College Football, Week 3: Kendall's Guarantee

I have a personal connection to the Ohio State-Oklahoma game tonight.

Ok, it’s not really that personal, but I have been hearing about this Austin Kendall kid for almost three years now. Yes, the same Austin Kendall kid who guaranteed that Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield would ‘light up Ohio State’s basic defense.’

You see, Kendall’s grandfather, Neal, works alongside my friend Josh Whitmer. I met Neal around three years ago while watching the beginning of the 2014 NCAA basketball tournament. Neal told me his grandson, a sophomore quarterback for a small high school in North Carolina, was one of the top recruits in the country. He also said that Austin had a strong desire to play for Ohio State.

The only problem was that the Ohio State football team did not really recruit Austin. In fact, to hear Neal tell it, Michigan made a stronger push to sign the younger Kendall than the Buckeyes did. Austin would consider the University of Tennessee, among other schools, before finally deciding to take his talents to Norman.

So it’s no surprise that the Sooners backup quarterback would want his team to ‘light up’ the school that ultimately passed on him. Yet I’m not sure that was the best idea to go and tell that to the media.

Jack Nicholson's reaction to Austin Kendall's guarantee.

There is no doubt that Buckeyes’ head coach Urban Meyer, who majored in psychology, used this information to motivate his players. In fact, he might have even called out a couple of underclassmen by name. Not that Sam Hubbard or Jalyn Holmes played poorly in the Buckeyes’ first two games. But Meyer may have suggested as much in order to light a metaphorical fire within each of them.

Before the season if you asked me which game I thought the Buckeyes would lose, I would have pointed to tonight’s contest as the one to watch. But I have a feeling that the Buckeyes make Kendall and the Sooners eat their words. Even JT Barrett and the OSU offense have something to prove in this one.

Ohio State wins comfortably, 34-17. And the nightmare for Kendall does not end there, as the youngster more than likely will be the starting quarterback for the Sooners when they come to Columbus next season. Win or lose this game, there’s no chance Meyer lets his team forget what Kendall said this week.

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).