SB Nation - Dane Sanzenbacher

Ten Buckeyes submit NFL Draft paperwork

Mocking Dan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:03:27 -0000

The Associated Press is reporting that 10 Ohio State juniors submitted paperwork to gauge where they might be selected in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Head coach Jim Tressel wouldn't say which players submitted paperwork, but he did say they were all starters.

That would include defensive ends Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, linebackers Ross Homan and Brian Rolle, cornerbacks Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence, tailback Brandon Saine, wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher and offensive linemen Bryant Browning and Justin Boren.

"I've gotten a little bit of an early indication and shared it with the kids," Tressel told the AP. "We tried to do that before they went home for Thanksgiving. The NFL was good and got us some early things (so) that way the kids could get home and talk a little bit with their folks."

Clearly the two most intriguing players on Ohio State are Gibson and Heyward. Gibson, who has four sacks, projects as a 3-4 outside linebacker because of his agility and size. For those same reasons Heyward is considered one of the best 3-4 defensive end candidates in the nation.

Heyward leads Ohio State with 5.5 sacks this season and has been impressive against the run.

After the defensive linemen, Boren looks like he is the most ready for the NFL. A transfer from Michigan, Boren is a powerful and nasty interior lineman. He is Ohio State's best run blocker and would be one of the first three or four guards taken.

Saine had somewhat of a breakthrough season with 926 rushing yards, but should return to Ohio State. As it stands, he would likely be taken outside of the top 100 picks.

Sanzenbacher is an intriguing player. He has shown flashes of being a very good receiver this season with 27 receptions for 506 yards and six touchdowns. His hands are solid and he runs good routes. But he only topped 100 yards once in 2009 and had just four catches over the final three games of the year.

Still, Ohio State has a good history of putting out NFL talent at wide receiver. While Ted Ginn and Brian Robiskie haven't had the success some expected, Brian Hartline and Anthony Gonzalez have exceeded expectations.

The remaining players should return to Columbus for another season. They all look like they have pro potential but are raw – particularly the defensive backs.

If College Football Had a Playoff: #9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ #8 Ohio State Buckeyes

Jeremy Mauss — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:00:19 -0000

Continue the new break out hit of the season "What if College Football had a Playoff' returns for game two of the playoff. Before we get to game two the winner of game one was an expected blowout by Alabama soundly defeating Troy to move on to host the winner of this game.

Now this matchup features two completely different styles with Georgia Tech who runs a triple option and is taking that game to the 'Shoe in Columbus to face the 'we wanna be spread but really a smash mouth football team' Ohio State.

The Ohio State defense is very good but the question has always been the speed of their defense (or lack of speed). Speed and assignment defense is what Ohio State would need to do to try to stop the Georgia Tech option. Last year LSU shut down the Tech option with their speed and Ohio State is a bit behind in their speed then LSU.

Ohio State really wants to pound the ball has the wild card in Terrelle Pryor who is a so-so passer but if the Buckeyes use roll outs and move the pocket that will help use his abilities rather then to just drop back and throw.

Just because of the contrasting styles this should be a very good game. To give some help to those who are not sure who would win I turned to What if Sports to simulate this game.

What if Sports has Ohio State winning a close game 35-31, but Georgia Tech had a 31-20 lead going into the fourth quarter before allowing the Buckeyes to score 15 points to their zero to loss the game. The decision here is for the fans to vote to see who moves on.

Check back daily at 12 PM eastern time to vote for the next matchup, and voting is only for 24 hours. As they say in Chicago vote early and vote often.

Ohio State Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Joe Bauserman	5	30.0	6	19	31.6	124	24.8	6.5	0	0	9	10	2	1.1	0	-	-
Terrelle Pryor	12	93.0	144	258	55.8	1828	152.3	7.1	16	10	142	707	58.9	5	7	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Joe Bauserman	5	9	10	2	1.1	0	0	0	0	0	0
K.C. Christian	2	5	14	7	2.8	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bo DeLande	1	3	5	5	1.7	0	0	0	0	0	0
Joe Gantz	2	4	6	3	1.5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Daniel Herron	9	139	558	62	4	7	8	48	5.3	6	1
Jermil Martin	3	11	84	28	7.6	1	0	0	0	0	0
DeVier Posey	12	2	19	1.6	9.5	0	52	727	60.6	14	7
Terrelle Pryor	12	142	707	58.9	5	7	0	0	0	0	0
Brandon Saine	12	131	694	57.8	5.3	4	15	165	13.8	11	1
Dane Sanzenbacher	11	2	8	.700	4	0	27	506	46	18.7	6
Ray Small	11	4	40	3.6	10	0	15	175	15.9	11.7	0
Lamaar Thomas	9	1	6	.700	6	0	1	10	1.1	10	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Jake Ballard	9	13	126	14	9.7	0
Zach Boren	3	4	23	7.7	5.8	1
Duron Carter	6	13	176	29.3	13.5	1
Daniel Herron	9	8	48	5.3	6	1
DeVier Posey	12	52	727	60.6	14	7
Brandon Saine	12	15	165	13.8	11	1
Dane Sanzenbacher	11	27	506	46	18.7	6
Ray Small	11	15	175	15.9	11.7	0
Jake Stoneburner	2	2	30	15	15	0
Lamaar Thomas	9	1	10	1.1	10	0

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Devin Barclay	4	-	-	-	-	-	4	7	60.0%	12	12	100.0%	24
Aaron Pettrey	9	-	-	-	-	-	13	19	70.0%	28	29	100.0%	67

