Buckeyes Meet with Media Tuesday
August 14, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Ohio State Football Quotes: Jim Bollman, offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Larry Grant, Rory Nicol, Anderson Russell, Trevor Robinson..."
Free safety Russell ready to reclaim starting role
August 16, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "..a defensive back named Russell who blew out his knee as a redshirt freshman. In a cast for eight months after surgery, he took two years to fully recover, quit football in the process and came back to play only after his coaches begged him to return...His son, Ohio State starting free safety Anderson Russell, hasn't faced anything close to that while returning from the same injury, a torn an terior cruciate ligament, which he suf fered as a redshirt freshman against Iowa last year..."
OSU freshmen running backs, receivers make an impression
August 15, 2007 Source: LimaOhio.com - "...offensive coordinator Jim Bollman might have dropped a few hints who he likes on his side of the ball on Tuesday. He had good things to say about freshmen running backs Brandon Saine and Daniel Herron and a couple of first-year receivers, Taurian Washington and Dane Sanzenbacher..."
 | Torrence steps in for injured receiver Small
August 15, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "It's Ohio State sophomore and Glenville grad Ray Small who's supposed to elicit comparisons to his receiving mentor, Ted Ginn Jr. But after Small sprained his ankle in practice Satur day, it's fresh man Devon Torrence who is following in Ginn's foot steps..."
Torrence makes switch from corner to flanker
August 15, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "When Ohio State coach Jim Tressel introduced the 2007 recruiting class in February, he said versatility was a strength of a group chock full of "athletes." Devon Torrence became an example of that this week..."
Torrence is turning double play
August 14, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Buckeyes fans might be smart to enjoy the freshman defensive back while they can..."
The Go-Small era is on hold
August 14, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "The last three seasons Ted Ginn Jr. was the constant threat...(the plan was to use) the talents of flanker Ray Small in a similar vein this season...But that new look will be on the shelf, at least for the time being....freshmen Taurian Washington and Dane Sanzenbacher are among those who are taking up the slack at the position. Washington, from Orchard Lake (St. Mary's), Mich., especially has shown the speed necessary to stretch the field in much the way Ginn did..." |
 | Buckeyes Start Biggest Week of Fall Camp
August 15, 2007 Source: The Ozone Press - "Two Buckeyes hampered by ankle injuries in early going of fall camp....The first game of the season is weeks away, and the Michigan game is still three months down the road, yet despite the early date, this week may be one of the most important of the season for the OSU football team. The Buckeyes are in their second week of fall camp right now, for team members, one of the most intense weeks of football of the entire year. 'We had our first two-a-day yesterday. That's 50 periods of contact. That's a long time," said OSU tight end Rory Nicol on Tuesday.'..." |
 | Mr. Bucknuts' Bucket Of Bullets
August 15, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "Mr. Bucknuts goes overboard discussing the discussions about tight ends in the Buckeye system. He then publishes an unusual review of Sam McGuffie, Lloyd Carr sightings in Central Europe, and a couple of silly comments on Michigan, Florida and Playboy. All this and more in a new edition of Bucket of Bullets..." |
Down on the corner? Never in Columbus
August 15, 2007 Source: UWeekly.com - "Two-thirds of the earth is covered with water. Jim Tressel and the 105,000 fans that pack into Ohio Stadium hope that the other third will be covered by the OSU secondary..."
The Two Brians: Can Robiskie and Hartline be the new Gonzo and Ginn?
August 15, 2007 Source: UWeekly.com - "The running game’s got shotgun, so passing game, you’re in the backseat...But that doesn’t mean that Ohio State won’t have a solid arsenal of hands to catch the ball in 2007..."
 | Big Ten: The Most Overrated Conference?
August 14, 2007 Source: Detroit Free Press Press - "Please tell me why the Big Ten is celebrated by many as the nation's second-best conference behind the SEC? Not only did the league win just two of seven bowl games last season, its postseason record since '03 is a wretched 11-17...Can Ohio State and Michigan continue their dominance (both lead the league with 19 conference victories the past three seasons) or will Wisconsin finally grab the top spot? Time to take a look at the Big Ten, with odds to win the BCS Championship..." |
DBs eager to prove themselves this season
August 13, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "After a week of practice, Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock has labeled his defense "noisy" compared to his 2006 group, and sophomore starting free safety Kurt Coleman is certainly part of that chatter. 'They seem to have more personality, and they may be a little more talkative,' Heacock said. Is that a good thing? 'I don't know,' Heacock said. '[It is] if they can back it up.'..."
Covering the corners
August 14, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Heacock said he is pleased with his starting cornerbacks, Jenkins and Donald Washington. The backups, though, are inexperienced..."
Down on the corner
August 13, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Are the Buckeyes thin at cornerback? Maybe..."
