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 Buckeyes' Ray Small, Rob Rose proud to be leaving OSU as graduates despite not fulfilling football stardom
November 13, 2009 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "Ray Small and Rob Rose had an Ohio State plan for their Glenville legacy. Impress the scouts in three years at Ohio State and head early to the first round of the NFL Draft, like former Tarblooders-turned-Buckeyes Ted Ginn Jr. and Donte Whitner. Maybe win some national awards like Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith, quarterback at Glenville and Ohio State...Small and Rose didn't leave early for the NFL. They won't be first-round picks. They won't win national awards. They made mistakes. Small was suspended. Rose got hurt. They missed the start of their final preseason camp in August because of academic issues. But they stayed. They won a lot of games. They're closing in on their degrees. And when they run onto the field at Ohio Stadium for senior day before today's showdown with Iowa, their presence will serve as their contribution to the Glenville-Ohio State legacy..."  |
 | "I don't know who'll play the first play. That's up to my big brother." |
| - Coach Tressel responding to a question about whether Brandon Saine or Dan Herron would start at TB against Iowa Saturday November 14, 2009. Tressel's older brother, Dick, is the Buckeyes' RBs coach. |
Buckeyes gain perspective from talk with soldier
November 12, 2009 Source: Associated Press - "Among the visitors to Ohio State's practices this week was Sgt. Sean Clifton, a 36-year-old Army intelligence officer with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group of the Ohio National Guard. Clifton was in Afghanistan last May 31 when he was caught in a firefight in an Afghanistan village. He survived, but bullets went through his sciatic nerve and almost all of his abdominal organs were damaged...It's amazing, man, what the troops do for us, for the United States of America," QB Terrelle Pryor said. "It's just crazy. We don't realize what we have. Just to hear from the guy tell about how he got shot. He was saying it was like it felt like nothing: 'I got shot here and I got shot here.' He didn't complain. He knew he had his team with him and he preached on team a lot and it has the same to do with us." Coach Jim Tressel said it was a learning experience for everyone..."
 | Matta, Ohio State gets big hoops recruiting haul: "...On the first day of the early signing period Wednesday, the Buckeyes landed the top class, according to ESPN.com and Scout.com. Ohio State signed six players. Four of them, Jared Sullinger, J.D. Weatherspoon, Aaron Craft and Jordan Sibert, were on an AAU team, All-Ohio Red, that was 201-9 the last three summers. Sullinger, a 6-8 forward, and Weatherspoon, a 6-5 forward, also played for Northland (Columbus) High, last season's Ohio champion..." |
  Countdown to Michigan: OSU has Michigan's number, sings praises after win in 2001...(First in a series recounting Jim Tressel vs. Michigan)...Ohio State withstood a second-half surge by No. 11 Michigan to claim victory on Nov. 24, 2001. It was the first time the two schools met under new Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel. The upset crushed the Wolverines chances for a Big Ten championship and a BCS bowl appearance...Always before, the Buckeyes restricted their halfhearted renditions of "Carmen Ohio" solely to Ohio Stadium. But with a 14-year victory drought at the Big House broken, and with Michigan's Big Ten championship and BCS bowl hopes dashed, OSU breathed deeply and bellowed what it had largely lip-synched before...Here's the game story, as it appeared in The Plain Dealer on Nov. 25, 2001..." (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer)
More on Collaros: Brian Bennett writes for ESPN, "Be sure to check out my story on Zach Collaros and how he's developed into a star quarterback for Cincinnati. Here's one anecdote I didn't fit into the story that's pertinent this year, as Bearcats fans have been arguing with Ohio State backers over who has the best team in the Buckeye State.
Collaros grew up as an Ohio State fan, and his father and much of his family went to college in Columbus. His younger sister is a freshman cheerleader for the Buckeyes. "We have some arguments back home," he said. Collaros's father, Dean, said Zach was disappointed when Jim Tressel didn't offer him a scholarship out of high school. But he told his son that Brian Kelly's system was a much better fit for his talents, anyway. "My whole family are Cincinnati fans now," Zach said. "Even my sister." (Source: ESPN)
Breaking down conference races, BCS implications: "...Big Ten=Simple: No. 15 Iowa and No. 10 Ohio State play for the league title Saturday in Columbus. The winner gets a Rose Bowl bid. Iowa would still be in the BCS at-large mix if it losses, then beats Minnesota the following week. An Ohio State loss probably means no BCS bid for Buckeyes for first time since 2005. Penn State and Wisconsin could cosmetically share the conference crown with Iowa or Ohio State (or both). Potential BCS controversy: Penn State at 10-2 gets selected for an at-large bid over Iowa at 10-2. The Hawkeyes beat the Nittany Lions in Happy Valley...
Pac-10=It's a potential mess, with five teams still in the running. Here's the simple solution: The winner of Oregon-Arizona wins the league and heads to the Rose Bowl. Stanford, USC and Oregon State also are still in it. As for potential BCS at-large picks, all you need to know is this: If the Trojans finish 10-2, they're practically a lock to get into the BCS..." (Source: Sporting News)
SEC, Big Ten set the standard for media rights money: As the Great Recession lingers, the major-college conferences' competition for media rights bucks has increasingly paralleled their competition on the field. And right now, things are tilted decidedly in favor of the Southeastern and Big Ten.