Georgia Tech Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Josh Nesbitt	13	83.0	73	153	47.7	1689	129.9	11	10	4	259	991	76.2	3.8	18	-	-
Jaybo Shaw	4	-50.0	1	2	50	18	4.5	9	0	1	12	51	12.8	4.3	0	-	-
Tevin Washington	1	100.0	1	1	100	21	21	21	0	0	6	40	40	6.7	0	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Anthony Allen	13	61	597	45.9	9.8	5	5	112	8.6	22.4	1
Lucas Cox	3	9	31	10.3	3.4	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jonathan Dwyer	13	221	1346	103.5	6.1	14	3	25	1.9	8.3	0
Stephen HIll	8	5	84	10.5	16.8	1	6	137	17.1	22.8	1
Roddy Jones	11	53	345	31.4	6.5	3	0	0	0	0	0
Preston Lyons	11	30	139	12.6	4.6	1	0	0	0	0	0
Jonathan Malone	1	1	5	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Josh Nesbitt	13	259	991	76.2	3.8	18	0	0	0	0	0
Embry Peeples	11	28	143	13	5.1	0	8	244	22.2	30.5	1
Jaybo Shaw	4	12	51	12.8	4.3	0	0	0	0	0	0
Quentin Sims	1	2	19	19	9.5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Orwin Smith	11	5	26	2.4	5.2	0	2	26	2.4	13	0
Demaryius Thomas	13	1	3	.200	3	0	46	1154	88.8	25.1	8
Tevin Washington	1	6	40	40	6.7	0	0	0	0	0	0
Richard Watson	4	9	37	9.3	4.1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Marcus Wright	11	32	190	17.3	5.9	3	0	0	0	0	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Anthony Allen	13	5	112	8.6	22.4	1
Jonathan Dwyer	13	3	25	1.9	8.3	0
Stephen HIll	8	6	137	17.1	22.8	1
Daniel McKayhan	2	1	18	9	18	0
Tyler Melton	4	5	46	11.5	9.2	0
Embry Peeples	11	8	244	22.2	30.5	1
Orwin Smith	11	2	26	2.4	13	0
Demaryius Thomas	13	46	1154	88.8	25.1	8

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Scott Blair	11	-	-	-	-	-	14	19	70.0%	43	44	100.0%	85
Chris Tanner	3	-	-	-	-	-	0	1	0	14	14	100.0%	14

via l.yimg.com

Poll

Who wins the matchup?

Georgia Tech

120 votes

Ohio State

62 votes

182 votes | Poll has closed

Your 2009 offensive Bammy Award winner is...

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:00:25 -0000

Before the season, I decided to come up with an award to help commemorate the contributions (or lack thereof) of one Bam Childress in the following way:

I'd name [this] award for a guy who, for four straight years at Ohio State, overcame overwhelming preseason hype spurred by mesmerizing spring game and practice performances to.... do next to nothing in the regular season. I decided that this award would go to those "other", non-headliner guys at the skill positions - not Pryor, Herron, Posey etc. - who actually deliver on preseason hype, unlike the award's namesake.

Thus, the Bam Childress Award was born. With so many new faces on offense as well as defense, I decided to split the award up into offensive and defensive categories with nominees from both units.

The offensive nominees (along with my preseason thoughts on their chances) were...

Dane Sanzenbacher

I have my concerns about Sanzenbacher - to wit, his size, and his penchant for exposing himself to the big hit - but I am still as high on him as I was when I wrote this back in May:

He doesn't have elite speed, but he's still dangerous in space with his athleticism and ability to make defenders miss (jukification?) and will eventually grow into the role of the reliable third down option for Terrelle Pryor.

Since then, opinions of Dane have gone through a bit of an evolution, with Kurt Coleman at one point considering him potentially the guy:

"Dane is the guy, any way he has to, he's going to get it done, he's going to get the first down," Coleman said. "I think Dane is coming in being the No. 1 receiver, but DeVier is definitely that deep threat, that guy you always have to have someone guarding."

In camp, "Sanzo" (or, as I call him, "Bloody Sanzio") has struggled with injury and hasn't made a massive dent in the depth chart, but most still consider him to be, at the very least, the probable number two behind Posey. What he brings to the game is not all the different from what Anthony Gonzales brought to the team in 2006: a player who's willing to go across the middle and make the tough catches in heavy traffic on passing downs, even with his lack of size. He will be critical to Pryor's development as a quarterback, and he just might be the most likely breakout player at his position this year.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 8 Bam Childresses out of 10

Brandon Saine

Probably the guy that most needs a breakout season, he's going to have to earn it while sharing duties with Boom Herron. Saine came to OSU as a football player who happened to play track, but has spent most of his time looking like a track guy who happened to play football; nursing injuries, avoiding hits, and generally struggling massively as a spell back behind Beanie Wells. This spring, I liked what I saw:

Saine has looked a bit more confident, abandoning his fear of hits and hitting the hole (TWSS) with tenacity, quickness and excellent vision.

Reports from practice on Saine are few and far between, but there was this from the jersey scrimmage:

Brandon Saine didn't get a lot of work, and was 5/20.

So the Saine Hype Train that was steaming along early in the spring appears to have slowed down just a bit, but last I checked, Tressel still plans on rotating Saine with Herron, and since the spring game was the closest thing he has seen to genuine game action since early last fall and he looked excellent in it, I'm not too worried. It's hard to have a "breakout" year as part of a rotation, but I think all the things he brings to the table as a runner are different enough from Herron that he'll continue getting reps throughout the season. 700 yards on the ground may not be out of the question.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 6 Bam Childresses out of 10

Ray Small

I know, I know: everyone says this is his year, ever year. This year might be the least likely year that the Motormouth will break out, in fact. But I'm still holding out hope. Tressel apparently is too:

Senior Ray Small, who started the month in Tressel's doghouse again, got plenty of time running routes and returning punts (his job a year ago) Wednesday. He appears to be back in the mix.

Small's recruiting numbers were not excellent without reason: the potential is still there. He has shown how dangerous he can be in space. He also knows that this is his last shot, and he hopefully knows that outside of that punt return, he will be most remembered for this:

Which is not ideal. If these facts, along with all the (somewhat deserved) hate from the fanbase, serve to motivate him just a bit, he might end up partially redeeming his checkered (to put it lightly) career.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 5 Bam Childresses out of 10

Taurian Washington

Deacon of the Church of Latter-day Bam himself, Washington has blown up in two straight spring games - catching 8 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns in the past two years. He would have 9 for 226 had a flag not taken away a 63-yarder in the 2008 edition of the game. Sounds like a star in the making right? I give you his career regular season stat line:

G Rec. Yards Avg. TD Rec./G Yards/G

6 3 46 15.33 1 0.5 7.7

Somewhere, Bam Childress knows that he still has a good man spreading the word and doing his work in Columbus. After this year's electrifying 92-yard spring game performance, Washington finds himself again down on the depth chart, presumably behind Posey and Sanzenbacher. There were previously rumblings that he may get looks in the slot should Ray Small find trouble yet again.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 5 Bam Childresses out of Ten