Coach shows Denlinger some love
August 16, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - "Heacock says Troy graduate plays like former Buckeye who's now in the NFL...former defensive tackle Tim Anderson, who never earned much individual acclaim but was a pillar on that legendary front four..."
  | August 13 Football Practice
August 13, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Two-a-days are underway for the football team. Monday, the Buckeyes held their first day of camp with two practices, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. After five days of non-contact sessions last week, players strapped on pads for the first time Saturday and conducted drills with live contact, officially ringing in the new season with pads popping. Contact continued Monday." |
Ball is just a rumor to fullback
August 13, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - The question to Dionte Johnson was: How many touches do you think Ohio State's fullbacks will get this season? Johnson leaned forward and spoke earnestly. 'We're going to send this straight to Coach, right?" he asked. He leaned back and puffed his chest out. 'We're going to shoot for 400 for the year, 400 touches,' he said..."
Forgotten fullbacks Source: Columbus Dispatch
Wealth of depth with linebackers should keep defense formidable
August 13, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock is apprehensive about beginning the season with a revamped secondary and defensive line, but the team has more competent linebackers than Idaho has potatoes..."
 | Hawk comparisons still fit Homan
August 13, 2007 Source: LimaOhio.com - " When Ross Homan arrived at Ohio State last year he was described by many as the next A.J. Hawk. You don’t hear that about the sophomore linebacker from Coldwater as much this season. When he didn’t become an immediate starter some people seemed to drop the Hawk parallels. But the comparision might still be just as valid in 2007 as it was in 2006. Statistically, Homan’s freshman season was very similar to Hawk’s first year at Ohio State in 2002..." |
Breaking down the Ohio State defense
August 13, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Defensive line...Linebackers...Defensive backs..."
The-Ozone Note and Quotebook
August 13, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "We Don't Care, All the Way Back, New Do, and Knucklehead Factor; they're all covered in the-Ozone Note and Quotebook..."
 | Glenville continuing a successful OSU connection
August 12, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "The Glenville-Ohio State football legacy continued this season...A year ago, the exploits of Ted Ginn Jr. along Troy Smith, put the Buckeyes in the national championship game and made Glenville one of the most talked-about high school football programs in the country. Now that Ginn and Smith have joined Donte Whitner, another former Buckeye and Tarblooder, in the NFL, it's time for the next Glenville generation to dominate Columbus..." |
 | Linebackers uphold OSU tradition
August 12, 2007 Source: Toledo Blade - "As a starting linebacker at Ohio State, Laurinaitis knows he walks on hallowed ground when he stations himself about three yards off the line of scrimmage, poised and upright, eyes locked on the quarterback, peering into his soul..."
Freeman learns success has no guarantees
August 14, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Marcus Freeman was Ohio State's third-leading tackler (71) last season after he earned a role as a starter...Even as he played on the No. 1 team and one of the top defenses in the country most of last season, Freeman was finding his way. In this, his fourth year on campus and his junior season, Freeman could take a bold step forward, defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said..." |
Defensive Tackle Position will be Different in 2007
August 12, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "Quinn Pitcock, David Patterson, Joel Penton - Gone. The OSU defensive line was hit hard by graduation when last season ended, but OSU defensive line coach and defensive coordinator Jim Heacock is excited about this year's group..."
 | For seldom-used veterans, it's now or never
August 12, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Nader Abdallah was fat and unhappy. He reported to spring practice nearly 40 pounds lighter, at 295. 'Surprising,' defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said. 'He's a new man.'...The life cycle of a college football player is swift and short. Every year, a new crop of talented freshmen comes in, most hoping to play right away at the expense of a veteran.Some assume that when older players ahead of them depart, they'll naturally rise to the top. But sometimes they're wrong..." |
Summer A Time For Fat-Man Ball
August 12, 2007 Source: OhioStateScout.com - "Summer is well-known as a time for skill position players to get together and play seven-on-seven ball, but what becomes of the offensive and defensive linemen who don't have a spot in those games? It turns out they have their own game. Find out what they play and which Buckeyes excel at their summer activity..."
 | Heacock Optimistic About OSU Defense
August 11, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "The first week of Ohio State's preseason camp went into the books today as the Buckeyes donned full pads for the first time. Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock spent time with reporters prior to the practice and shared his thoughts on a wide range of topics, including players who have caught his eye..."
Heacock Happy To See The Pads Go On
August 11, 2007 Source: OhioStateScout.com - "Fall camp 2007 is about a week old, but for the first time OSU practiced in pads Saturday. Count defensive coordinator Jim Heacock as someone who was excited for that fact. Heacock met with the media on his favorite day of the year to discuss the progress that has been made thus far and credit some players that have made their marks..."