The SEC is sitting on a pile of cash, having negotiated a whopping annual average of $206 million-plus over 15 years from ESPN and CBS. The Big Ten is looking at a similar windfall. Their schools can pour that money into coaches' salaries and other enhancements, and the pressure to keep up is on. (Source: USA Today)
Notre Dame assistant criticizes Navy coach: Notre Dame associate head coach Corwin Brown criticized Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo for his postgame comments about the Irish defensive game plan and for the way the way his team uses what Brown called "malicious" illegal cut blocks...Brown went into his criticism of Niumatalolo after practice Wednesday night, cutting off a reporter before the first question could be asked and speaking for two minutes about the Navy coach...Following the game, Niumatalolo said the Navy coaches expected the Notre Dame coaches to use a similar defensive scheme as in 2008 when the Irish held the Midshipmen to 178 yards rushing in a 27-21 loss. "I think the one thing that helped us, and I really hope this doesn't come across wrong, but I think the thing that helped us this year was last year because we knew that they'd line up the same way," Niumatalolo said...Brown also criticized the way Niumatalolo coaches his players to block, point to a play last season where linebacker Brian Smith sustained a sprained knee because of an illegal cut block, missing the final two regular-season games. On Saturday, Navy receiver Nick Henderson was called for personal foul on a hit on cornerback Robert Blanton..." (Source: USA Today)
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 Low ego, high production: Heyward shrugs off his starring role in Buckeyes' defense
November 11, 2009 Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - "...Smiling through gritted teeth at times during a 30-minute interview session Tuesday, speaking on behalf of the defense before Saturday's Ohio State-Iowa showdown that will serve as a Big Ten championship game, Heyward was a tough Buckeye to crack. "I hate talking," Heyward said. "I just want to play."
He's doggedly oblivious to his own success, a trait OSU fans should embrace, because everyone else is taking notice. The junior has been listed as a first-round pick in some early mock drafts, though one draft analyst Tuesday said he saw him more as a second-rounder. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. wrote of Heyward this week that he "once again showed how disruptive he can be when it all comes together." "I already thought that I'm coming back for next year," when asked of his NFL considerations. "I want to help this team as much as I can because they give to much to me. ... There are a lot of guys on this team I love, and I want to send them out right."...
His father, the late fullback Craig "Ironhead" Heyward, didn't want his sons playing football, but eventually the game and Cameron's skills proved too great of a fit. Before Craig Heyward died of brain cancer in 2006, he saw what he son was destined for. "I think he saw the potential," Heyward said. "I didn't pay attention to what he was talking about [when he gave football advice], but I think he really knew what I was capable of. All I want to do is make him proud."..." |
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Heyward: Players like throwback unis: Asked today about the "alternate" or "throwback" uniforms that OSU will wear next week at Michigan, here's what defensive tackle Cam Heyward said: "We saw them once, during camp. We're excited to play in them. Players definitely like them, I think it's going to be really cool to wear those. We're always about tradition, and it's going to be interesting to wear them." (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
Click HERE to get a larger look at the uniform with helmet, on our site |
Rob Oller commentary: Throwbacks show part of OSU tradition Members of Ohio State's 1954 national championship team like the throwback jerseys the current team will wear. (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
Attitude change spurred OSU
November 11, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Since suffering a shocking loss to Purdue 25 days ago, Ohio State has started to jell on offense, has further tightened its lockdown defense and continued its solid play on special teams. But the Buckeyes' biggest improvement has not come between the lines, but between the ears.
Purdue splashed cold water in OSU's face on Oct. 17 in West Lafayette, Ind. At 5-2 and with their national title hopes in ruins, would the Buckeyes run crying to momma, or stand and fight back? "Any time you have a loss, it's a wake-up call," tight end Jake Ballard said. "We all came together as a team and realized that's not where we wanted to be and we knew we could be a lot better. We knew something had to change."
...But here's where the Buckeyes' growth comes into play. The players yesterday seemed to be a sober, focused group. Rather than gloating over their sudden upswing, they sounded a cautionary tone. There will be no overlooking the No. 15 Hawkeyes, wounded or not. "No, not at all," defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson said, eyes widening and shaking his head. "Iowa is a really good team. We have to be up for them."..."
