alabama, Florida, Oregon, or even Texas A&M because at this point there is no guarantee we will even play one of those teams at the end of the season.

It is clear the Buckeyes have significant work to do, and hopefully they're focused on San Diego State next week, and not worried about what lies further down the road in the schedule.

My Airing of Grievances: Big Ten Media Days

Hello everyone, it has been a while. I apologize for the hiatus and promise it won't happen again. At least until the next time, anyway. Lol

So, there is this segment on local Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan in Columbus Ohio called 'Airing of Grievances' with Common Man and Company. It's a call-in segment that allows listeners to air any grievances they may have on-air for 20 seconds, as long as they follow certain guidelines As I am typing this the host of Common Man and Company-- Mike Ricordati-- is ripping his audience a new one because, unfortunately, a lot of them have trouble following the simple guidelines of decency and common sense.

It made me think what grievance would I have called in to "air" had I the opportunity? Really, it's quite simple. During the Big Ten Media days in Chicago, Illinois, when Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer stepped up to the podium, reporters had the chance to ask him any question they wanted. Yet 8 of the 10 questions presented to coach Meyer centered around the recent off-the-field incidences that have led to four players being either suspended or removed from the team altogether.

I understand that this is a big issue, not only for the players involved but also for the Ohio State football team and the university at large. I also understand that, given Urban Meyer's past with the University of Florida, there are many people who believe his coaching philosophy is 'win at all costs.'

Yet Ohio State is on the verge of accomplishing some very distinguished firsts, too. Like being the first team in school history to win a national championship a year after finishing the season undefeated. And the first Ohio State team to win a national championship, and have a player (quarterback Braxton Miller) win the Heisman, too. Finally, an Ohio State victory in the BCS championship would end the Southeastern Conference's current streak in the title game at six.

And all the media could focus on was, as Urban Meyer so eloquently put it, ' the few knuckleheads who were trying to ruin it for the rest of us.' In the words of former Ohio State wide receiver and current ESPN analyst Cris Carter, "C'mon, Man!!" It seriously seemed like they were all waiting for some pearl of wisdom to come from Meyer on why these incidents were happening.

Yet here are at least 8 questions I think that, given the season the Buckeyes just finished, the 'knuckleheads' in the media should have asked:

1. From what you've seen of Braxton Miller this offseason, what appears to be the biggest improvement in his game?

2. With all the trouble it appeared you had at linebacker in 2012, how do you feel about the talent you have on the roster this season in regard to the position? Do you believe there is more or less depth at LB in 2013?

3. You stated in the spring of 2012 that there also appeared to be a 'lack of playmakers' on the offensive side of the ball, especially at the wide receiver position. A year later, how has your opinion changed on the subject? Besides Philly Brown and Devin Smith, obviously, who are guys you believe have the potential to 'break a big one' this season?

4. According to ESPN, you have the number two recruiting class in the nation this year behind Alabama. From what you've seen so far, which freshmen do you see making an immediate impact/starting this season?

5. There were a number of wins last season that were very close, including six games that were decided by 7 points or less. As you look at the schedule, which teams concern you the most this year?

6. Replacing John Simon and Johnathan Hankins this season on the defensive line won't be easy. If there is a guy on this year's team whose effort mimic's Simon, who would it be?

7. The Buckeyes don't play either Michigan State or Nebraska this season. Are you worried that not playing either of these Big Ten 'heavyweights' might allow your guys to get complacent?

8. The SEC has dominated the national title picture for the last half decade. Do you think this year's squad can legitimately challenge an SEC team for the national title?

Granted, he might have been as non-committal with some of the answers to those questions as the ones he was actually asked. But I don't understand why when given an opportunity to ask questions about football, the media insists on asking questions that don't pertain to the field. Especially when many of those questions happen to be loaded anyway (meaning Meyer isn't going to answer it).

In my opinion, Meyer is an individual of the highest integrity and moral fiber. I may be a bit biased as an Ohio State fan, but I am not going to apologize for that, either. And truth be told, he may be trying to be proactive for the sake of his image. But the truth is that most parents would rather send their son to a school where the coach is a disciplinarian than to someone who doesn't care at all.