G	Rec.	Yards	Avg.	TD	Rec./G	Yards/G
6	3	46	15.33	1	0.5	7.7

Duron Carter

Reports from practice and the scrimmage have been almost exclusively praise for the scion of Cris Carter. Assuming Ohio State mostly operates out of 3-wide sets this year, Posey, Sanzenbacher and Ray Small all have a considerable leg up on Carter when it comes to playing time. He's too big to play the slot and not quite a burner. One way I could see him having a breakout season is if he's deployed mostly in red zone situations, where defenses would have to work just a bit harder to cover him as they field as many linebackers as they can to stop the rushing attack. They just might not be able to cover someone with his size and speed.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 6 Bam Childresses out of 10

with honorable mentions Jake Stoneburner

A converted WR at TE is always an exciting prospect, but to buy the notion that 2009 is Stoney's breakout year is to buy that a) he'll make the transition gracefully as a redshirt-freshman, b) Ohio State starts making a serious effort at utilizing the tight end in the passing game and c) he actually catches anything as the second tight end provided that b) actually happens. Thus, he just remains a darkhorse.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 3 Bam Childresses out of 10

and Jaamal Berry

Berry has bounced back excellently from his June marijuana arrest, impressing in camp before succumbing to injury and struggling in the scrimmage. He wasn't here for the spring, so it's safe to say he's a bit behind. Nevertheless, he's the fastest back on Ohio State's roster, and probably the most dangerous in space. But I have my doubts: see here and here on why I think he might struggle.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 4 Bam Childresses out of 10

And the winner is...

First, some notes on those who didn't win:

Berry redshirted due to recurring injury problems
Stoneburner ended up getting treated just like every other TE in this offense, sadly, with 2 catches for 30 yards on the year.
Duron Carter is a beast, but only caught 13 balls for 176 yards in OSU's hamstrung passing offense.
Ray Small had an excellent year on special teams, but again was mostly an afterthought in the OSU offense.
Sanzenbacher had a rip-roaring start to the season, catching multiple long bombs in the game against Toledo, as well as an excellent 50-yarder against Southern Cal, but cooled off in Ohio State's finally three game stretch, just as the winner was getting heated up.
Taurian Washington flamed out after the first week - in true Bam fashion, no doubt - following a few dropped first down passes against Navy. As Deacon in the LDCOB, you can't say he isn't incredibly poious
So your winner is, who, unlike the trophy's namesake, followed through after a preseason of massive hype, is....

Tailback Brandon Saine! When the running attack needed a spark - which, after the Purdue game wasn't all that often, though this guy still contributed - Brandon Saine provided it, and was absolutely key to this offense throughout the year. His scoring runs against Michigan and Iowa were the stuff dreams are made of, and his game-sealing TD catch against Penn State capped off the best big game win this program has had since Texas '06. His success this year sets up, provided he stay injury-free, the potential for a massive senior year in what will hopefully be the most dangerous backfield in America, combining the size and power of Saine and Herron with the darting moves of Jaamal Berry and Jordan Hall. Watching his play this year, it's tough to not get excited for next. Congrats on finally arriving, "Brand: Insane."

A Brief List of Names I Will Be Using For Dane Sanzenbacher Instead of "Dane Sanzenbacher" During Saturday's Game

Oops Pow Surprise — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:44 -0000

by Terry Gilliam - AP

View full size photo »

Dane Schwarzenegger
Dane Sansabelter
Dane Whitereceiver
Dane Stupidnamer
Ding Friesaredoner
Oops Powsurpriser
Deine Cablefixer
Drink Plentywater

Mother Fucker
Dame Judydencher
Der Kommissar...der
Sure Touchdowndropper
Rick Stanzisankle
Ed Hinkel
Watch Sonsofanarchy
Dane Sammysosa
Doctor Rosenpenis
Ang Erererer
Dane Sendsaletter
Spray Seltzerwater
Dane Supercalifragilistiwaitaminutewaytoomanysyllablessorrypeople
Dane Swazilander
Rutherford B. Hayes
Dave Stiebsapitcher
Doink Clownwrestler
Dan Sanzenbacher

As always, suggestions are appreciated.

Minnesota may have a winning record....

Sam @ WWAHT — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15:19 -0000

More photos » by Carolyn Kaster - AP

about 1 month ago: Penn State running back Evan Royster (22) runs for a gain after taking the hand off from quarterback Daryll Clark (17) as Minnesota tackle Brandon Kirksey (96) dives during the second half of an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009. Penn State won 20-0. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Browse more photos »

... but how good are they really? Let's let the stats have their say...

2009 Big Ten Rushing Offense

	Name	G	Att	Yards	Avg.	TD	Att/G	Yards/G
1	Michigan	7	304	1645	5.41	21	43.43	235.00
2	Penn State	7	253	1309	5.17	13	36.14	187.00
3	Wisconsin	7	295	1291	4.38	15	42.14	184.43
4	Illinois	6	223	1023	4.59	8	37.17	170.50
5	Ohio State	7	262	1106	4.22	9	37.43	158.00
6	Michigan State	7	245	955	3.90	9	35.00	136.43
7	Purdue	7	221	951	4.30	9	31.57	135.86
8	Indiana	7	229	886	3.87	9	32.71	126.57
9	Iowa	7	251	846	3.37	8	35.86	120.86
10	Northwestern	7	272	816	3.00	13	38.86	116.57
11	Minnesota	7	209	724	3.46	10	29.86	103.43

2009 Big Ten Rushing Defense

	Name	G	Att	Yards	Avg.	TD	Att/G	Yards/G
1	Penn State	7	210	528	2.51	2	30.00	75.43
2	Ohio State	7	232	615	2.65	5	33.14	87.86
3	Michigan State	7	233	693	2.97	3	33.29	99.00
4	Wisconsin	7	245	802	3.27	6	35.00	114.57
5	Northwestern	7	241	804	3.34	9	34.43	114.86
6	Iowa	7	227	893	3.93	4	32.43	127.57
7	Michigan	7	244	913	3.74	10	34.86	130.43
8	Indiana	7	273	1012	3.71	11	39.00	144.57
9	Purdue	7	278	1070	3.85	16	39.71	152.86
10	Minnesota	7	295	1153	3.91	11	42.14	164.71
11	Illinois	6	219	1077	4.92	10	36.50	179.50

