Our Honor Defend

Fall camp is now over and August has given way to September, but the events that transpired during the month of August invites conversation the Buckeye football team as the 2009 season is just days away.  A week ago, I asked for your thoughts on what I thought were the important topics of fall camp.  Below, I summarize your responses, providing my own thoughts where appropriate.

Bloggers: The Silver Bullet (TSB), Fear the Elf (FTE)

Commenters: Bucksfan, jack nause, El Caballo, Todd (not Boeckman) (TnB), Ken, Ron, chibucks, Brian Fantana

01. Reports keep coming up of what seem like absurd sack margins.  Some people say the right side of the line in particular is really struggling with pass protection.  The line in general apparently is.  The left side of the line is in chaos, we hear.  Boren’s injury opened the door for a walk-on (Andrew Moses) and a never-quite-was (Connor Smith) on first team left guard.  Highly-touted Mike Adams began camp in a position where he almost had to implode in order to lose his spot.  He’s now rotating on the third team.  Are you close to pushing the panic button?

There was some good variation here.  Generally speaking, only El Caballo and The Silver Bullet are the ones mulling over the panic button at the moment.  We’ll be negative first, so we can end on more of a positive note later into this recap.  First, TSB notes that the reports from the camp paint a picture of an underwhelming offensive line.  The culprit here is Bollman’s coaching abilities since there’s too much talent on the offensive line for us to be waiting until the final day to sort out who’s playing where.  While TSB is disappointed, El Caballo is ready to call a state of emergency.  Adams’ precipitous fall from grace and Cordle being the second best tackle we can muster does not bode well for 2009, thinks El Caballo.

Bucksfan, TnB, jack nause, Ken, Ron, Brian Fantana, chibucks and FTE are not that concerned at the moment.  Fantana reminds us there’s actually a logic to using a tight end as a tackle, and it’s been demonstrated to at least be workable.  Ron freely admits that there’s issues right now, but never really expected the unit to be championship caliber.  By the end of the season, this unit should have come a long way.  FTE brings forward a similar sentiment.  Jack nause actually likes that there’s the emphasis on competition and hopes that will translate into guys pushing each other all season.  TnB, chibucks, among others, notes that Terrelle Pryor’s escapability will mitigate a couple adverse conditions that an underwhelming line may create.  Bucksfan is also ever the optimist.

As for me? I’m somewhere in between.  If we permit ourselves to use the metaphor of ledge jumping, right now, I’m admiring the view and the sublimity of the heights on which I stand.  Cordle and Boren will likely be the leaders of the offensive line.  Cordle, with his experience, was not a disappointment in transition from 2007 to 2008 (see: Boone, Person, Rehring).  Further, I actually believe Mike Brewster when he says that there were things that the players were doing last year that wrongfully leads people to blame Bollman.  Boren is a considerable upgrade at left guard and Brewster himself was the second best performer (IMO) on the line last year and did not have winter conditioning to help him.  In theory, he should be so much better as a sophomore.  And you know, I want to believe him as well.  Following Ohio State recruiting and writing about it has lead me to learn that Bollman’s former players genuinely like him.  He’s a nice guy (and those are hard to come by in terms of college football recruiting) and his players genuinely speak well of him.  Further, for as grim 2008 was, Bollman did make good adjustments midway through 2004 by inserting Kirk Barton and TJ Downing into the starting 5.  We also may know now why Adams was being demoted.

Still, the finales for the past 3 years, the USC, Ohio, Purdue, Penn State and Nerdwestern¹ games leads me to take nothing for granted.  I’ll willingly admit that there being no improvement from 2007 to 2008 at the unit in spite of returning 4/5 starters is plausible (if regrettable), but there’s no reason for them to have gotten worse.  That is, unless, we assume what Brewster said is true.  Even then, there are important questions to ask about this line.  I’m expecting a significant improvement in run-blocking (something they struggled with last year), but how about pass-blocking?  How good is Andy Miller? Is Cordle as good a tackle as he is an interior lineman?  Further, pass protection is something that even interior anchors Boren and Brewster seemed to struggle with in scrimmages.

