Buckeye Battle Cry 2009
Like last year, I contributed two articles to this magazine. However, one of them is a little out of character for me. I, of course, penned a synopsis of the 2009 recruiting class, introducing you to the O’Niners as you need to know them. While this class is chock-full of goodies, the overall story of the formation of the class doesn’t quite match the intrigue of the 2008 class. Ergo, I go position by position, introducing you to the newest Buckeyes.
Unlike last year, Sean — the czar tyrant editor of the magazine — asked me to write something about the case of Jim Bollman. As I’m sure you’re aware, it takes a lot for a coordinator to get more publicity from fans in spite of a guy like Tressel being the face of the program. The means by which Bollman has acquired this name recognition is less than desirable for all sides involved. I ask the question: is Jim Bollman an albatross around the neck of the program, holding them back from further glory? Or is he actually a convenient scapegoat, distracting Buckeye fans from other things that need to be addressed in the program? Using the case of the offensive line (as opposed to Bollman’s “playcalling” abilities), I assess the evidence for and against Bollman. My analysis leads the reader to reach their own conclusion on an up or down vote on Bollman, since I conclude — at least for myself — that the problems here are overdetermined.
Sean was kind enough to give an extended table of contents for you to consider, after the jump.
The 2009 Buckeyes
- Reloaded: A Look at the 2009 Roster
by Tyler Chamblin, Buckeye Battle Cry contributor
With so many stars and longtime starters from the 2008 team moving on, the 2009 Buckeyes will have a fresh look. Who will step up and play? Find out here. - The Worthy Adversaries: 2009 Buckeye Schedule Preview
by the Staff of LakethePosts.com1
12 teams will stand in the way of the Buckeyes’ championship plans this year. Learn about the key players from New Mexico State and USC and everyone in between. - Turning the Page: One Last Look at the 2008 Season
by Sean Neugebauer, Buckeye Battle Cry editor
The 2008 Buckeyes didn’t live up to their lofty expectations. Take a look at what went wrong as well as what went right.
Profiles and Analyses
- Pryor, Year Two: A Star Turn May Be in the Cards in 2009
by Matt Hinton, Dr. Saturday
The Vince Young comparison has always been there. Explore how their first seasons as starters compared and the star trajectory we can expect for TP. - Providing Pressure: Linemen Look to Anchor the 2009 Defense
by Matt Markey, Toledo Blade
The defensive line entered 2008 as the team’s biggest question mark. After as season of consistent improvement they could be the strength of the 2009 Buckeyes. - The Young Guns: Meet the New Faces Replacing Longtime Buckeye Stars
by Sam Eley, WeWillAlwaysHaveTempe.com
After what seems like forever, guys like Laurinaitis, Boone and Jenkins are no longer wearing the Scarlet and Gray. Meet the talented newcomers that will take their places. - In Tressel We Trust . . .For Now: His Legacy Continues to Evolve as 2009 Arrives
by Todd Porter, Canton Repository
Following another year of disappointing big game losses, Todd Porter catches up with the Coach to find out if he senses dissatisfaction in the fanbase. - The Back Story: Life Without Beanie Wells
by Tony Gerdeman, TheOZone.net
OSU enters 2009 missing one of their most talented and exciting backs of all time. Take a look at the replacements and schemes that will keep the running game humming. - The Terrible, No Good Buckeye Passing Attack: Why Ohio State Doesn’t Pass and What Can Be Done About It
by Jason Priestas, ElevenWarriors.com
2008 was a low point for passing at Ohio State. How will Tressel and his young quarterback make the passing game a threat for the Buckeyes once again? - Scapegoat or Albatross?: The Case of Jim Bollman
by Vico, OurHonorDefend.com
The criticism of the offensive coordinator and line coach overheated in 2008. Is he really responsible for the Buckeyes’ woes or just a convenient target for blame? - Big Ten, Big Problems?: Conference Perception Continues to Be an Issue
by Bruce Hooley, The Fan 97.1 FM
In the wake of a worst-ever bowl season performance, nationwide Big Ten bashing has reached a fevered pitch. Is there anything the storied conference can do about it? - Punting for Points: A Statistical Look at Tresselball
by Brian Fremeau, FootballOutsiders.com
Everyone knows about Coach Tressel’s fondness for the kick. Find out how all that punting translates into wins for the Senator’s Buckeyes.
Recruiting and Player Development
- Meet the O’Niners: Can the 2009 Class Continue 2008’s Promise?
by the Staff at OurHonorDefend.com
Coach Tressel and his staff brought in another top-ranked class of incoming freshmen for 2009. Learn more about these talented newcomers and how they can contribute. - Who’s Next?: Players to Watch for 2010
by Alex Gleitman, ElevenWarriors.com
In college football recruiting, the job never ends. Take a look at some players who might become the next new Buckeyes in February 2010. - Wide Receiver U: Darrell Hazell Keeps the Buckeye Pipeline to the NFL Going
by Doug Lesmerises, Cleveland Plain Dealer
Although the Buckeye passing game rarely ranks near the top of the NCAA, its record of sending pass catchers to the next level is second to none. - The Next Level: A Look at the Buckeyes in the NFL
by Corey Carpenter, ElevenWarriors.com
Catch up with some of your favorite Buckeyes who have taken their game to Sundays. Who’s thriving, who’s struggling and how will the newest NFL Buckeyes fit in?