Weekly Press Conference Transcript
Quote of the Day: The main thing ... Is to beat Ohio State" - U-M cornerback Troy Woolfolk
MICHIGAN CORNERBACK: "The main thing I want for our seniors is to beat Ohio State, which will result in going to a bowl game," U-M cornerback Troy Woolfolk said today. "That’s the main thing. Wisconsin, I want to beat them, too. But Ohio State, we haven’t beaten them in five years. That would be a good accomplishment. As bad as this season is going, it would be redeemed if we beat Ohio State." (Source: Detroit Free Press)
TRESSEL TARGETING RARE COACHING FRATERNITIES: Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel is aiming to join an elite group of coaches to claim five straight Big Ten titles and six championships in his first nine campaigns. In the previous 113 years of Big Ten football, only one coach has finished atop the conference standings in five or more consecutive years, as the Buckeyes' Woody Hayes earned six straight crowns from 1972-77. In addition, only two coaches have earned six or more titles in their first nine years with a Big Ten institution. Michigan's Bo Schembechler holds the Big Ten record by finishing first in seven of his first nine campaigns from 1969-77 while Minnesota's Bernie Bierman won six titles from 1932-40. (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer)
PEOPLE BET UP OHIO STATE MONDAY: A lot of wise-guy football bettors hit the Las Vegas casino sports books on Mondays, once the betting lines have been posted on college and pro football games have been posted. Some games don’t attract much attention. Some might as well be posted in bright red block letters. Iowa-Ohio State falls into the latter category. Here’s what happened at the M Resort in Las Vegas on Monday: At 7:24 p.m. (Pacific time) Sunday, the line was posted on Iowa-OSU, and the Buckeyes were made a 13-point favorite. At 11:52 a.m., the number went up to 13.5. That means someone or ones put enough money on the Buckeyes for the casino to adjust the number to try to get equal betting on both sides. It didn’t work. Three minutes later, the line was adjusted again, to 14.5 points. Within the next hour, it was pushed up another point, to 15.5. At 6:07 p.m., the line went up yet another point, to 16.5. That’s 3.5 points in just over six hours. That doesn’t happen to just any old game. The line went up accordingly all over Vegas. It wasn’t posted at most casinos until Monday afternoon, and at OSU by 15 points. It was raised to 16 or 16.5 nearly everywhere by Monday evening. (Source: Cedar Rapids Gazette)
THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN: Thumbs up, defensive end Cameron Heyward: I should have listed him as co-Defensive Player of the Week with Illinois' Clay Nurse, and I'm glad the league acknowledged the Buckeyes' star defensive lineman. Heyward led Ohio State with a career high 11 tackles, including three for loss and two sacks. Penn State couldn't block him at all.
Thumbs up, quarterback Terrelle Pryor: Pryor notched his first signature moment as the Buckeyes starting quarterback with an efficient and extremely clean performance at Beaver Stadium. He threw two touchdown passes and no interceptions and added 50 rush yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. The sophomore knew the spotlight would be on him, and he rose to the occasion.
Thumbs down, Penn State's offensive game plan: Few teams can beat Jim Tressel at Tressel-ball -- USC did on Sept. 12, but it's a rarity -- and Penn State definitely fell into the trap against the Buckeyes. I know Penn State's offensive line isn't great this year, but you have to get a little more creative than running into the teeth of Ohio State's defense. It was a poor approach from the offensive coaching staff in this one. The Spread HD looked like a huge dud.
Thumbs down, Penn State's special teams: Conservative offensive play-calling isn't a huge surprise for a Joe Paterno squad, but Penn State's season-long problems on special teams have been truly shocking. The Lions had no answer for Ohio State punt return man Ray Small and generated nothing on their own punt returns. Special teams issues have really hurt Penn State in both of its losses. (Source: ESPN)
BIG TEN NUGGETS-STANZI NOT ON DEPTH CHART: As expected, Iowa junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi doesn't appear on this week's depth chart for the Ohio State game. Head coach Kirk Ferentz will address Stanzi's status Tuesday, but said Saturday that he expected the quarterback to miss the final two regular-season games. Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg is listed as the starter and classmate John Wienke is the backup. Safety Brett Greenwood (neck) also doesn't appear on the depth chart, as Joe Conklin likely will make his second straight start. (Source: ESPN)
DOESN'T TASTE LIKE CONCRETE: The 19th annual Ohio Stadium cake will be on display starting at 8 a.m. on the south lawn of St. John Arena and will be cut up and served immediately after the game, with donations going to the Stadium Cake Scholarship Fund. For more info, visit http://www.OhioStadiumCake.com. (Source:Associated Press)
BO SAID IT: Michigan coach Bo Schembechler once said that college football games are meant to be played at noon or 1 p.m. on Saturday afternoons — no exceptions.