But I digress. The point is that despite all these issues, Ohio State football is still a team on a mission. And a few bad apples will not sour the hard work the rest of the players have put in. And hopefully come mid-January, this will all be a distant memory--a bump in the road on the way to a championship.

Does Ohio State deserve a harsher penalty than USC or Tennessee? Depends on who you talk to.

Ohio State should receive the death penalty in college football for all of its recent rules violations.  Really.  Well, that is at least what many people believe should happen to the Buckeyes, with most of those people living outside of Columbus or even Ohio in general.

The above represents a rather extreme opinion, and, while there are quite a few people who believe the Buckeyes deserve that harsh of a punishment, they may still be in the minority.  The consensus is that Ohio State should receive a punishment somewhere between what Alabama received and USC received, and certainly it should be no more lenient than the penalty levied against the University of Tennessee men's basketball program.

Yet, are the crimes that Ohio State committed worse than what happened at USC?  Or Tennessee for that matter?  Well, let's look at what we know:

USC was investigated for two separate incidents, one being that Reggie Bush's parents were alleged to have a home worth at least six figures for Bush signing with an agent, all while Bush was an underclassmen at USC.  The other involved basketball standout OJ Mayo reportedly receiving thousands of dollars in cash while playing for the Trojans.  USC was ultimately found guilty of a lack of institutional control, and along with a two year postseason ban in football they had to give up 30 scholarships over a three year period.  And recently they have been forced to vacate the national title they won in '04, as well as Bush forfeited the heisman he won that year.

Tennesse has come under fire for Bruce Pearl's involvement with a recruit.  Pearl invited a  potential recruit to a barbecue at his house, when, under NCAA rules, he wasn't allowed to do so.  When Pearl was asked about the incident, he denied it ever happening. Furthermore, he has also been accused of having coached the potential recruit as to what to say if the NCAA were to question him.  The Southeastern Conference suspended Pearl for eight games.  I am not sure the NCAA has ruled on the matter yet, but Tennessee ended up firing Pearl anyway.

On to Ohio State.  Everyone by now knows about the 'tat five' as it were, and Jim Tressel's coverup of the scandal as well.  And, as we all came to find out this past memorial day, there might be even more wrongdoing.  Of course that is where I think the difference of opinion comes in.

Right now, the NCAA has not found any further wrong doing, including whether Terrelle Pryor received cash/gifts in exchange for his autograph, on the part of the Ohio State program.  At least that is what we, the general public, know for sure.  This is key because it will determine whether Ohio State is found guilty of lack of institutional control, which could mean they not only forfeit the 2010 season but also receive a postseason ban and loss of scholarships.

That is why I don't believe Ohio State will receive nearly as harsh a punishment as USC.  Without proof that coach Tressel forwarded the emails to university officials before the Buckeyes took the field against Arkansas, it will be hard to prove that they were not fostering an atmosphere of compliance.  As a matter of fact, while Jim Tressel has deceived Ohio State and the NCAA on multiple occasions, the Ohio State University officials(including Smith and Gee) have been more than accomodating in this whole process, providing the NCAA with everything requested.

Furthermore, when the Ohio State University and Jim Tressel face the committee on infractions next month, they will make a strong case that Tressel acted alone in the coverup of the allegations.  And while some may think that is a personal attack against a man who has done so much for the university, based on the facts we know, it may just be the truth.

So, at the end of the day, if the NCAA seems convinced Tressel acted alone?  I believe OSU gets a slap on the wrist, vacating 2010 season and probation ala Alabama.  Sure there will be a lot of angered fans out west, and maybe even in Ann Arbor, Michigan, but each case must be evaluated separately.  Because they are not the same violations at all.

Ohio State mess: A diehard fan's perspective

This probably has to be one of the hardest entries I'll ever have to write.  And not just because it seems that the bottom has fallen out on what was once the pride of Columbus, Ohio-the Ohio State Buckeyes football team.  No, there is a lot I feel I have to say--and I sincerely hope that this turns out to be one of my better editorials.