So please, prove us wrong.  By all means.  I think I speak for all of us that we don’t want to be right about our hesitations about the unit.  We just want it to work.

02. Minus Tyler Moeller’s unfortunate incident, what is the biggest story of the linebackers this month? There’s a lot to consider here, such as: how excited are we that Brian Rolle is performing well as our Mike in spite of him being undersized?  Who ends up emerging as the guy at the strongside?  How cool is it that Storm Klein looks to be the real deal and has certified himself in the 2nd team middle?

With no shortage of great linebackers in the program history, the consensus among those who responded is that there’s no fear about the position.  Hell, we have as good a claim to “Linebacker U” as Penn State does.  In the Tressel years alone, Wilhelm has given way to Hawk and Carpenter and to Laurinaitis and, now, Rolle and Homan.

That said, a few people singled out specific players and their specific stories.  TnB desperately wants to see Sabino take the field, since his athleticism should be daunting for the position.  As does Ken.  However, if Sabino plays, he will do so as a strongside linebacker.  This was one of the important stories to emerge from the unit in the fall.  Sabino apparently struggled with the mental aspects of playing linebacker, specifically middle linebacker.  However, it appears that the light was “turned on”, if you will, when he moved to strongside linebacker.  With Rolle and Klein playing admirably in the middle, Sabino was able to find a new home.  While he was not able to beat out Spitler in position as he was able to do last year, he should still play in important scenarios.

Others singled out Brian Rolle.  In terms of who fans are desperately waiting to see play this year, Rolle must be second only to Pryor.  Rather than elaborate on the reasons why, the following quotes (from TSB, chibucks and FTE respectively) sum it up:

There are more physically impressive specimens in the linebacking core for the Buckeyes, but none have the heart or explosion that Rolle possesses. Not only that, but I think the defensive line will do its job so that Rolle doesn’t have to shed an insane amount of blocks. So, I think he has the ability to become the face of the Buckeye defense in 2009.

read from another poster an excellent description of Rolle – that he plays downhill all the time – major motor. I think size at the Mike is overrated – if you can get past the OL or get by them, that’s all that matters – you’re not there to take on the OL all the time… i think with his speed and intensity, he’ll be fine.

Brian Rolle is awesomeness topped off with awesomeness and a side of awesomeness all “rolled” (get it? lolz and stuff) into a 5’11 package. The dude is violent. And fast. And vicious. And…did I mention awesome?

So to me, having him play probably the most important defensive position on the field is definitely the big news.

We’ll only have to wait 3 days until we see him.

03. By time the Buckeyes head up to That State Up North, the Buckeye receiver rotation will look like:

Posey, Sanzy and Small was the most frequent choice.  Ken and chibucks subbed Small out for Taurian Washington.  Fantana took the bold move and put Duron Carter in there as the second option guy with Sanzy as the third wide receiver.  Oddly enough, no one really mentioned anyone else as possibilities.  Surely some of you mentioned the possibility of Small screwing up again (TSB, FTE, and Ken), but few mentioned where Duron Carter and Lamaar Thomas may fit in this season.  FTE made the only reference to Thomas.

As for me, I’m guessing true freshman Duron Carter has the most to gain throughout the regular season.  He has great ball skills and may prove useful in underneath routes and in the red zone.

04. What’s the single biggest concern for the Buckeyes in the secondary?

When I asked this question, I felt that it was one of those questions where opinions should be evenly distributed towards a number of areas in the secondary.  Yet, I thought it would all eventually end up as a commentary on uncertainty at the cornerback position.  Several of you appear to have not forgotten about the end of the 2009 Fiesta Bowl².

I bet El Caballo was excited that there was some musings a week ago about Jermale Hines challenging Anderson Russell for playing time since he feels that, if Hines were in the situation that Russell was in the final seconds of the Fiesta Bowl, then Quan Cosby suddenly goes from hero of the day to getting Zack Dumas-ed.  Incidentally, that gesture from Zack Dumas captures my sentiment towards my surroundings here and I hope it is serves as the general sentiment towards the college football landscape by our 2009 team.  TnB and Ken bring him up as well, though chibucks defends him.