2009 Big Ten Passing Offense

	Name	G	Att	Comp	Pct.	Yards	Yards/Att	Int	TD	Rating	Att/G	Yards/G
1	Michigan State	7	232	139	59.9	1963	8.5	7	15	146.29	33.1	280.4
2	Purdue	7	269	160	59.5	1871	7.0	11	15	128.12	38.4	267.3
3	Northwestern	7	259	175	67.6	1851	7.1	5	9	135.21	37.0	264.4
4	Penn State	7	219	136	62.1	1720	7.9	7	13	141.27	31.3	245.7
5	Indiana	7	244	152	62.3	1689	6.9	7	8	125.52	34.9	241.3
6	Iowa	7	217	128	59.0	1615	7.4	8	11	130.86	31.0	230.7
7	Wisconsin	7	201	128	63.7	1473	7.3	8	9	132.06	28.7	210.4
8	Michigan	7	175	101	57.7	1341	7.7	8	11	133.68	25.0	191.6
9	Minnesota	7	193	107	55.4	1332	6.9	9	7	116.06	27.6	190.3
10	Illinois	6	184	101	54.9	1128	6.1	7	5	107.74	30.7	188.0
11	Ohio State	7	167	92	55.1	1211	7.3	8	10	126.18	23.9	173.0

2009 Big Ten Passing Defense

	Name	G	Att	Comp	Pct.	Yards	Yards/Att	Int	TD	Rating	Att/G	Yards/G
1	Penn State	7	199	102	51.3	1144	5.7	8	3	96.49	28.4	163.4
2	Iowa	7	215	106	49.3	1169	5.4	15	5	88.70	30.7	167.0
3	Ohio State	7	249	139	55.8	1377	5.5	12	6	100.58	35.6	196.7
4	Wisconsin	7	181	102	56.4	1480	8.2	9	11	135.15	25.9	211.4
5	Purdue	7	238	137	57.6	1495	6.3	8	6	111.93	34.0	213.6
6	Northwestern	7	214	132	61.7	1590	7.4	10	12	133.24	30.6	227.1
7	Minnesota	7	225	139	61.8	1598	7.1	5	8	128.73	32.1	228.3
8	Michigan	7	246	142	57.7	1630	6.6	7	6	115.74	35.1	232.9
9	Michigan State	7	245	150	61.2	1651	6.7	4	15	134.76	35.0	235.9
10	Indiana	7	211	131	62.1	1654	7.8	6	11	139.45	30.1	236.3
11	Illinois	6	190	118	62.1	1448	7.6	3	9	138.60	31.7	241.3

The stats say... not very. Even Purdue had a notable strength in its passing game. And while the Boilers have been in every game they've played, Minnesota was never truly "in" its most recent game, a 20-0 shutout at the hands of Penn State. The offense is the only one ranked behind the Buckeyes' in the conference. That, my friends, takes work. This, um, sounds eerily familiar:

Moving forward, expect Minnesota's offense to have sporadic success when their offensive line is not dominated. Minnesota's running backs aren't big enough to compensate for nonexistant holes, Adam Weber is not good enough to overcome a lack of blocking, Eric Decker needs at least a few seconds to shake defenders, and the defense needs time to catch some wind on the sideline. Without blocking, a team is bound to lose badly. If just two or three top tier offensive lineman had played for Minnesota, I'll maintain that this game could have been much closer. Offensive line as it is, Minnesota never had a chance against Penn State's NFL-calibur defensive front.

Now how scary is it that Ohio State supposedly has not just two or three, but four "top-tier offensive linemen", and can't block Purdue, much less Penn State? Okay, that's enough hand-wringing for now. Exchange "Adam Weber" with "Terrelle Pryor", "Eric Decker" with DeVier Posey/Dane Sanzenbacher, and you basically have the Ballad of the Buckeye offense. These are two offense mired in confusing amounts of inadequacy, and it's looking like the difference this Saturday will again be the Buckeye defense. Minnesota's defense, on the other hand, is not particularly good at anything, but of course, neither was Purdue's.

I can personally guarantee that Minnesota is looking almost exclusively at Purdue game tape right now, and that Tim Brewster - say what you will about his coaching, he's probably not retarded - is emphasizing the quick release to Adam Weber more than ever this week. Defensively, the Gophers are going to try to do what everyone else is doing with great success; sticking eight in the box and daring Pryor to do what he hasn't done yet this year against a team with a defensive pulse: make 'em respect the pass.

Remember how I said this was the stretch in which Pryor has to prove himself? Well, he isn't right now, and Minnesota is his last chance against a live defense to do so before the trip to Happy Valley. I dunno about you, I'll take any progress I can get here, even against a team that's probably not as good as its record indicates. Just limiting turnovers, Pryor-inspired and otherwise, would be an excellent start.

Monumental upset brewing?

BoilerTMill — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:58:44 -0000

My apologies for the lack of updates on football this week. There are a number of reasons for this. First, most of us aren't really existed about being the latest speedbump on Ohio State's road to the Big Ten championship. Second, I actually started a real life, full-time job this week and I have been dealing with that start up. In an effort to become the king of all internet media in the state of Indiana, I am now managing the Indiana page for CoachesAid.com. It is basically a comprehensive Indiana High School Sports site that I will be running out of my home. It is still in its infancy, but I figured that if I can grow this place I can grow that one while managing an actual staff of writers.

Of course, I am not going to let it compromise my work here. It will basically just pay all the bills for the fun that goes on here at Hammer & Rails. That being said, we could have a fun afternoon on Saturday. For some strange reason we always play Ohio State very well. The recent history in the series has included a number of close games in which we really had no business playing them that closely. It has been five years since we beat the Buckeyes, but with a modicum of offense and a turnover-free afternoon we might be able to spring a major upset.

2009 Record: 5-1, 3-0 Big Ten

2008 Record: 10-3, 7-1 Big Ten

Bowl result: Lost to Texas 24-21 in Fiesta Bowl

Blog Representation: We Will Always Have Tempe, Buckeye Battle Cry, Eleven Warriors, Men of Scarlet & Gray, Buckeye Blog

Series with Purdue: Ohio State leads 37-12-2

Last Purdue win: 11/13/2004 at Purdue 24-17

Last Ohio State win: 10/11/08 at Ohio State 16-3

Of the other 10 Big Ten teams, we only have an equal or longer losing streak against Penn State. Of course, we currently only have a winning streak against Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana, so that doesn't mean much. This year's Ohio State team is much like their past few teams. They have won the games they should win, but lost a close game in their biggest matchup to date.

As a Purdue blog, I am required to include this video in any discussion of Ohio State.