(Anderson) Russell hasn't lost a step, or his job
August 12, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch |
 | Pads Poppin’
August 11, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "The football team suited up in full gear Saturday and held its first practice with live contact. The Buckeyes practiced all week in helmets and shells (helmets and shoulder), leading up to full contact Saturday..." |
 | Terry gets camp off on good footing
August 11, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Ohio State linebacker Curtis Terry didn't have a bad junior year, considering he played on one foot. He said he started feeling pain in his right foot last summer but played through it. He played in all 13 games, with three starts, and had 17 tackles. It wasn't until this spring that the pain grew unbearable. 'It turns out I had two stress fractures, and they had caused bone spurs,' Terry said. He had surgery in late April, spent three weeks on crutches and another three in a boot. Only now is he starting to feel healthy again. 'It feels real good, it feels strong,' Terry said. Then he grinned. 'If it didn't feel good, I wouldn't tell anybody, anyway. I'm tired of missing practice.' He said he gritted his teeth through the injury last year because he felt like he would be letting the team down by not playing. While Terry sat out spring practice, Larry Grant seized control of the starting spot on the strong side. Terry is on the second team, but he's far from upset about it. 'It has allowed me to not have to rush back,' Terry said. 'Like some days, if my foot is real sore, I can chill out or I don't have to be worried about rushing back, because Larry is doing a great job.'" |
Whaley Ready To Roll Over Opponents
August 11, 2007 Source: BuckeyeSports.com - "It's been a busy past couple months for Tyler Whaley. The former walk-on has switched positions and hopes to get on the Ohio Stadium field as a fullback in 2007, but he's already had his share of excitement on the new artificial turf..."
Text ban upheld
August 11, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "The NCAA board of directors on Thursday voted to uphold a ban on text-messaging recruits. The ban went into effect Aug. 1, and a group of schools immediately appealed to have it overturned. Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Luke Fickell, one of the serial "texters" on the coaching staff, is OK with the ban. 'Now, (kids have) got the e-mails that go right to their phone, so not a whole lot changes,' Fickell said. He also said he isn't worried that some schools might continue to text. 'The kids that somebody gets a head start on because they're not complying with the rules probably aren't the kids we're going to win on, anyway,' Fickell said, 'because they enjoy the glitz and the glamour. And recruiting-wise, our glitz and glamour is showing them this beautiful (Ohio) stadium, this beautiful campus, our facility - not promises and different things.'"
NCAA notes: Text message ban stands Source: USA Today
| Buckeye Camp Marked by Players with Something to Prove
August 11, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "Bench press numbers, 40 times, star ratings and conditioning achievements all go out the window today. The Buckeyes put on the pads today at 3:00 PM for the first time this fall. That means it's time to find out who the workout wonders are and who the football players are. All the work, all the conditioning, all the speed, all the strength are nice, but they are not an end, they are a means, a means to being a good football player. Today the Buckeyes put on the pads and start banging one another to find who the good football players really are. 'It's real football,' said linebacker James Laurinaitis..." |
Never-Ending Football Preview: Big Ten Offensive Lines
August 11, 2007 Source: mlive.com - "1. Ohio State: Michigan's Jake Long is the best lineman in the conference, but the Buckeyes have a better collective unit. Alex Boone and Steve Rehring make up a massive and imposing left side - the two both stand 6-foot-8 and at least 325-lbs. Center Jim Cordle will be solid, as will Ben Parson at right guard, but Kirk Barton could be an absolute star at right tackle. As always, there are plenty of talented backups in Columbus - but lots of unproven talent. Still, the starters are really, really good..."
 | Wells could accept getting carried away
August 10, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Chris "Beanie" Wells, a sophomore running back who headlines an inexperienced Ohio State offense, was surrounded by reporters who were asking the same question in various guises: Are you ready to be the plow horse of a more conservative offense?...Here is a typical answer, this one to the question of how many times he expects to carry the ball a game this season: 'I'm not sure. It doesn't really matter to me, as long as I'm helping the team.'..." |
Jim Brown takes Chris Wells under his wing
August 10, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - "The news that former NFL great Jim Brown is spending time with another Ohio State running back will probably elicit a few groans among fans, given his past association with Maurice Clarett and how that saga panned out. But OSU sophomore tailback Chris Wells sees nothing but positives coming from their relationship, and it certainly has coach Jim Tressel's blessing..."