Somewhere, Bo is happy about the Ohio State-Michigan game. The Big Ten announced Monday that The Game will kick off at noon on Nov. 21 from the Big House. The game will be nationally televised by ABC. (Source:Associated Press)
STUDENTS SAY MICHIGAN AD SHOVED THEM AT STADIUM: Michigan athletic director Bill Martin pushed a student and grabbed the wind breaker of another student during two football games, according to a department of public safety report. Michigan student Jackie Turner says she told Martin he needed a pass to enter the regents guest area of the press box Sept. 12 during a game against Notre Dame. She said he pushed her shoulder and walked past her. "Honey, I am the athletic director," Turner quoted him as saying, according to a university report on the incident. On Oct. 17, Eastern Michigan student Arif Khan said he told Martin and a female companion they needed passes to enter the area after a game against Delaware State. Khan said Martin grabbed his jacket. "I am the athletic director, I can go in," Khan quoted Martin as telling him. Turner and Khan were interviewed on Oct. 18, three days before Martin announced he would retire in September. (Source: SI.com)
SILLY BUCKEYES-BEARCATS FEUD TURNING NASTY: Chick Ludwig wrote in his Cincinnati.com blog: "I’m trying to get my mind around the greatest, most prolific non-story of the 2009 college football season...It’s the alleged, dubious, purported, questionable, suspect, suspicious and so-called "rivalry" between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Cincinnati Bearcats.I bring this up because a friend of a friend of a friend who wore an Ohio State shirt to the Bengals-Ravens game at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday got hit by a beer bottle thrown by a University of Cincinnati fan. Or so I’m told. It doesn’t make me laugh. It makes me Michael Corleone angry. Everyday, my E-mail inbox is flooded with Buckeyes supporters — many of whom are my former classmates at The Ohio State University — asking me to put pressure on my media friends to halt the "Buckeye Bashing" on sports talk radio. (Source: Cincinnati.com)
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Small, OSU's offensive line learns to deal with adversity
November 10, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "The game program was invented for seasons like this on the Ohio State offensive live, where the starting lineup has changed six times in the first 10 games. It might be different again for No. 11, when the Buckeyes play host to Iowa on Saturday with the Big Ten's automatic qualifier to the Bowl Championship Series -- mostly likely for the Rose Bowl -- on the line. Right tackle J.B. Shugarts, the starter there for eight straight games, limped off the field with an apparent left leg injury during the win at Penn State on Saturday. "It's rough. We've shuffled around a lot," left guard Justin Boren said. "But we're getting better as a unit. There's some stuff we have to continue to work on, but it is hard when you've got guys going in and out of there."
Only two linemen have started every game: sophomore center Michael Brewster and junior right guard Bryant Browning. But Brewster has been playing for several weeks with a sprained right ankle that seems to require a little more tape wrapped around it with every passing game. Brewster hasn't missed a start, but he reportedly has sat out some practices to help the joint heal. That can't do much for the synchronicity of a group whose almost every move is choreographed or keyed off joint recognition of what the defensive front is trying to do...
Strangely, the line seems to perform better when dealing with upheaval. For example, the Purdue game marked the fourth straight week for the same starting lineup, and the line's performance in that 26-18 loss was probably its worst of the season. The Buckeyes rushed for just 66 yards, Terrelle Pryor was sacked five times, and there were three false-start penalties against the line. Compare that to Saturday in the hostile environment at Penn State. For the third straight game, the Buckeyes rushed for at least 200 yards. A hobbled Pryor was never sacked, and there was just one false-start penalty, against Shugarts...Next comes Iowa. The Hawkeyes' rise to contender status has been propped up by a strong defense, led by an active, play-making front seven..."
Penn State Game 11/7/09:
Offensive Player of the Week: Terrelle Pryor, QB
Defensive Player of the Week: Cameron Heyward, DT
Attack Force Award: Thaddeus Gibson, DE
Jim Parker Lineman Award: Jake Ballard, TE
Special Units Player of the Week: Ray Small, WR/KR
Jack Tatum Hit of the Week Award: TBD
Scout Team Champions: Offense: Jack Mewhort; Defense: Dalton Britt; Special Units: James Georgiades |
 Mr. Bucknuts, See if the Shoe fits-Stadium Expansion
November 8, 2009 Source: Bucknuts.com - "...An Ohio Stadium expansion plan! Like me, Tech seems to think that the country’s pre-eminent football program (Ohio State, natch…) should also have the most seats (and attendance). Here’s how:
Every year there are complaints about alumni not getting tickets, or not enough student tickets, or some other issue with tickets. The bottom line is that there simply are not enough seats in Ohio Stadium to catch up with demand...What’s the answer to this "problem"? I am suggesting that Ohio State expand Ohio Stadium to include an additional 21,206 seats, bringing the new capacity to 127,239 – making Ohio Stadium the largest capacity college football stadium in the country – far surpassing the current kingpin, Beaver Stadium at Penn State, with a capacity of 107,282. I am estimating the budget for the expansion would be about $20,600. Nope, no typo. $20,600.
Previous to the stadium expansion in 2000, the width of each seating surface was 18 inches. Mr. Geiger felt that this was a bit cramped during the latter part of the football season, when people are wearing heavier coats and now, all of the seats measure 22 inches wide. For every 5 seats that are decreased by 4 inches to 18 inches, there would be one more seat available. So, by moving the painted numbers on the bleachers closer together, you gain approximately 21,206 seats. The budget is based on paint and solvent costs to repaint all the bleachers.
This "addition" has the benefit, in addition to allowing more people to go to games, of providing the university with an additional $1,335,978.00 revenue PER GAME. This does not include parking revenues or concessions. With 7 home games that is an ADDITIONAL $9,351,846.00 per season. That is like picking up an additional 1.5 home games on the schedule. The average game brings in around $6,680,079.00. So, for a puny $20,600 budget, Ohio State could generate beaucoup more dollars AND more Buckeyes could attend home games...