Ohio State offense:

The Buckeye offense has not been overly prolific, but it doesn't need to be when the defense is playing at a high level. A prime example is last year's game in Columbus. The offense was awful, but the defense limited Purdue to a 53 yard field goal and even got a special teams touchdown on a blocked punt. We might expect more of the same, as running back Dan Herron (246 yards, 5 TD's) has already been ruled out for the Purdue game. The offense as a whole is averaging almost 30 points per game, which is more than enough for their defense.

There are complaints that quarterback Terrelle Pryor has been relatively ineffective, and that the defense giving him the ball in good position is the only reason Ohio State is scoring. In truth, isn't that the opposite of what Purdue is doing? We are giving opponents the ball in a great position to score, while our offense often must drive the length of the field. Pryor is 72 of 128 on the season with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He has only thrown for 948 yards. His percentage of 56% is not great, but he is still a major running threat. He is second on the team in rushing with 333 yards and three touchdowns.

In place of Herron, who has been starting lately, is Brandon Saine. Saine has 349 yards rushing on the season but no scores. We will also likely see some of Jordan Hall (103-0). Once again, our run defense will be tested by a rushing attack that gains nearly 172 yards per game from multiple ballcarriers. I stress again though, our run defense has been good of late. It has just been put in bad positions. Last week Minnesota racked up yards as it killed the clock after our mistakes. We have shown we can stop Ohio State last year, and we absolutely must have the same defensive effort again.

The Ohio State passing game is not a huge threat, but there are plenty of playmakers in this unit. DeVier Posey (21-268-3) leads the team in receptions, while Dane Sanzenbacher (16-326-4) is a big play threat. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw more of Ray Small (5-77-0). One of his best career games came in a six catch, 70 yard effort with a touchdown against Purdue two years ago.

Ohio State's offensive line is big and very good, as you can expect from them. They have allowed just eight sacks through six games, and that is with Pryor being an elusive quarterback. All five starters will return next season, as guards Bryant Browning and Justin Boren are juniors, while J.B. Shugarts, Mike Adams, and Michael Brewster are sophomores. If we can generate a push against this line like we did last year we might stand a chance.

Ohio State defense:

I am not really afraid of moving the ball against one of the best defenses in the country. I am more afraid of giving it up. The yards we have gained show we can move the ball, but we haven't scored more than 21 points in our last four games because of turnovers. We lead the nation in turnovers right now with 20. Ohio State's defense has produced 14 turnovers. That is not a good sign.

Senior safety Kurt Coleman is a bit of a do everything guy for them. He is second on the team in tackles with 43, has two interceptions (one returned for a score) and has forced three fumbles. Fellow safety Jermale Hines also has a pick six and 30 tackles with a sack. These may be two of the best safeties in the league, but with the Ohio State defense you get a lot of best ______ in the league at that position.

The Buckeye pass rush will be furious, so our offensive line must give Elliott time to throw and open some holes. Ohio State has 18 sacks on the season, with 12 different players being involved in a sack. They have also generated 37 tackles for loss, or more than six per game.

Junior defensive end Thaddeus Gibson is, quite simply, a beast. He is speedy at 6'2" 240 pounds and has 6.5 tackles for loss. Cameron Heyward, leads the team in sacks with three and is the bigger defensive end at 6'6" 287. Todd Denlinger and Doug Worthington are good sized defensive tackles that can close the middle all by themselves.

Should we find room to run, linebacker Brian Rolle will likely be there. Rolle leads the team in tackles with 51 and has an interception. Austin Spitler and Ross Homan are also your typical Buckeye linebackers in that they play all over the field. They are good against both the run and the pass, meaning our short passing game will likely struggle.

Ohio State Special Teams:

While our special teams units have been a collection of mistakes in nearly every game, Ohio State's has been very sound. Ray Small is an excellent kickoff returner that has already returned one for a touchdown. He has just two returns, but for 142 yards and a score. Since that is about the only thing we haven't given up on special teams yet, you can expect that to happen Saturday. For good measure Small also returns punts, but only averages four yards per return. Both coverage units are very good as well.

Ohio State uses a two punter system. Jon Thoma only averages 39 yards per kick, but has dropped nine of 20 attempts inside the 20. Ben Buchanan has a bigger leg, averaging 43 yards on four kicks.

Austin Pettrey is a solid kicker for the Buckeyes, hitting 11 of 14 field goals with a long of 52. The senior is more than good enough to give Ohio State points anytime they get across the 35. There is a gigantic advantage for the Buckeyes in all aspects of special teams.

Intangibles:

What else can we say at this point? Ohio State is steaming along, destroying everything in its path before a three game finish of Iowa, Penn State, and Michigan. We are inventing ways to lose games. We could and probably even should be 6-0 right now. We also haven't beaten a ranked team in six years, while Ohio State is in the top 10. Officially, this is our first crack at a ranked opponent this season. It may be our only one as well. A win in this game would erase a lot of bad from earlier in the year, but that is a very tall order.

Still, I can't explain why we continue to play close games against Ohio State. The last two could have been wins if they had not completely shut down our offense. For us to win we have to break through and at least score the first meaningful touchdown in the series since 2004. We also have to get past our mental block and stop turning the ball over. Unfortunately, I won't believe it until I see it at this point in regards to turnovers.

Keys to the Game for Purdue:

Don't turn the ball over
Do not abandon the running game
Be patient on defense and contain the running game
On punts, run off the field as soon as it is kicked. On kickoffs, take a knee immediately whenever an opposing player is close. It has gotten that ridiculous.

Punish and Enslave

Sam @ WWAHT — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:15:08 -0000

When Jim Tressel, of all people, opted to forgo a field goal late in the game against Illinois to see if his offense could get one of those fabled "red zone touchdowns", I expected my TV to spontaneously combust. Really, I did. Either that or I was seeing things. When he then called a passing play to put the final nail in the Illini coffin, I began to wonder: is the criticism getting to him? Is he just a little bit spiteful about the way he's been treated since the USC game (after which he deserved some, but not all of the criticism he ended up receiving)? Has he crossed over to the realm of Urban Meyer and Nick Saban, guys who not only seek to crush an opponent's soul, but also revel in their despair?