From Columbus Dispatch: OSU notebook: Freshman shifts gears quickly Who is stepping up? Long hair, no sweat
 | Bucknuts TV: Jim Cordle Interview
August 10, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "The 6-4, 280-pound Cordle steps into the opening at center. He has big shoes to fill as he follows in the footsteps of the likes of LeCharles Bentley, Nick Mangold and Doug Datish, who have manned the center position for OSU in recent years. Cordle, a Lancaster, Ohio, native talks about biding his time for this opportunity, the potential of the line and the offense and the season ahead..." |
 | Saine's speed has heads turning, shaking
August 10, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State speed coordinator Butch Reynolds would know better than anyone, and he wasn't waffling Thursday. 'I think we're actually faster than we were last year.' And part of that is because of players such as Brandon Saine, the freshman running back who will be the test case for what happens when an elite sprinter gets a full career of football tutelage from another elite sprinter..." |
 | Football Interviews - Larry Grant and Curtis Terry
August 10, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Listen to an interview with Larry Grant and Curtis Terry, both senior linebackers, about the first week of camp and looking ahead to full gear practices. Grant, from San Francisco, is in his second season with the Buckeyes after playing in 12 games in 2006 as a junior. Terry, from Cleveland, has played in all 37 Ohio State games the last three seasons, including a start vs. No. 2-ranked Michigan last year." |
OSU players see lots of changes in first days of practice
August 10, 2007 Source: CentralOhio.com - "Offensive tackle Kirk Barton had plenty of company when he lined up for Ohio State's team photo Thursday, but part of him couldn't help feeling all alone during Media Day activities in Ohio Stadium. 'I was like the lowest-rated guy. Who knew I'd be the only one left?' said Barton, the lone remaining member of the 2003 recruiting class and the only fifth-year senior on the roster..."
Under the Headset
August 11, 2007 Source: OhioStateScout.com - "There are two schools of thought when it comes to disguising a defense’s coverage. The first school of thought is that a secondary should line up the same, or close to the same, as much as possible. The second school of thought is that a defense should always be moving around. The latter is by far the most popular look in football today. Let's break down some X's and O's...."
 | Buckeyes Hold Football Media Day
August 9, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Today the Ohio State football team held its annual media day at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes met with media to answer questions about the upcoming season and took team photos. The following are quotes from head coach Jim Tressel and players..." |
Media Day Notebook: QBs A Hot Topic
August 9, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - " As expected, one of the key topics for Ohio State's football media day was the competition at the vacant quarterback position. We have comments from Jim Tressel, Todd Boeckman, Rob Schoenhoft and new addition Joe Bauserman, plus much more...."
 | Ohio State Football Media Day
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Check out how the Ohio State football team handled the 2007 media day from the Horseshoe. The Buckeyes signed autographs for fans and answered many questions from the media during the hectic interview sessions..." |
How Much Does Ohio State's Offense Change? or Tresselballin'
August 9, 2007 Source: SundayMorningQB.com - "...How different will OSU’s offense look without Smith and his amazin’ blazin’ receivers, Gonzalez and Ginn? We know Tressel can win big without a Heisman-challenging quarterback throwing two touchdowns a game, but was the Buckeyes’ championship run in 2002 so different from its last one? ..."
Ohio State football and majors
August 9, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh has done college football a service by banging the drum on programs guiding players into questionable majors. The people at Michigan don't like it very much...At first glance, Ohio State doesn't have a major as popular as Michigan's general studies among the football team..."
 | Heating Up
August 8, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Despite temperatures creeping into the mid 90s, it turns out there is something the Ohio State football team craves more than a cool drink of water. The chance to hit somebody..." |
 | OSU Fullback Johnson Has Some Big Plans
August 8, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "Ohio State senior fullback Dionte Johnson has some big plans for the upcoming season as he prepares to block for the team's talented tailbacks. But the finance major also has his sights set on giving back to the community. He is working on a charity to benefit inner city youth..." |
 | Big Ten Network Reps Visit Ohio State
August 9, 2007 Source:OSU Official Site - "Jim Delany, Big Ten commissioner, and Mark Silverman, Big Ten Network president, were featured speakers at a luncheon Thursday in Ohio Stadium to educate the Columbus community about the Big Ten Network, which is set to launch Aug. 30. Michael Coleman, Mayor of Columbus, Gene Smith, Ohio State director of athletics, Jim Tressel, Ohio State football head coach, and Lori Walker, Ohio State women's soccer head coach, also addressed the audience of more than 300 people..."
The Big Ten Network Unspun
August 9, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "The problem in writing about the Big Ten network is that you can't really get many straight answers. The parties involved, the Big Ten Network and the cable operators, have so much at stake right now that both sides are desperately waging an all-out war to have their way relative to the network and how it is distributed. Talk to one side and you get passionate, compelling arguments why things should be done their way. Talk to the other side, and you get equally compelling arguments..."
Big Ten Network Completes On-Air Football Lineup
August 7, 2007 Source: BigTen.com - "Veteran broadcasters will enhance football coverage this fall..."