I should add two things here to critique the cause: 1) Even though Gordon Gee fights making a lot of money off playoffs, he might like this idea – and they can sure use the money! 2) There would probably be something less than the 21,000 seats as I doubt they are going to take the hacksaws out to the club seats. So, they would lose some of the 21,000 new seats – but they would save some of the $20,000 on paint and solvent costs!… |
Small, Heyward Earn Big Ten Player of the Week Honors
November 8, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site - "Junior defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and senior wide receiver and return man Ray Small were named the Big Ten's defensive and special teams players of the week, respectively, in recognition of their outstanding play in the win over No. 10 Penn State on Saturday. Heyward produced a team-high and career-best 11 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a career-high two sacks...Heyward was also Named Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week...Small helped Ohio State win the battle for field position with seven punt returns for 130 yards, including a pair of returns over 40 yards to set up Buckeyes touchdowns..."
 Track record shows Tressel deserving of praise
November 7, 2009 Source: PSU Daily Collegian - "I'm an athletic director looking for a new football coach. I've had stacks of applications sitting on my desk for weeks, but one in particular just caught my eye. It's a red folder with a shiny silver "JT" stamped into it. Inside, the resume. National titles: five. Wins: 223. Named Coach of the Year 12 times... I want to know how Tressel took a team like the Youngstown State Penguins and transformed them from a 2-9 team into an Ohio Valley Conference champion.
I want to know how he's done it all, looking so slick in a sweater vest. Most importantly, I want to give him a chance to become the head coach of JSU without even talking to the guy. The statistics speak for themselves. What's most appealing is the aura of Tressel. He's quiet, patient. He wins with balanced teams. He is diplomatic with recruits as well as media. And he's doing it all at 56.
By some standards, an athletic director such as myself could expect Tressel to coach for 26 more years. (See: Joe Paterno)
With Tressel, you'd never have to worry about your head coach mouthing off to reporters about another program's recruiting methods. (See: Lane Kiffin)
Tressel would be a distinguished figure for your program to build on, not one that would polarize the fan base and divide the big name boosters. (See: Rich Rodriguez)
You'd also get a coach with staying power by hiring Tressel. He wouldn't jump ship for the next, higher profile job. (See: Nick Saban)
He'd generate hype and help the program sell tickets, not to mention tons of sleeveless sweaters. You wouldn't have to worry about Tressel inheriting a good team only to run it into the ground a season or two later. (See: Charlie Weis)
With Tressel onboard, you'd never have to worry about turning on the local news to see your head coach exploding in an emotional, embarrassing rant on a reporter. (See: Mike Gundy)
No. All Tressel will do is win..." |
BCS berth at stake in Columbus this week: The Iowa-Ohio State clash next Saturday in Columbus will be the closest thing we'll see to a Big Ten championship game. The winner will not only earn a share of the league title but gain the Big Ten's automatic berth to a BCS bowl, almost certainly the Rose Bowl. The Iowa-Ohio State victor will own wins over each of the other three teams that could finish in a tie for first place. Therefore, the winner of the Iowa-OSU matchup would win all of the conference's tiebreakers in the event of a two-, three- or four-team tie at the end of conference play and be guaranteed a spot in the BCS. Even if the Buckeyes lose to Michigan on Nov. 21, they will win the tiebreaker at 6-2 in league play. An Ohio State victory over Iowa on Saturday would clinch at least a share of the Buckeyes' fifth straight Big Ten title, a streak bettered only once in the history of the Big Ten. Ohio State won six consecutive titles from 1972 through 1977. Among the stars of those Woody Hayes-led teams was two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.
(Sources: ESPN/Cleveland Plain Dealer/Big Ten Official Site)
Trying to figure out the Pac-10 representative is almost impossible. Despite its loss to Stanford, Oregon is in the best position, but several teams have a shot.