A lot of fans pride themselves on their team, program and coach having "class". In college football, I find that "class" is an ephemeral concept; I notice that most teams that win consistently aren't considered to have much "class" at all, while consistent losers are rarely important enough to earn the "classy" distinction. Think about it for a minute: when's the last time a consistent winner was universally considered to be a "classy" bunch? The answer is never, because "class" is rarely applied to a team that just beat your team's ass without mercy. This is why I want anyone who uses the term "stay classy" unironically to be fed to a woodchipper, or at the very least castrated. You can be "classy' while winning 70-0, and throwing a 60-yard touchdown in the final moment. Quite simply: it's the other team's job to stop you, and if you can't, tough noogies.

The above is a mentality that has never been embraced fully by Jim Tressel. I have video evidence.

On that note, where'd those moves go, Boom?

I feel pretty confident in saying that no other coach in the FBS would actually wince at his own team scoring. But there was no wince when Terrelle Pryor completed that touchdown pass to Dane Sanzenbacher in the waning moments against Illinois. Just an icy, soulless stare. Might we, after weeks of doubt and surprising amounts of fan haterade, be witnessing the birth of... Evil Jim Tressel?

Not Pictured: Sweatercape, bottle of Mike's Hard (Good Jim is strictly a Bartles and Jaymes man)

Indeed, this is becoming a common theme on Buckeye blogs everywhere, including

~~Elven~~ Eleven Warriors:

Another change in Tressel’s offensive attack is the recent trend of staying aggressive for four quarters despite the score. He was still ordering up pass plays with the Toledo contest well in hand and to see him actually passing (incomplete) on 3rd down before calling another pass play on 4th down in which TP hooked up with Dane for a 3 yard score with 1:18 left in the 30-0 pasting of Illinois made me tingle. One could argue taking a knee there is just as salty but it’s been the Tressel way. In fact, he’s been downright sad before when scoring a late TD (Boom on Northwestern ring a bell) in lopsided contests and I would argue this type of approach has rubbed off on his teams in the past creating a group that was too nice for their own good.

and those misfortunate Brownie fans over at WFNY:

[Tressel's rebuke of the Coleman suspension] are about the strongest words I’ve ever heard from the man in the sleeveless sweater. Personally, I’m annoyed that the Illinois player who slammed Pryor into the bench 5 yards out of bounds wasn’t suspended along with Coleman. Aside from that though, I think we have to wonder: has the pressure in big games made Tressel turn a corner -

If Tress has indeed picked up the intensity, I’m all for it. We’ve heard about recent Buckeye teams claiming to have a chip on their shoulder, but if the man in charge is hella-angry, that’s only going to help. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions quickly here, but I’m all for it if Tress has become angry and suddenly non-Tressel-ish.

And the general consensus among the members of the Buckeye Bloggerati seems to be "This is awesome and I have no problem with it please MORE MORE MORE." Because we too probably have no class whatsoever, and I, for one, don't care if my coach has much of it, as long as he isn't punching opposing players or channeling Ron White's "drunk in public-k" act. If we are seeing a new Jim Tressel, I fully expect to see it again tomorrow against Indiana.

Indiana, being Indiana, will give the Buckeyes plenty of opportunities to place multiple nails in their collective coffin. If we see a return to punt-and-play-defense, we'll know that Coach T just wanted to stomp on his critics' dicks for a little bit before resuming business-as-usual. If we're tossing the ball around late in the third, up by 20, with Pryor still in the game, it's safe to say Tressel has enough pissing him off that it might sustain this new-found aggressive effort for the rest of the season.

Five predictions that will make me look foolish come Monday :

- The defensive line notches three or more sacks

- Tandon Doss is held to fewer than three catches

- Pryor tosses two touchdowns

- Brandon Saine makes a serious case for the full-time starting spot with the first 100 yard rushing day of the season for any Buckeye back

- Final Score: Ohio State 40, Indiana 13

Ohio State by the numbers: the offense.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:51:01 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

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I linked the OSU defensive stats yesterday, and the offensive stats, while satisfactory, are not overwhelming.

Total offense: 367 (#63)

Passing offense: 186 (#82)

Passing efficiency: 130.25 (#58)

Rushing offense: 181 (#42)

Scoring offense: 28.5 (#55)

Sacks allowed: 3 (#13)

Terrelle Pryor, after a promising freshman year, has been roughly flat compared to last year, statistically. Pryor has completed only 57 percent of his passes compared to 60 percent last year. Pryor, in 87 passing attempts, has matched last season's total of 4 interceptions. He has run for 58 yards a game and 6 yards per carry. To some degree, Pryor's stats skew downward because of an 11-25 performance against USC. On the other hand, 3 of his 5 touchdown passes were against Toledo.

Pryor leads the Buckeyes in rushing with 235 yards. Close behind are Daniel Herron (233 yards and 5 TDs, but only 3.6 YPC) and Brandon Saine (181 yards, 5.7 yards per carry). Unlike in most seasons, no dominant running back has emerged for the Buckeyes. In the receiving corps, Dane Sanzenbacher leads the Buckeyes with 277 yards and 4 TDs on only 12 catches. DeVier Posey leads the Buckeyes with 15 catches, and caught the only OSU passing TD not caught by Sanzenbacher.

As when the tables are turned, OSU's protection of Pryor and IU's pass rush will match strength against strength. IU is among the nation's sack leaders, and the Buckeyes give up very few sacks.

Pryor, however ordinary his numbers to this point, is always a threat, a 6-6 quarterback who leads his team in rushing.

On the Trials and Tribulations of Terrelle

Sam @ WWAHT — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:39 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

2 months ago: Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) is finally brought down after a 25-yard run by Toledo cornerback Jermaine Robinson at his feet during the second half of their NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Cleveland, Ohio. Also chasing Pryor is Toledo safety Drey'Lon Pree (44). Ohio State won the game 38-0. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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I think most of us assume Terrelle Pryor is destined for some form of greatness. But the guy's "just a sophomore", and so for now, it's prudent to set your sights on mere very-goodness and hope for the best. But through four games this year, how much more do we know about our signal caller as, you know, an actual quarterback?

First, let's take a look at what we knew about him prior to the season. Law Buckeye over on The Rivalry, Esq opined on his skills thusly:

Snap (A-):

Security/Ball Placement (A): Pryor keeps his non-throwing hand flush with the football up until the time of the release, and tucks the ball down on roll outs.

Retreat Speed (A-): Terrelle is quick on the drop, although (not surprisingly) most of his fallbacks are short, quick slants.

Footwork (B-): Pryor's steps are dicey. He chops at the turf rather than pushing off of it.