Big Ten Network Lands Fox Sports' BCS Announce Team to Lead Game Coverage
Jul 18, 2007 Source: BigTen.com - "Brennaman, Davis to headline broadcasters and analysts with deep Big Ten roots..." |
Regarding OSU As Gene Smith, "A rumor at the Big Ten's annual preseason football schmooze last week in Chicago had the Big 12 Conference interested in Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith to fill its vacant commissioner's chair. Smith would not confirm whether it was true. Even if it was, he said, 'I'm not interested.' Smith was athletic director at Iowa State, a Big 12 member, from 1993 to 2000 before moving to Arizona State. He came to Ohio State in 2005. The Big 12 has been without a commissioner since July 15, when Kevin Weiberg left to become vice president of university planning and development with the nascent Big Ten Network. It also has been speculated that Weiberg is the heir apparent to Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany." (From: Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings Columbus Dispatch)
 | Jim Tressel less cool than Joe Paterno
August 8, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Jim Tressel isn't as popular as Pete Carroll. Or Urban Meyer. Or Joe Paterno. Or Bobby Bowden. Or Jeff Tedford. But he's believed to be slightly more popular than Jerry Glanville. And he's TWICE as popular as LLLLLoyd Carr..."
Players Survey Source: SI.com - "Searching for answers to the '07 season...we asked one starter from each of the 119 Division I-A teams the following questions about college football and the upcoming season. Here's how they responded... |
 | The Prestige
August 8, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "So, who are the true powerhouses of college football? In this week's Mailbag, SI.com's Stewart Mandel divides all 66 BCS teams into a four-tier hierarchy, from kings to peasants..." |
| Buckeyes Searching for the Right Mix in Fall Camp
August 8, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel and his staff have begun the task of casting new characters into roles in the hopes of having an effective and coherent final product when the Buckeyes take the field for the opener this fall. Check out the complete story now..." |
 | Camp Kicks Off
August 7, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "Tressel quotes on the first night of camp: 'I talked to the team last night. At the running drills, they all look really excellent. They all looked very strong. I would even say they were in a little better condition than last year.'..."
Tressel Talks Shop On First Day Of Practice
August 6, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "Jim Tressel discussed a wide variety of topics on Monday, the first day of practice in preseason camp. How did the Buckeyes perform in their conditioning test? Which freshmen are looking good? What might the offense look like this year with Todd Boeckman at quarterback and Chris Wells at tailback?...and more..."
Chapter begins for '07 Buckeyes
August 7, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "The 2007 Ohio State football team took the practice field for the first time yesterday, shrouded by oppressive heat and humidity and a cloud of mystery..." |
Buckeyes freshmen hit ground running after summer school
August 7, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "All summer, players kept telling Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, "Wait until you see these freshmen," and yesterday, the freshmen did not disappoint..."
Tressel watching for sparks in first practice
August 7, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - "Ohio State coach Jim Tressel won't know for perhaps another three weeks whether any true freshmen will play much this season, but he learned during the team's conditioning test Monday morning that at least a few are swift enough..."
Buckeyes can't worry about heat as practice begins
August 7, 2007 Source: Associated Press - "Fighting high humidity and temperatures in the 90s, steam was almost rising off the field when the Ohio State football team went through its first official practice on Monday. The Buckeyes, coming off a 12-1 season, sweated through their workout near the remodeled Woody Hayes Athletic Center. If you can't stand the heat, get off the practice field, coach Jim Tressel philosophized..."
Fifteen minutes offers mere glimpse into future
August 7, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "OSU officials let reporters in for the first 15 minutes of the team's first official practice session yesterday, and the Buckeyes looked absolutely fabulous. The four quarterbacks tossing footballs to each other -- Rob Schoenhoft, Todd Boeckman, Antonio Henton and Joe Bauserman -- looked as good as any four guys I've even seen passing footballs 10 yards in practice..."
 | H2O for OSU Players
August 6, 2007 Source: CoachTressel.com - "The Aquatic Opportunity Program isn’t your everyday trip to the pool; the ultimate goal is to have these players physically and mentally prepared for the next conditioning test in one week..." |
 | Best Program Ever
August 6, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "It’s a battle for the ages. Daily at OhioStateBuckeyes.com you can vote for your choice in an elimination game to determine the best football game program in Buckeye history. Until the season kicks off Sept. 1 vs. Youngstown State, OhioStateBuckeyes.com will provide a match up each day between two legendary program covers. Your vote decides which program moves on..." |
Defense has veterans on its side
August 6, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...'Last year, everybody said the offense is going to have to carry us,' linebacker Marcus Freeman said, 'but for the first 10 games, we were the No. 1 scoring defense in the nation.' As practice opens today, the roles are reversed. Ohio State has many of its established defensive standouts back, and the offense is hearing the doom-and-gloom forecasts..."