2009 PAC-10 FOOTBALL STANDINGS | Team | Conf. | Pct. | Overall | Pct. | | Oregon | 5-1 | .833 | 7-2 | .778 | | Arizona | 4-1 | .800 | 6-2 | .750 | | Stanford | 5-2 | .714 | 6-3 | .667 | | USC | 4-2 | .667 | 7-2 | .778 | | Oregon State | 4-2 | .667 | 6-3 | .667 | | California | 3-3 | .500 | 6-3 | .667 | | Arizona State | 2-4 | .333 | 4-5 | .444 | | Washington | 2-4 | .333 | 3-6 | .333 | | UCLA | 1-5 | .167 | 4-5 | .444 | | Washington State | 0-5 | .000 | 1-8 | .111 | |
TOTAL DEFENSE G Rush Pass Plys Yards Avg TD Yds/G
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1. Ohio State.......... 10 854 1687 644 2541 3.9 13 254.1
SCORING DEFENSE G TD XP 2XP DXP FG Saf Pts Avg
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2. Ohio State.......... 10 13 11 1 0 7 0 112 11.2
PASS DEFENSE G Att Cmp Int Pct. Yds Avg TD Yds/G
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2. Ohio State.......... 10 322 172 16 53.4 1687 5.2 7 168.7
RUSHING DEFENSE G Rushes Yards Avg. TD Yds/G
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1. Ohio State.......... 10 322 854 2.7 6 85.4
|--Gained--||---Lost---|
TURNOVER MARGIN G Fum Int Tot Fum Int Tot Mar Per/G
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1. Ohio State.......... 10 9 16 25 7 9 16 +9 0.90
RUSHING OFFENSE G Att Yds Avg TD Yds/G
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3. Ohio State.......... 10 408 1907 4.7 16 190.7
SCORING OFFENSE G TD XP 2XP DXP FG Saf Pts Avg
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2. Ohio State.......... 10 36 34 1 1 15 2 303 30.3
PASS OFFENSE G Att Cmp Int Pct. Yds Avg TD Yds/G
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10.Ohio State.......... 10 244 128 9 52.5 1831 7.5 16 183.1
TOTAL OFFENSE G Rush Pass Plays Yards Avg/P TD Yds/G
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7. Ohio State.......... 10 1907 1831 652 3738 5.7 32 373.8
PASS EFFICIENCY G Att Cmp Pct Int Yds TD Effic
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4. Ohio State.......... 10 244 128 .525 9 1831 16 129.8
PASS DEF EFFICIENCY G Att Cmp Int Pct. Yds TD Effic
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2. Ohio State.......... 10 322 172 16 53.4 1687 7 94.7
OPPONENT 1ST DOWNS G Rush Pass Pen Total
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2. Ohio State.......... 10 54 84 7 145
SACKS BY G Sacks Yards
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4. Ohio State.......... 10 27 174
RED ZONE OFFENSE G RedZone Percent TDs R/P FG-AT Fumb/Int/Downs/Other
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10.Ohio State.......... 10 29-39 74.4 21 14/7 8-13 1/ 2/ 1/ 1
3RD-DN CONVERSIONS G Conv Att Pct
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5. Ohio State.......... 10 58 140 41.4
OPP 3RD-DN CONVERT G Conv Att Pct
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1. Ohio State.......... 10 47 149 31.5
SACKS AGAINST G Sacks Yards
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4. Ohio State.......... 10 15 115
KICKOFF COVERAGE G No. Yards Avg Retn TB NetAvg
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1. Ohio State.......... 10 59 3844 65.2 1034 3 46.6
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2009 Big Ten Conference
Conference Standings
Through games of Nov 07, 2009
Last week's results:
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Illinois 35, Minnesota 32 (Nov. 7, 2009 at Minneapolis, Minn.)
No. 21 Wisconsin 31, Indiana 28 (Nov. 7, 2009 at Bloomington, Ind.)
Northwestern 17, No. 4 Iowa 10 (Nov. 7, 2009 at Iowa City, Iowa)
Purdue 38, Michigan 36 (Nov. 7, 2009 at Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Michigan State 49, Western Michigan 14 (Nov. 7, 2009 at East Lansing, Mich.)
No. 16 Ohio State 24, No. 11 Penn State 7 (Nov. 7, 2009 at State College, Pa.)
Conference Points Overall Points
Team W L T For Opp Pct W L T For Opp Pct
---- - - - --- --- --- - - - --- --- ---
Iowa................ 5 1 0 138 102 .833 9 1 0 241 159 .900
Ohio State.......... 5 1 0 174 67 .833 8 2 0 303 112 .800
Penn State.......... 4 2 0 141 85 .667 8 2 0 283 108 .800
Wisconsin........... 4 2 0 160 137 .667 7 2 0 266 202 .778
Northwestern........ 3 3 0 124 152 .500 6 4 0 248 233 .600
Michigan State...... 3 3 0 151 143 .500 5 5 0 301 222 .500
Purdue.............. 3 3 0 129 167 .500 4 6 0 259 288 .400
Minnesota........... 3 4 0 179 202 .429 5 5 0 243 270 .500
Illinois............ 2 5 0 132 185 .286 3 6 0 186 239 .333
Michigan............ 1 5 0 143 200 .167 5 5 0 320 264 .500
Indiana............. 1 5 0 154 185 .167 4 6 0 241 285 .400
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In the polls/BCS: The Buckeyes leaped to No. 8 in both the coaches' poll and the Harris Interactive poll, from 12th and 13th, respectively. While this week's opponent, Iowa, fell five pegs to 12th in the polls, the Hawkeyes dropped just to 10th in the Bowl Championship Series ratings when the computer rankings were added. Ohio State is 11th in the BCS. (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
Jeff Sagarin NCAA football ratings & Jeff Sagarin Conference Rankings
Check out all of the polls on our Polls, Rankings & BCS page.
 | "Our team will wear these custom designs when the Buckeyes take the field Nov. 21 up north in Ann Arbor."