The Fake (B+): Pryor puts his hands out and leans into the back, appropriately selling the handoff. Pulls back a little too quick, so the effect is short lived.

Adaptation (A): Pryor's mobility helps him to gracefully evade the pass rush, although he sometimes collapses when his primary and secondary receivers get jammed on call backs.

Release (B):

Survey (A-): Pryor benefits from his height in this category. He keeps his head up and out, although, he doesn't appear to scan much after the snap.

Stance (B-): Pryor's stance is too narrow. His leading foot is barely in front of his back foot, making him vulnerable to a tackle, and limiting his power.

Step (C+): This is one of Terrelle's greatest challenges. He only steps on deliberate long-balls. Otherwise, he shifts his foot -- relying on his upper and not his lower body to contribute momentum to the pass.

Wrist/Throw (B-/B+): In 2008, Pryor lifted the ball up in a U shape motion before flicking his wrist, an "extra" step that appeared to decrease the forward energy that was transferred to the ball. Spring game footage shows a more fluid transition and better release. Hence, the range of scores.

Overall Score: B+

With my limited scouting ability, I agree with most of what he said. Pryor's biggest recurring problem is his footwork, which makes it difficult for him to set properly and throw the ball with accuracy. Pryor came to Ohio State with the intention of leaving as an NFL quarterback, and if he's still clinging onto that dream, he's going to have to learn the basic footwork, among numerous other things.

I find it interesting that Todd Boeckman had similar mechanical problems in 2007, and it frequently lead to the infamous "punterception", which debuted in full force against Purdue in West Lafayette. Boeckman threw three touchdown passes in the 23-7 win, but he also threw three picks, a few of which came off of lobbed deep balls. It would not be the last time we saw the phenomenon that year, and Pryor's deep passing looks like it needs the same amount of work. Of course, we're comparing 5th-year junior Boeckman to 2nd-year Pryor, and it's not entirely fair to the young QB. However, this still could signal the start of a worrying trend, as both Boeckman and Pryor struggled greatly with core mechanics despite general continuity in coaching ranks; Boeckman spent 2007 under the tutelage of Joe Daniels, who has abandoned his coaching duties in an ongoing fight with cancer. Daniels' protégé, Nick Siciliano, was Pryor's de facto coach for most of 2008, and assumed the duty formally prior to the 2009 season. Fortunately, there is still plenty of time to make up for mistakes; Ohio State doesn't face a passing defense currently ranked in the top-35 until the trip to Happy Valley. Now is the time to work out any and all kinks before they really start costing us.

Being a Buckeye quarterback is a demanding task and not good for various aspects of your personal well-being, chiefly your sanity; you're either the most hated or the most loved guy in the state depending on how you play. Just ask Steve Bellisari and Justin Zwick. There's an inordinate amount of pressure on Pryor, but you know he expected it coming in. I, for one, don't think the pressure is getting too him. I really don't. I think the issue here is, at least partially, the mentality JT cultivates in his quarterbacks, which sometimes leads to overprotection of the ball and the hesitancy we've seen in two straight Buckeye signal callers. However, I'm also beginning to think that JT is doing what he can to get away from that mentality in his signal callers - against Toledo, in good weather and with mostly good protection, Pryor attempted 32 passes - the most in a game since Troy Smith's masterful 41-attempt, 29-completion effort against Michigan in 2006. Even if it's only for a brief moment, I think Tressel is making the changes he feels he needs to, "in order for our offense to be successful", as he would put it, because really, turning Terrelle Pryor into Craig Krenzel just isn't going to fly for too long. .

Against both The Midshipmen and Toledo, Pryor looked like the quarterback we'd thought he'd be for all but a few fleeting instances; instances which resulted in picks. The frustrating inconsistency should go away with age, but as Pryor enters the midway point of his sophomore year, the "age" argument is beginning to wear thin. Against USC, the main thing Pryor seemed to be afraid of doing after that first pick was turning the ball over; and you know that's a product of Tressel's emphasis on ball control. I'll let you decide whether Tressel wanted to reign Pryor in after that first pick, but from what I could tell, Terrelle did plenty of that all by himself. He frequently looked hesitant, indecisive and overly-cautious against the Trojans. Off the top of my head, I can recall only a single play where Pryor looked both comfortable and determined, and that one play showed us all that he is capable of: facing a hopeless 3rd and long, Pryor took the snap, and without hesitation found a sizable hole and picked up a first down, dragging USC defenders along with him. It was a fleeting glimpse of the greatness that could be Terrelle Pryor. Unfortunately, the rest of the game was a long gaze into the abyss of how far he has to go.

That one, true breakout game is still eluding "Lebron-in-Cleats", and as a fanbase, I think we need to remember that it's going to take baby steps. I think Toledo was a pretty large leap forward for him, and that Illinois was too, in its own special, rain-soaked way. The second of his three touchdowns versus the Rockettes was particularly striking; for the first time in his career, Pryor "threw a guy open", meaning that he placed the ball in an open area of the field near his man rather than directly on top of the open receiver - in this case Dane Sanzenbacher - and he placed it in such a way that Rocket DBs had no chance of thwarting the attempt. That's some notable progress and considerable mental fortitude from a guy coming off the worst game of his career. A week later against the Illini, Pryor showcased some good decision-making, both while running the option with Daniel Herron and while making a few key passes to keep the chains moving. He still followed that up with an awkward across-the-body quacker that was nearly intercepted, but again, baby steps. The fact that Pryor saw limited time under center shows us that Tressel is in fact opening up the offense schematically to better fit his quarterback; far more than he did at any point last year. I think that TP just suffers from a classic case of "trying to do too much": see the aforementioned Illinois quacker and the forced pass while taking a sack against Navy. Right now, his decisions are very high-risk, high-reward, and there just doesn't seem to be much of a grey area. Either he's doing fine or he's lobbing up a pass against Toledo that just might have touched the sun. He's just a sophomore, so inconsistency is par for the course. But this stretch of games coming up is key; if he doesn't look like an actual quarterback against at least two of this Charmin Soft set of defenses, then we may have to face up to the fact that he probably won't this year, setting up a 2010 season that will make or break his future as a QB.