OFFENSE LOSES FROM 2006
99% Of Passing Yards
67% Of Rushing Yards
66% Of Receiving Yards | DEFENSE RETURNS FOR 2007
68% Of Tackles
58% Of Sacks
81% Of Interceptions |
Comparing Rebuilding Projects In Columbus
August 5, 2007 Source: OhioStateScout.com - "Wondering how the 2007 Ohio State offense will pan out inevitably conjures visions of two recent years Ohio State faced massive rebuilding projects, 1999 and 2004, a discussion leading BuckeyeSports.com to compare some of the key numbers regarding those two squads and the one set to report for practice today..."
Bucks worried about other side of fence
August 6, 2007 Source: The Morning Journal - "About a year ago at this time, the overwhelming consensus was the Buckeyes would go as far as the defense allowed them. With nine new starters to break in, that was the big mystery on a team full of star power and ranked No. 1 in the preseason. As players checked in yesterday for the start of fall camp, the exact opposite is true. Now the defense has mainstays in cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and linebacker James Laurinaitis, the Big Ten's preseason defensive player of the year. All eyes instead will be on the offense..."
 | Jenkins Revved For Big Season With Bucks
August 6, 2007 Source: Bucknuts.com - "Among the Buckeyes who were on hand after check-in Sunday to discuss their excitement for the upcoming Ohio State football season was junior corner Malcolm Jenkins, whose star continues to rise. Jenkins has established himself as one of the best cover men in the nation, but he says he's just getting started..."
Jenkins faces growing expectations at corner
August 8, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...Jenkins certainly has the physical ability to be a star. He's 6 feet 1, 202 pounds and uses his size well. He has textbook bump-and-run skills, as well as zeal to come up and tackle ball carriers..." |
| The-Ozone Note and Quotebook
August 6, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "...a regular feature called the-Ozone Note and Quotebook where we like to report interesting little tidbits and sidebar stories...The first of this football season's Note and Quotebooks is now online. It covers A Grain of Salt, A Weight Room Record, Impressive Freshmen, Big Brother, Getting Noticed, The Quarterback Derby, Fat Man Football, and Stars Schmars..." |
Ohio State's football team looks to move past crushing defeat
August 6, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ohio State's football players sound eager for a healthy dose of 'You stink.' 'It's harder to handle success than it is to handle failure,' junior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins said soon after checking into the University Plaza Hotel, home to the players for the next several weeks. 'I think a lot of people last year were thinking, 'We're at the top of the mountain already, it's a given,' but Florida came in and wanted to get to the same spot we were.'..."
Buckeyes could be short on leadership as season begins today
August 6, 2007 Source: Associated Press - "Ohio State reached college football's national championship game last season with a roster that included 17 fifth-year seniors. This year's Buckeyes better hope experience is overrated. The Buckeyes, who begin practicing for the 2007 season on Monday, have only one fifth-year senior on this year's squad..."
 | Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis credits teammates for success
August 6, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Laurinaitis, an All-American and winner of the Nagurski Award for best defensive player in the country last year as a sophomore, wants the awards as far away from him as possible. 'It's definitely not anything I did,' Laurinaitis said. 'I had four great defensive linemen in front of me, and you realize it's a team game, it isn't individual at all.'..." |
Ohio State preseason camp notes
August 6, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "When Gordon Gee came back as Ohio State's president last month, he talked about a "zero tolerance policy" in the athletic department. What would that look like?..." and much more.
SCS.COM COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2007: BIG TEN
August 6, 2007 Source: SouthernCollegeSports.com - "THREE KEYS: 2. Rebuilding? Or reloading? How badly will OSU miss Smith, Ginn, Pittman, and Gonzalez? Running back Chris 'Beanie' Wells is a heisman candidate in the making, so there is little worry there. However, the passing game could hold Ohio State back, especially if coach Jim Tressel gets rid of the spread offense that made Troy Smith so successful...The Big Ten will show little change from 2006. Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin should battle it out for the title. Wisconsin has OSU’s number. OSU has Michigan’s number. Michigan has Wisconsin’s number. Whoever breaks away from the past should come out on top..." (Team-by-Team Analysis | Projected Standings | All-Conference Teams)..."
 | Football is back at OSU
Today, Sunday August 5th, the Buckeye football players arrived for player check-in at the University Plaza Hotel (there are photo galleries below of the arriving players). Monday will mark the first day of practice, but the team will not begin practicing in full pads until Saturday. That will mark the first time the players and coaches will all be on the same field running plays since the spring game April 21. There will be an open practice on August 20th in the 'Shoe in the evening. Ohio State fall camp schedule: August 9th - Photo day; August 18th - Jersey scrimmage; August 20th - evening practice in the 'Shoe; August 22nd - Kick scrimmage; August 24 End of two-a-days. By NCAA rule, days 1 and 2 are helmets only; days 3 and 4 are helmets and pads; day 5 is full pads. Only a single session is allowed for the first five days and then there can be two-a-days, but this is not permitted on consecutive days. |
Checking In: Player Quotes
August 5, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - "The football team reported for preseason camp Sunday, marking the official start of the 2007 season. Following check-in, four Buckeyes met with media to preview the beginning of camp and the upcoming season..."