Before I start I want to make something perfectly clear for those of you who are regular followers of my blog.  A few weeks ago I made light of what Jim Tressel might have said to Gordon Gee to save his job in light of the alleged coverup of inkgate.   But at that time(May 16th) I  had no reason to believe he would be forced to give up his job, and I also thought that his error in judgment, while unfortunate--was nothing that he, the Ohio State University, and the football team couldn't put behind them.

Fast forward to today, June 2, 2011, three days after The Ohio State University announced that one Jim Tressel would be stepping down as head coach of its football program.   Ray Small's admission that he received deals on cars, etc. and Sports Illustrated's article on Jim Tressel(more on that in a bit), have sent tOSU into a tailspin that it might take years to recover from.

Annoucement of resignation and Immediate Reaction

It was Monday morning, and I was kicking back at my apartment, enjoying Memorial Day as best I could.  I was watching a little tv(I can't remember what was on, but I think I was tuned to TBS), and surfing the Internet.  Actually I think while I was watching tv I logged on to Facebook to see if anyone had commented on my wall. There were no new comments on my wall.  I then believe I went to the ESPN.com homepage to  check the latest news in the sports world.

Along the side bar of ESPN's homepage, I see the headline that Jim Tressel is set to resign as head coach of Ohio State. I quickly turn the channel from whatever I was watching to ESPN, and follow whatever news they have to say about this turn of events.  I reluctantly text my dad that Jim Tressel had resigned, that he was right.  At the time, however, I remember wishing my dad had been wrong.

As the day went on, I would receive texts from my younger brother Rocky about my thoughts on Urban Meyer as the next head coach of Ohio State.  I said I thought he would be a good fit because he could bring the recruits in, did not micromanage the game, and had an Ohio State connection.  That his tenure at Florida was marred by scandals as well did not really cross my mind.

I think, however, my biggest reaction was disbelief.  How could someone like Jim Tressel get himself involved in something like this?  I felt disappointed in him but also furious at the NCAA.  This is directly from my twitter account on that day :  @jargobright: "Tressel's resignation sobering, but a wake up call? NCAA needs rule change. Athletes should be allowed to have a part time job."

Later I would find the article on the new NCAA investigation on Terrelle Pryor.   Upset at the flamboyance Pryor has seemed to exhibit throughout(notice I said seemed, that is my perception of him) I sent my buddies an email saying I hope Terrelle Pryor never plays another down of football for the Buckeyes(the email itself was a little harsher than that, but I have cleaned it up in case impressionable young minds should read my blog).

I would take the news about Pryor to break a story about a potential qb controversy at tOSU on the website bleacherreport.com (you can read that article here )  I thought for sure this story would be placed on the front page of the website, but it would get buried in favor of articles about Tressel.

Then I found the article about Tressel on Sports Illustrated.com.  After boasting that it was responsible for breaking the story that caused Tressel to resign(I'll have more on that in a bit) I went on to read the list of coverups the man they call "The Senator" was to have purported.  I was in absolute shock.  I could not believe that not only would Ohio State have to vacate their 2010 season, including a Sugar Bowl win over Arkansas, but they might also have to forfeit the 2009 season, which includes a Rose Bowl victory over Oregon.

Dealing with criticism both from both within and outside of Buckeye Nation

I hadn't even finished reading the word "resignation" and I already knew I was going to have defend my position on tOSU, right or wrong. It comes with the territory. Especially when you're as rabid a fan of the Buckeyes as I am. Who also happens to write several different blogs(including this one).

In the aftermath of Tressel's resignation, I had gone to facebook and twitter to show my support for the fallen coach.   Sure he had some serious lapses in judgment, and this ultimately led to his downfall, but I refuse to believe that he broke the rules due to arrogance.

Of course, some of the people closest to me would disagree with that last statement.  To protect the innocent, I will leave their names out of this discussion. They would argue Tressel knew full well what he was doing, and he had the audacity to think he could pull a fast one on the NCAA.  I'm not sure Tressel was that devious, and I don't know if I will ever believe that.