Orange Blush

Sam @ WWAHT — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:55:14 -0000

More photos » by Terry Gilliam - AP

2 months ago: Ohio State's Lawrence Wilson, left, celebrates his interception against lllinois with teammate Kurt Coleman during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

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It wasn't always pretty, but you're just a fickle person if you weren't pleased with Ohio State's 30-0 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini today. In the pouring rain, Ohio State brutalized (sometimes literally) an Illini attack that was still lead by the guy who absolutely gashed the legendary '07 defense. The Buckeye ground attack finally came alive, with both Buckeye backs looking worlds better than they had in previous weeks, and that was really all that was necessary to turn this game into another laugher. Clearly, Ohio State still has things it needs to work on. The passing game has gotta start clicking soon. We still can't be sure how well Chekwa and Co. will hold up if Ohio State fails to pressure the QB. But let's not dwell on that for now. This is our second feel-good win a row, and our second shutout in a row. We haven't had two shutouts in a row since 1996, people, and I'll wager that both the Illini and the Toledo Rockets will finish the season as top-30 statistical offenses.

The Good

- The offensive line, which was excellent - against a fairly stout Illini front - and answered most of the questions its play had engendered from the first three games. Crushing play from the interior allowed Daniel Herron to get loose late, Brandon Saine to get loose early, and generally keep the entire offense in sync for most of the day. It had felt like ages since we'd seen a Buckeye line blow a team off the LOS, and we got that in bunches today.

- Not that it's news anymore, but this defensive line is nothing short of fucking spectacular. Ohio State played nine freaking guys in the first half and never lost a step after the first Illini drive (was I imagining things or were the Illini holding just a bit early?) Buckeye leaves for Thaddeus Gibson, Lawrence Wilson, Doug Worthington and even Rob Rose, who's excelling as just a reserve DT. Ed Cunningham said they were the country's best, and that's getting harder and harder to dispute. It may also be the deepest, which is a total 180 from just a couple years ago, where just one injury would have decimated the unit.

- Further mention of Gibby is warranted: the dude stopped Illinois' first second half drive by himself.

- The secondary, outside of a boneheaded Chekwa PI penalty and Coleman's senseless, brutal helmet-to-helmet hit (more on that later) in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, was very good. When Williams actually had time, there just wasn't an open man to throw it to. Perhaps Benn isn't all the way back, but he isn't getting called the nation's best receiver without reason. That's twice in three weeks Ohio State has done a good job limiting a future first rounder - first Damian Williams, now Benn.

- Lawrence Wilson's fro-hawk. Somebody get that man a medal.

- Brian Rolle. Is it a stretch to say he's better than AJ Hawk was as a junior?

- Let's give credit where it is due with respect to play-calling. If the rumors are true, and Darrell Hazell is calling more than 50 percent of the plays, Jim Tressel deserves a pat on the back for acknowledging his faults and Hazell deserves a raise for the partial revitalization of the offense's game with read-option, misdirection and well-timed play-action.

- Posey and Sanzenbacher deserve some credit too for hauling in a few mystifying Pryorballs. The WRs in general caught most everything that came their way.

The Just Okay

- I'm creating this category just for Terrelle Pryor, who didn't have anything to do in the first half. He was better in the second half, but he still doesn't look very confident. One pass in particular, in which he rolled out to his right and attempted a pass all the way across his body to Ray Small breaking off a route, was just dumbfounding. That being said, he looked good running the ball, and his passing did improve - slightly - as the game wore on. That deft avoidance of an Illini blitz and subsequent run for a first down was positively Troy Smithian. Still needs work overall.

The Bad (aka, the nitpicking)

- Some of the defensive playcalling was worrisome. Why one would ever give a 5-yard cushion to Arrelious Benn is just beyond me. In the second half, the Illini began to find ways to circumvent OSU's contain schemes and we didn't appear to have an answer, until LW nullified it all with an awesome tip and pick.

- Tressel punting with the other team reeling in the first half. Again. He would, of course, make up for this later with the "eff you" touchdown of the year on OSU's final possession.

- Ron Franklin, who was positively Pam Wardian today. Todd "Durlinger"? Like five times? Seriously?

- Kurt Coleman was fine, but that helmet-to-helmet hit on a defenseless Illini running back? Stupid, careless, and incredibly dangerous. Kurt: you're better than that. I hope. You could have seriously injured that guy, pointlessly, in the late stages of a total blowout nonetheless. I'm not holding it against the conference if they suspend him for Indiana. That was sheer idiocy and that sort of thuggishness has no place in Ohio State football.

The Downright Confusing

- Not that it didn't end up working out, but why was Saine replaced with Herron? Tressel always prides himself on things like rhythm and pace, and Saine had looked very good. I hope a similar move doesn't disrupt the offense at some point later this season.

- In a similar vein, are we ever going to see Saine, Boom and Pryor on the field at the same time again? Perhaps in the fabled two-back shotgun set?

- Jermale Hines is probably one of our top-5 tacklers, so him getting shrugged by Williams was a little shocking.

All in all, the "bad" and the "confusing" are mostly nitpicking. Units that had previously underperformed - the running backs, the offensive interior chief among them - brought their A-games today and we finally saw (against relatively legit opposition) what this team is capable of.

I still don't think we have seen this team at its best. Honestly, we haven't even seen this team as a fully functional, cohesive unit yet. But things are improving. The defensive line has gone from "here we go again..." against Navy to lights out against SC, Toledo and Illinois. The offensive line is finally starting to get some push, and they really put the Illini line - the supposed strength of their defense - on roller skates today. The receivers are no longer running around seemingly aimlessly, and drops post-Taurian Washington's benching are almost non-existent. Lastly, tthe secondary is either the Big Ten's best, or it just looks that way thanks to the play of the line.

Prior to the season, I stated that one thing I like about Tressel teams is that they always get better throughout the regular season, and I think this one is clearly doing it with each passing week. There is now only one thing that I can absolutely say still needs work, and it is, of course, the passing game. The numbers today were low with good reason - the terrible, cold, rainy weather - but Ohio State just won't beat Penn State if Terrelle Pryor isn't worlds better. He's staring down his guys, still forcing it far too often, and doesn't always see the wide-open running lanes. I think the receivers are holding up their end of the bargain, and Dane Sanzenbacher might be the Big Ten's best wideout outside of Eric Decker. Right now, it's all on Terrelle to use these next five weeks to develop into merely a good, game-managing quarterback. Save the legendary VYesque highlights for next year; because this guy has gotta start taking baby steps. His play the rest of the season will be the difference between just another January bowl and a return to the BCS.