Inside look: Issues and such this fall
August 5, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Seven months removed from one of the bigger disappointments in Ohio State football history, a 41-14 loss to Florida in the national championship game, it's a new dawn for the Buckeyes as they report today for preseason camp..."
Ohio State: Champs will feature plenty of new faces
August 5, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - "The Buckeyes also have just nine returning starters, the fewest in the Big Ten..."
Buckeye Defense Looking for Help Up the Middle
August 5, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "Great defenses in almost any sport have one thing in common; they're strong up the middle....in football, it's the interior defensive line, the middle linebacker and the safeties who have to take care of the middle of the defense..."
Buckeyes Open Fall Camp a Team Looking for Answers On Offense
August 5, 2007 Source: The Ozone - "The Buckeyes reported for fall camp earlier today and will open camp tomorrow in preparation for the 2007 season. When they do they will be a team looking to fill some very big shoes on the offensive side of the ball. 'We won't be settled at quarterback going into the season because no one will have done anything in a game,' Tressel said at the Big Ten Media Days last week. 'You know we're going to play more than one quarterback in the first couple of games, that's what we try to do. Things don't become settled until there's some proof (in a game).'..."
 | Talk about the Big Ten extending its football season beyond Thanksgiving is apparently now a dead issue, at least for now. Jim Delany, the Conference commissioner, said this week that coaches are unanimous in wanting to keep the bye week during the season. However, they're split on whether they want to have the season conclude after the holiday. Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is against it.
"After the Ohio State football team lost the national championship game to Florida - not only lost, but was embarrassed - many wondered if the culprit for the throttling was the speed of the Gators and the Southeastern Conference or a Buckeyes squad rusty after 51 days off. Because of that, Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany was asked this week at the preseason football media days if the conference was considering moving back its season so its teams would be more fresh for bowl games, particularly the national championship game. Other conferences either end regular seasons later or have championship games that give them sometimes two more weeks of work. Delany said he was open to the idea, and perhaps would add a bye week to the schedule. Since the NCAA approved a 12-game regular season for all teams, most schools have eliminated bye weeks. Even if bye weeks aren't the answer, Delany said, the Big Ten would consider other ways to make the season go deeper into the calendar.
"I think too much was made of Ohio State's time off, and I don't think going an extra week or two into the season would have helped in the championship game. But the Big Ten might want to break with tradition and play games after Thanksgiving if it wants to remain relevant in the national college football discussion in early December. As it stands, with no Big Ten teams playing past mid-to-late November, attention shifts to the SEC, ACC and Big 12 championship games, plus regular-season finales in the Pac-10. More than anything, another week of the Big Ten season would keep it part of the conversation." (Source: Dayton Daily News) |
| Big Ten Media Day
August 6, 2007 Source: CoachTressel.com - "Click to watch a recap from the Big Ten media days in Chicago..." |
Big Ten's gamble on network has far-reaching effects
August 5, 2007 Source: Dayton Daily News - "Fans think their football viewing traditions may suffer; bars, restaurants may benefit if Commissioner Delany's vision catches on...."
Other conferences keeping tabs on Big Ten battle
"College conferences will wait to see the outcome of the Big Ten Network before considering own TV projects..."
Ohio State coach Jim Tressel sees home away from home in training facility
August 5, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Jim Tressel's ballroom dancing skills are . . . apparently average. When the Ohio State football team christened the redone Woody Hayes Athletic Center earlier this summer with a date night and party, junior linebacker Marcus Freeman claimed Ellen Tressel, the first lady of Buckeye football, eagerly anticipated the call to change dance partners. 'When Mrs. Tressel danced with the players,' Freeman said, laughing, 'she was a lot happier.' These are the types of off-field insights and wholesome bonding experiences now afforded by the $21.5 million expansion and renovation of the OSU football center. Already a home away from home as the Buckeyes report for the start of preseason camp today, coach Jim Tressel envisions the new Woody as something like a residence..."
CBSSportsline.com: Big Ten Preview
August 5, 2007 Source: CBSSportsline.com - "3. Ohio State: What's a "down" year at Ohio State, nine wins? That's what it looks like this season as Tressel tries to replace a Heisman Trophy winner and a bunch of other offensive talents..."
5 Big Ten questions to ponder
August 5, 2007 Source: CentralOhio.com - "The Big Ten season begins Sept. 1, and The Advocate sports staff is ready to watch it unfold --no matter what network it's on. Advocate sports writers Kurt Snyder, Josh Hachat and Bill Bender tackled five burning questions in anticipation of another exciting season..."