Needless to say, I wondered if their comments to me in the past days and months meant they were truly glad OSU had gotten rid of Tressel(whose coaching philosophy they may not have agreed with anyway), or they were just trying to get a rise out of me, or both.  If the latter was the case, they had succeeded in getting a rise out of me, as I would not let this die.

As for those outside of the Buckeye Nation, I am not sure why I listened to them at all.  I read a couple of articles written by Michigan fans, one of which jokingly suggested that we hire Rich Rodiguez as our next coach.  I should have resisted the urge to respond to this, but I couldn't help myself.  The following is an excerpt of my comment, and the response to my comment:

Jarrod Argobright commented on 5 Reasons the Buckeyes Need to Hire Rich Rod

i didn't even need to read this drivel to know you were a michigan fan. its all good though, we still have the better athletes to...

3 days ago

Like Reply

• 2 replies – here are the latest…
• Oh-How-I-Hate ohio-state replied…
  Make that 1 less athlete Jarrod .... Report: Pryor under investigation (Read MSN today)
• Adam Hirshfield replied…
  I literally LOLed at this.

I knew Michigan fans were going to let us have it, but I could not resist.  I think part of it has to do with the fact there are Michigan fans who live in Columbus.   Not that they shouldn't be able to, but I really don't know any Buckeye fan who would willing move to Ann Arbor.  And still root for the Buckeyes while living up there.

In the end, however, I am glad that I haven't replaced my car stereo so I don't have to change the station to classic rock every time Mike and Mike in the morning want to talk about Tressel.

A Fallen Hero

My aunt Cheryl had said when the news first broke out about Tressel that she felt the worst for her nephew (also my cousin), Jonathan.  Jonathan had just learned that the man who was his hero, Jim Tressel, was not the man he thought he was.  And I think, I, too sort of looked up to coach Tressel as a role model.

To outsiders, Tressel was an easy man to hate.  He was the ultimate control freak, a man whose offense was as bland as the sweater vests he wore on the sidelines.  Critics argued he scheduled weak opponents, and that he could never beat any real competition (read: SEC).    They would further contend that his OSU squad would pad their win total over a "watered down" Big Ten Conference.  And, when the latest scandal broke, they would point to his book, "The Winners Manual", as more proof that not only was he a cheater but also a hypocrite.

But inside Columbus, Ohio, Tressel had been revered the way no one around these parts had since Woody Hayes.  Tressel apologists argued that he scheduled games against Ohio schools to give back to Ohio.  They also noted how much he gave back to the univeristy, and that he even taught a class at the university(one that I would have liked to attend had my work schedule permitted me).  They further went on to note everything he did for our fine men and women overseas.

All of that seems to have gone by the wayside with this latest scandal.  For many, they will only remember Tressel's tarnished legacy.  For myself, as well as others in Buckeye Nation, we will remember him as a good man who ultimately fell victim to a lapse in judgment.

Calling out Sports Illustrated

So if you haven't read it, Sports Illustrated.com first broke the news of the complete history of Tressel's trangressions. (Click here to read the full article, also reprinted in the June 6 magazine edition).  The mag even went as far as to claim this story even led to Tressel's resignation.

But was Sports Illustrated's article motivated purely by a search for the truth? Or were they motivated by something else?  Surely they want to sell magazines, but is it possible they also reveled in seeing the Ohio State football program collapse?  And did Robert Rose and Thaddeus Gibson voluntarily offer that they traded memorabilia for benefits, or did the magazine receive an anonymous tip?  And if the former is true, did you(SI) ask either Rose or Gibson why they chose to sell out a coach who treated them as if they were his sons?

I am calling on Sports Illustrated to respond to my claim of journalistic integrity.  I would love to see someone respond to my claim.  Heck, I'll be honest, I wrote this piece in part to see if they would even reprint it.  They don't even have to pay me for it, as long as they credit me for the article.

I don't expect SI to even respond to my allegations, but I'd love to hear your thoughts, pro or con.  And not just on SI.  On the article in general.