Still, I think the biggest issue in the secondary is the cornerback position.  The Buckeyes lose two good ones in the form of Donald Washington and Malcolm Jenkins.  One replacement — Chimdi Chekwa — is a given.  While it’s good to know that, there are questions about how good Chekwa can be in 2009.  Fantana felt Texas picked on him and chibucks sees a similar thing happening in 2009.  If we’re expecting him to be a cover corner in 2009, I think Buckeye fans will be disappointed.  Chekwa is serviceable at the position but is no Shawn Springs.  Ron rightfully says that so much of the youth issues in the secondary can be masked with brilliant defensive line play.  We expect that from the defensive line this year, and with reason.

TSB and Bucksfan bring up another important part of the secondary: the zone coverage.  Passing attacks are becoming more sophisticated and better able to find the sweet spots in our secondary.  Adjustments are necessary.

05. How much improvement are you expecting in the passing game and from Terrelle Pryor in particular?

This, as FTE said, is the $64,000 question.

Count TnB as incredibly optimistic.  This is now essentially his team with, partly, his classmates in the receiver corp.  Now that he’s been the beneficiary of winter conditioning and spring drills, he’s even admitted that he sees things so much better now than he did before.  Ron thinks he’s already much better than he was because he has a full year behind him now.  Progression from freshman to sophomore is usually the greatest for any player.  Brian Fantana feels it as well.  If Pryor wants to get better, as he’s said, and will dedicate himself to it (as even Beanie said when Pryor was spending nights studying film while others were out), then he should be a lot better in 2009.

It seems that most fans are expecting improvement, sure, but are expecting some recurring issues from last year to appear in 2009.  Bucksfan mentions that he needs to either learn when to run or when to throw it away.  Sacks incurred from Pryor holding on to the ball too long were an important problem in 2008.  El Caballo thinks Pryor will have this under control as a true sophomore.  Ken mentions that mechanics should look better for Pryor as well.

FTE — the arbitrary winner of this edition of the Block O Table — mentions that Matt Hinton actually penned an article about this in the Buckeye Battle Cry 2009, which you were all required to buy.  Therein, Doc Saturday provides some interesting statistics regarding Pryor’s true freshman year.  You knew Pryor had the best efficiency rating in the conference last year.  Did you know that he’s tops among all true freshman QBs from BCS conferences since 2003? He is.  Did you know he also leads all true freshman starters (since 2003)³ in completion percentage and yards per pass as well?  He’s also near the top in TD percentage and interception percentage.  Only Tyrod Taylor (2007) finished with a better team record.  He also compares favorably to RS freshman Vince Young.  Pryor was a significantly better passer, though Young was used as a runner more.

Hell, there may be something here.

Further, after watching relevant highlights of the 2008 Illinois and 2008 Minnesota games, I tell myself: there’s a play the Buckeyes ran on the goalline against both teams that saw Pryor waltz into the end zone on a designed bootleg run.  You can see them both instantaneously here (starting: 38 second mark).  If there’s a real threat that it’ll be a halfback dive (and, since this is Tressel, it is) in that situation, the Buckeyes score a touchdown every time.  Either the defense spreads out to account for the bootleg, in which case an audible is called for a HB dive.  That, or as we saw, the defense commits to stuffing the line, the fullback/TE and guard lead block and Pryor scores.  I demand they run at least once in every goalline situation.

Extra Credit

I genuinely like our pre-Big Ten schedule.  Navy, USC and Toledo (in Cleveland) is infinitely more interesting than something else that includes Youngstown State, Akron or hosting the Ohio MAC snacks.  Construct your ideal 3-game pre-conference schedule, including who you would go on the road to face and who you would want at home.  I imagine USC is as good of an opponent you could ask for in that desired primetime slot.  Who else would you want?

I’m a little fatigued from recapping everything, so I’ll go over your responses lightly before talking about my preferences.  This is extra credit, after all, so there’s no wrong answers for you.  Consider it freebie points for participating . Besides, given how Ohio State schedules, we’re already going to play some of the teams we would want to play.