Buckeyes of the Past
- Reassessing Coach Bruce: A Fresh Look at How His OSU Tenure Stacks Up
by Sean Neugebauer, Buckeye Battle Cry editor
Earle Bruce defined Buckeye football in the 1980s. Take a look at how he stacks up against other Buckeye coaches and other coaches of his era. - The Linebacker: Chris Spielman Joins College Football’s Hall of Fame
by Todd Porter, Canton Repository
One of the toughest Buckeyes of all-time was finally recognized as one of the greatest to ever play the game. Catch up with #36 and find out what drove him to succeed. - Unsung Buckeyes: Ten Buckeye Greats Overlooked by History
by Chris Lauderback, ElevenWarriors.com
The list of great Buckeyes stretches well beyond Archie, Eddie and Troy. This is one fan’s list of players who might not always get the appreciation they deserve.
That’s not all, either. At least, that’s not all in terms of self-promotion. If you’re a Michigan fan reading this2, yours truly also contributed an Ohio State preview to MGoPac and Hail To The Victors 2009. Like BBC 2009, HTTV 2009 is a magazine published by Maple Street Press. Like BBC 2009, I got paid (cash-money, yo) for my contribution to HTTV 2009. Unlike BBC 2009, HTTV 2009 is an affront to Jesus, the founding fathers, the troops, Santy Clause, cheeseburgers, baseball, apple pie and indeed all things that make America numbah one. Still, if you’re a Michigan fan, you kind of owe it to Brian to buy it. He was also very gracious and helpful with comments on my contribution as well. Long story short, in my Ohio State preview, I think the happy thoughts prescribed to me by my court-appointed grief counselor and predict double-digit wins again for Ohio State in spite of the litany of questions at the offensive line and secondary.
Pseudonyms are so 2006, Vico Battista.
I saw that too and thought it was weird that they had to throw a surname on me, even though the philosopher for whom I’ve pseudonymously given is Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Vico. I’ll take it, though. The real me is too boring to sell magazines. I’d sooner stop doing all of this than I would go by my given name for anything, conflating professional and personal endeavors.
I think you might be overestimating the conflating of personal and professional endeavors bit, but I can understand. That is, unless you’re thinking of taking Barkley on for governor of Alabama…
It never hurts to err on the side of caution, though. Truthfully, I’m not so concerned about the repercussions for my current job, more so what it would look like for the next job. I anticipate on being out of Alabama for good by 2011 or 2012, depending on the market. Having asked my bosses on the matter, I’ve been advised that there’s a bit of a hysteria where if management assumes you have a blog, then you would automatically air work-related laundry and divulge secrets. Even if the blog is totally unrelated (as mine is), the fear is that if you know how to do it, you will do it. Being only 24, I don’t have much credentials to my name to get prospective employers to look beyond it.
What I’m most concerned about for the current job is the co-workers. I’m not well received down here (you know, being a “Yankee”, a “carpetbagger” and being productive and all… it is that salient); the less ammunition I can give them to make the day go easier, the better. Words cannot express how insufferable they can be when they want to talk about the ESS-EE-SEE or the Tide (pronounced: Tahhhhhd).
So yeah, the pseudonym is unusual, but I hope it’s not hurting anybody. It helps make my experience down here a little more enjoyable. I get to be work-me at work and blogger-me here. It’s fun; I enjoy it and I hope people who read what I have to say don’t mind it. Besides, the real Giambattista Vico is far more interesting than the real me. If anything, I’m just making me seem more interesting
Yeah, I completely understand. Doubt the real Vico knows anything about trap plays, however.
I am almost certainly gonna buy this thing out of a sense of duty – I feel like a shitheel sometimes because I really would like to hit tip jars etc., but I really can’t afford to, and am mostly limited to contributing just my witty, trenchant observations and ad click-throughs. I have a question, though:
Is there gonna be anything in there that an obsessive Buckeye fan and CFB blog reader like me doesn’t know already? By which I mean: I’m pretty familiar with how the 2009 roster is shaping up heading into the fall; I’ve got a good handle on the good and bad of ’08; I’m gonna get plenty of more meaningful/up-to-date opponent previews as their games arrive; I’ve read everything – and I mean everything – that Hinton’s blogged for two-plus years running and I know he’s (cautiously) very bullish on Pryor’s prospects; I know Tressel will say less in more words to Todd Porter than a year’s worth of Bar Association meetings (only w/ more “gosh”es and “golly”s); by the time it hits news racks I’ll probably be more up to speed on the ’10 class than the magazine is…you get my point, I’m sure.
Or am I just being a dick?
I’ll say this: I’m very interested to read Gerdeman’s, Jason’s, Fremeau’s and Lauderbeck’s pieces. And I kind of feel like you got the shit end here, V; answering the scapegoat/albatross question seems to be an impossible task for someone not inside the program, and as far as I know none of those people are talking. Until I read the piece, I’m gonna stick with my position that we’ll only know the answer when Bollman either retires/resigns or is let go – and I really, really hope that happens fucking soon, but I’m not gonna hold my breath.