OSU AD Gene Smith
Click HERE to get a larger look at the uniform with helmet, on our site |
Tressel deferred on '54 uniforms: Nike and Ohio State started talking about a throwback uniform several months ago, but coach Jim Tressel said he had no part in the discussions. "It was months ago, Nike came to us and said they're doing this around the country with their Nike partners and whatnot," Tressel said. "I'm one of those old-fashioned, 'Oh, man, I don't know about this. We'll leave that one up to the players and the young coaches..." (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
Helmets could be mostly white vs. Michigan: Rob Oller writes: "Who knew that Penn State week would be dominated by Project Runway? But here we are, adding more detail to the recently-disclosed news that Ohio State will wear retro white jerseys -- possibly with gray on the sides -- against Michigan as an homage to the 1954 national championship team. Now comes confirmation, from football sports information director Shelly Poe that drawings of the helmet the Buckeyes are considering show a mostly white helmet to go with the altered jersey. The '54 team wore a white helmet with a red stripe down the middle. Poe did not know if the stripe would be red, or if Buckeye stickers would be included in the look. The stickers did not become a part of the helmet until 1968." (Source: Columbus Dispatch)
 Football Uniform Statement
November 4, 2009 Source: OSU Official Site - "A statement from Ohio State director of athletics Gene Smith: "During spring, 2009, Ohio State was invited by Nike to participate in its Rivalry uniform program with several other universities from around the nation. They offered us a chance to try a new uniform product featuring cutting-edge fabrics and technology; participation in the program also offered us a one-time opportunity to salute one of those great championship teams that have built the Ohio State football tradition...
"For this special program, we chose to recognize the achievements of our undefeated 1954 national championship team, winning the Big Ten title outright before capturing a Rose Bowl victory. These great Buckeyes celebrated their 55th anniversary with us at the Minnesota game, and this is another way for us to pay homage to their stellar achievements.
...our team will wear these custom designs when the Buckeyes take the field Nov. 21 up north in Ann Arbor. "Again, this is a one-time opportunity to honor a great championship team. We have no plans to make any changes to the traditional Buckeye uniform for the foreseeable future."..."
(Brandon Smith's Twitter account) |
| "(Devin) may have liked the fact that we were senior citizen friendly." |
| - Coach Tressel when asked how 26-year-old K Devin Barclay ended up on the roster. He explained that Barclay had played in Major League Soccer and then had gotten to know an Ohio State kicker or two, including a 29-year-old former pro rugby player. |
Buckeyes Know Big Ten Will Be Won in the Trenches
November 4, 2009 Source: The Ozone - "...With a trip to No. 11 Penn State this week and No. 7 Iowa coming to Columbus next week, the Buckeyes control their own fate in the month of November. They face two of the toughest defenses in the conference and will undeniably need to win all three games (the last being a trip to Ann Arbor) if they want at least a piece of a fifth straight conference championship...
While quarterback play will certainly be a big part of what determines the outcome in State College Saturday, Ohio State's junior wideout Dane Sanzenbacher knows the Buckeyes are going to have to play better up front if they are going to give Pryor a chance to be effective against a Nittany Lion defense that ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring, passing, rushing and total defense this season. "It's going to be a tough test. Both teams are good up front and that's where it starts; especially with a young quarterback going into a tough environment. It's going to be loud and hopefully we can get things rolling early and take the crowd factor out of it."
Sanzenbacher and the offense had major issues with crowd noise the last time they went on the road in the Big Ten, and it ultimately helped lead to their unexpected demise at Purdue. Even with the bipartisan crowd in West Lafayette, the Ohio State offensive line had major issues hearing the snap count from center Michael Brewster and by the end of the game guys were either jumping offside or getting off the ball late. As a result, Pryor was sacked five times in that game, leading the Buckeyes to implement major changes in their on-field communication for this road trip.
"Everything we did today was silent. In (2007) when we played at Penn State, I came up with some hand signals, so it's all (nonverbal) communication this week, all silent counts," said tackle Jim Cordle, who was the team's starting center on their last trip to Happy Valley..."
Weekly Press Conference Transcript
Terrelle Cryer T-shirts recalled by Penn State student group: Doug Lesmerises writes in the November 4 Cleveland Plain Dealer: "Those Terrelle Cryer shirts won't be popping up at Saturday's Ohio State-Penn State game after all...the decision was made last night to recall all of the shirts after the Penn State Marketing Association received input from members of the club that the shirt wasn't sending the right message. Penn State's Daily Collegian wrote a story about the shirts this week that was picked up by several other sources..."
 T-shirt's design ridicules Pryor
November 3, 2009 Source: PSU Daily Collegian - "The Penn State Marketing Association has designed a special Ohio State-themed White Out T-shirt. It portray's Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor wiping his tears as a consoling Nittany Lion lends an arm. The $10 shirt features the Nittany Lion handing a tissue to Ohio State player Terrelle Pryor. The tagline: "The Nutcracker: A Terrelle Cryer Story."