My thoughts on scheduling go as follows:

• Nothing good happens when you play 1-AA teams, unless your Florida and have a QB who should win a Heisman because they have a national champion beating a 1-AA patsy by 50 points.  As for the rest of us who are not ordained by God? Nothing good happens when you play 1-AA teams.  Ask Lawrence Wilson, Beanie Wells, and, well… Lloyd Carr.
• No Cincinnati.  If we play them, we legitimate them.  The more I hate Cincinnati being a “BCS team” every day⁴, the more I actually respect the standoff between Pitt and Penn State and how it favors Penn State.  If Pitt is the only other quality (I’m being generous) team in the state, but their “quality” is either unrecognized or discredited, why give them a local platform to establish themselves?  Why risk it?  If you’re Penn State, you are football in the state.  As Ohio State, we are Ohio football.  Why risk it?  There’s really nothing Ohio State can gain from playing Cincinnati, but a lot it can lose if it feels that it needs a domestic rivalry.  It doesn’t.  Ignore Cincinnati and hope Brian Kelly goes away.  He is legit.
• As such, if I were Gene Smith, I’d quietly pay out Cincinnati and schedule something more interesting in their place.  It won’t happen, but alas…
• The Buckeyes should consider road games against teams in markets where there’d have to be a sizable contingent of Buckeye fans and alumni.  Ron mentions USF.  This would be perfect because of how many Buckeyes there are in Tampa, St. Pete and the area.  TnB mentions Pittsburgh and Texas A&M (Houston area).  These are also fine choices.  They don’t necessarily have to be home-and-homes, but they’d be a good one-time road appearance and a great inter-regional contest.  FTE, the arbitrary winner of this Block O Table, also mentions Maryland (DC area) and Boston College (and scores major brownie points (did I just make a pun?) for referencing the Browns in doing so).  Fine choices, all.
• We need to play BYU in Provo.  Thousands of drunk Buckeye fans showing up to Provo for a Buckeye football game would make a great documentary.
• I’m not inclined to play too many Ohio MAC teams.  I don’t fear them, per se, but I’m tired of looking at them.  I’d rather play Central Michigan, Temple, Ball State and Marshall as our designated MAC snacks.

Generally, I like the idea that the season opener should be something marquee.  It doesn’t have to be Alabama v. Va Tech, but it should be something similar to South Carolina v. NC State.  My ideal first 3 games would be an intermediate challenge, followed by a marquee opponent (a hard challenge), and then perhaps a MAC snack or a crappy BCS team before conference play.  A murderer’s row for 3 games is fun, but unrealistic.

If I had my way, it would look like something this year:

• BYU, Pitt, Texas A&M, USF, Boston College, Arizona, Maryland, Connecticut, North Carolina or Wake Forest.  I demand BYU on the road, but I guess anyone else would be an either/or road or away contest.  I’d like to see a few of these teams in their own stadiums.  That said, the Buckeye rely very much on home games for revenue and tend to not start seasons on the road.  The last time was in 1998 against WVU.  They also started 1999 against Miami in New Jersey.
• USC is fine here.  We’ll play Miami and California soon as well.  I like to have these types of games at home, but they are home-and-homes for a reason.  I have no complaints about our future marquee opponents.
• Temple, Central Michigan, Ball State, Marshall, Buffalo, Syracuse, Washington State, Iowa State… whoever.

Thanks again to all those that participated.

1. Hand to God, that’s the worst performance I’ve ever seen from an offensive line in a blowout win. [↩]
2. In my defense, I didn’t watch it.  I was on a plane flying back to Alabama.  That is my punishment. [↩]
3. including: Robert Griffin, Willie Tuitama, Erik Ainge, Chris Leak, Chad Henne, Mitch Mustian, Tyrod Taylor, Matt Stafford, Thaddeus Lewis, Jimmah Clausen, Josh Freeman, Reggie f’n Ball, Kris Heavner, Brady Quinn, Juice Williams. [↩]
4. I’m sorry, but the Big East having a BCS bowl bid in spite of purposely coalescing around basketball schools to become a basketball conference shows how myopic the BCS was and how we’re all worse off for it. [↩]