2007 Preseason Rankings - National Title Contenders - No. 1 to No. 10
August 3, 2007 Source: CollegeFootballNews - "The CFN preseason rankings...are based on how good the teams are going into the season and NOT how they're going to finish. Going into the year, these are how good the teams appear to be from No. 1 through 119..." ( There are links to all 119 teams; their Top 10 includes OSU.)
 | Coaches Ballots
See how every coach voted in last season's final regular-season USA TODAY poll. |
 | Gholston coming into his own as defensive end at Ohio State
August 2, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Ohio State's Vernon Gholston was thankful to be one of the 33 players invited to attend the Big Ten's annual kickoff luncheon, but he did not feel out of place among the conference elite. 'It is a tremendous honor, being able to come here and get a day off from working out,' Gholston, a junior defensive end, said yesterday. 'But I have worked hard over the past couple of years ... and I would say I definitely deserve to be here.'..." |
Buckeyes ready to start over
August 2, 2007 Source: The Morning Journal - "Even though he had a copy of the tape from television, it took linebacker Marcus Freeman about a month before he could stomach to watch Ohio State's implosion against Florida in the national championship game..."
Storied programs dominate Ladder 119's top rungs
July 27, 2007 Source: ESPN.com - "What are the top programs of the past decade? That's the question ESPN.com has attempted to answer this week. Fifteen college football experts and analysts ranked all 119 Division I-A programs, taking into account record, traditions, recruiting, facilities, coaches, attendance and support, among other criteria..."
| Big Ten poll challenges Ohio State
August 1, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "With stars on offense gone, media predicts Buckeyes will finish third..."
| No top two for OSU | For the first time since 2001, Ohio State was not picked to finish first or second in the Big Ten preseason football poll. Here's a look at where the Buckeyes were picked and where they finished in coach Jim Tressel's tenure:
| YEAR |
PICK |
FINISH |
| 2001 |
Third |
Third |
| 2002 |
Second |
First (tie) |
| 2003 |
First |
Second (tie) |
| 2004 |
Second |
Fifth (tie) |
| 2005 |
Second |
First (tie) |
| 2006 |
First |
First |
| 2007 |
Third |
? |
|
|
Jim Tressel Quotes from 2007 Big Ten Conference Kickoff Luncheon
August 1, 2007 Source: OSU Official Site - On: the Big Ten Network; last year’s national championship loss; the kickoff rule change; Ohio State’s offensive line.
Big Ten notebook: No expansion plan in works for league
August 1, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "...'Back burner,' Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said about the issue yesterday during the league's preseason football media meetings. 'Long-term possibility.'...Answering the tough one, Lloyd Carr of preseason Big Ten favorite Michigan was asked what he was doing to ensure quarterback Chad Henne -- a combined 0-6 against Ohio State and in bowls -- wouldn't go 0-8 in that bracket..."
Big Ten notebook: New drug policy targets performance-enhancers
August 2, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Ohio State athletes, already living under a strict school drug-testing policy, will have to deal with a Big Ten testing regimen, as well..."
Cable, expansion top league talks
August 1, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Just 108 days remain until Ohio State at Michigan on Nov. 17, but as Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel and Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr stood Tuesday to talk about the season at hand, they both began their remarks at the Big Ten meetings . . . by talking about cable deals..."
As kickoff nears, Big Ten TV deal incomplete
August 1, 2007 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "If the Big Ten kicked off the football season today, 80 percent of cable television subscribers in the conference’s eight-state region - including everyone in central Ohio - would not be able to watch the games carried by the Big Ten Network..."
 | Michigan picked to win Big Ten; Ohio State third
July 31, 2007 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "The Big Ten belongs to Michigan according to the preseason picks of the conference media announced today at the Big Ten meetings in Chicago. The Wolverines were selected to win their first league title since 2004, while Wisconsin was picked to finish second and Ohio State third..."
Big Ten Media Day, Day One
July 31, 2007 Source: The Michigan Daily - "Today’s format had each coach give an approximate 15-minute press conference where he would give an opening statement and then take questions from reporters. The coaches' conferences were bookended by hourlong press conferences from Big Ten Commish Jim Delaney and then the president of the Big Ten Network, Mark Silverman. In a brief bulleted format, here were some of the highlights..." |
Notebook: Carr Unhappy, New Offense And More
August 1, 2007 Source: OhioStateScout.com - "As the Big Ten Kickoff concludes today in Chicago, take a look back at some of day one's events. Topics include Wisconsin's 2007 schedule, a potential change in the Ohio State offense and a less-than-happy offer from Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr..."
 | Moving It Back
August 1, 2007 Source: BuckeyeGrove.com - "Every year it seems that the NCAA adds or changes one or two rules to the college football game and some go nearly unnoticed while others make a large impact. One of the new rules that fans will get a chance to see this year will be pretty significant when kickoffs are moved from the 35 to the 30 yard line (the same as the NFL)..." |
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