Penn State Marketing Association (PSMA) President Dan Sturman (senior-marketing) said his club is excited about the shirt, especially its focus on Pryor. "After we beat Ohio State last year, you couldn't walk through a dorm without seeing the picture of Terrelle Pryor with his head in his hands," Sturman said. "That vivid image is still on everyone's mind." The design by Jinder Bhogal (sophomore-business administration) was chosen from many designs submitted for the shirt sale, which the PSMA has held for three years. "We picked it because it's a great design," PSMA Director of Retail Marketing Anna Dominijanni (senior-marketing) said. "The guy who designed them is really talented." Past designs include the popular "Bust a Nut" shirt -- another Ohio State-themed piece of apparel......" |
 Tell Us How You Really Feel, Herbie
November 3, 2009 Source: Bucknuts.com - Jeff Rapp writes in a Bucknuts column: I couldn’t hang onto this anymore. When ESPN’s Colin Cowherd hosted his midday radio show "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" in Columbus on the eve of Ohio State’s Homecoming game with Minnesota, the recurring topic was the tenuous state of the OSU offense. Throughout the four-hour national program, Cowherd offered his take on quarterback Terrelle Pryor after the sophomore self-destructed in a 26-18 loss at Purdue the previous weekend. He also grilled OSU head coach Jim Tressel on the topic during one segment. But when ABC/ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit participated by calling in with his own two cents, the gauntlet was thrown down. A former Ohio State quarterback himself, Herbie pulled no punches when critiquing the execution of Pryor, the state of his blockers up front or the play calling by Tressel..." |
 Pettrey to have surgery, out for season
November 2, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Ohio State kicker Aaron Pettrey tore the medial collateral ligament in his right (kicking) knee last weekend and will miss the rest of the regular season, his mother, Lillian, said today. Lillian Pettrey said Aaron will have surgery Tuesday. The recovery period is four to six weeks, and she said that Aaron hopes to be back in time to kick in the bowl game.
Until then, the field-goal duties will be handled by Devin Barclay, a walk-on junior who saw his first game action after Pettrey's injury last weekend and was 1 of 3 on field-goal tries, missing from 47 yards out, making from 29 and then missing from 36...OSU also has redshirt freshman Ben Buchanan on the roster. He is Pettrey's backup for kickoffs, but was ill last week and did not dress. Barclay is the regular No. 2 for place kicks..."
(Note: Ohio State's depth chart released Monday lists freshman Ben Buchanan or junior Devin Barclay as the kicker. With Buchanan also out Saturday, Barclay took over when Pettrey went down and hit one of three field goals. Barclay said after the game that he was the No. 2 field goal kicker on the depth chart. (Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer) |
 Barclay knows all about pressure
November 3, 2009 Source: Columbus Dispatch - "Of course there will be pressure on Devin Barclay this weekend. He might have to attempt a key field goal for Ohio State in front of 108,000 white-clad screamers at Penn State. Barclay will take over place-kicking duties from Aaron Pettrey for the rest of the regular season...That puts Barclay in the spotlight. But this will not be the first time that Barclay, 26, has dealt with pressure.
Pressure is struggling with attention deficit disorder as a child and dropping out of high school after two years. Pressure is signing a professional soccer contract at 17, being labeled a wunderkind and being sent off to make a living. Pressure is being traded three times and then released, his soccer career over at age 22. Pressure is pursuing football, a sport he never played competitively, and deciding to test his raw skill by walking on at powerhouse Ohio State.
"I've been playing professionally at a competitive level for almost 10 years now," Barclay said, "and it's definitely helped me get ready for this experience. I'm kind of used to getting thrown into games and you kind of learn to adapt and to deal with those pressure situations a little bit better, having that background."..." |
2009 Big Ten Conference
Conference Standings
Through games of Nov 03, 2009
Last week's results:
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No. 17 Ohio State 45, New Mexico State 0 (Oct. 31, 2009 at Columbus, Ohio)
No. 12 Penn State 34, Northwestern 13 (Oct. 31, 2009 at Evanston, Ill.)
Minnesota 42, Michigan State 34 (Oct. 31, 2009 at Minneapolis, Minn.)
Illinois 38, Michigan 13 (Oct. 31, 2009 at Champaign, Ill.)
No. 4 Iowa 42, Indiana 24 (Oct. 31, at Iowa City, Iowa)
Wisconsin 37, Purdue 0 (Oct. 31, 2009 at Madison, Wis.)
Conference Points Overall Points
Team W L T For Opp Pct W L T For Opp Pct
---- - - - --- --- --- - - - --- --- ---
Iowa................ 5 0 0 128 85 1.000 9 0 0 231 142 1.000
Penn State.......... 4 1 0 134 61 .800 8 1 0 276 84 .889
Ohio State.......... 4 1 0 150 60 .800 7 2 0 279 105 .778
Wisconsin........... 3 2 0 129 109 .600 6 2 0 235 174 .750
Minnesota........... 3 3 0 147 167 .500 5 4 0 211 235 .556
Michigan State...... 3 3 0 151 143 .500 4 5 0 252 208 .444
Northwestern........ 2 3 0 107 142 .400 5 4 0 231 223 .556
Purdue.............. 2 3 0 91 131 .400 3 6 0 221 252 .333
Michigan............ 1 4 0 107 162 .200 5 4 0 284 226 .556
Indiana............. 1 4 0 126 154 .200 4 5 0 213 254 .444
Illinois............ 1 5 0 97 153 .167 2 6 0 151 207 .250
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