SB Nation - Malcolm Jenkins

Should Eric Berry win the Thorpe Award?

Will — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:17:00 -0000

2 months ago: Auburn's Tommy Trott (5) is tackled by Tennessee's Eric Berry (14) during the first half of a NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009 in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

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Yes, yes he should. Because he did. WOO!

In 2008, Eric Berry turned in one of the most impressive seasons we've ever seen at Tennessee. He was the lone bright spot in a season of despair, the team's lone highlight reel star who positioned himself to earn national recognition even though the Vols went 5-7. Berry was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a first team All-American at strong safety, and was a finalist for the 2008 Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation's best defensive back.

Berry was joined by Taylor Mays of USC and Malcolm Jenkins of Ohio State as award finalists. Vol fans quickly pointed out that based on statistics and overall value to the team, Berry should've taken the award easily. However, it would be Malcolm Jenkins' name that was called when the award was announced, and Berry was denied.

Take a look again at the statistical comparison of Berry and Jenkins from 2008:

Eric Berry: 7 INT, 265 ret yds, 2 TD, 72 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 3 sacks
Malcolm Jenkins: 3 INT, 7 ret yds, 0 TD, 57 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 sack

This was an injustice, we said. Berry was clearly the best defensive back in college football in 2008.

This year, Eric Berry is once again a Thorpe Award finalist. He joins Joe Haden from Florida and Earl Thomas from Texas, and the winner will be announced during ESPN's College Football Awards show, live tonight from 7-9 PM EST. Berry's Heisman campaign fizzled, and thus far his quest to become the NCAA's all-time leader in interception return yardage has come up short, with EB just eight yards away from the record. In Monte Kiffin's defense, Berry has been moved closer to the line of scrimmage in a safety/linebacker hybrid role (which Berry likes to call "sacker"). This move, combined with opposing quarterbacks' knowledge of his presence and efforts to keep the ball out of his airspace, have kept Berry's interception numbers and opportunities down this season.

So as Berry journeys to Orlando once again to await the announcement of the Thorpe Award winner, one year after we all raised our fists over an injustice...is it fair for Berry to win it this time around?

Let's compare Berry's 2009 numbers to the other two finalists (note that Thomas and Haden played an extra game):

Eric Berry: 2 INT, 7 yds, 0 TD, 83 tackles, 6 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
Earl Thomas: 8 INT, 149 yds, 2 TD, 59 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 1 forced fumble
Joe Haden: 4 INT, 20 yds, 0 TD, 62 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

The statistical gap between Earl Thomas and Eric Berry isn't as wide as the one last year, where Berry had a significant edge on Malcolm Jenkins in every major statistical category and still lost. In fact, Berry and Thomas have become two very different types of players, making this award somewhat about style preference. If you go the traditional safety route and like interceptions, Earl Thomas is clearly the choice. If you want to emphasize tackles, then you lean towards Eric Berry.

I think if you removed the names and just showed the numbers, the vast majority of voters would give this award to Thomas. He is second in the nation in interceptions (no invite for UCLA's Rahim Moore, who had nine picks and got Jon Crompton twice?) and joins eight others as the only players in college football to run two back for touchdowns this season. If you included the fact that Thomas plays for 13-0 Texas and Berry plays for 7-5 Tennessee, it would further help his cause.

And look...I don't like Texas. At all. I'm still not a fan of Chris Simms, beating them in basketball didn't help, and everytime someone calls them "the real UT", I want to remind them that they're actually the "would be speaking Spanish if not for us UT". They are the non-conference team I want to play the most, now that Virginia Tech is on the books.

But shouldn't Thomas win this award?

And based on last year, shouldn't we expect Berry to walk home with the prize tonight?

Thomas, like Berry last year, is a sophomore. Berry is a junior and is destined for the Top 10 of the NFL Draft in April. And if this becomes a career or seniority award as it did for Jenkins last year, Berry has the edge. What's more, Berry has the greatest advantage over both Thomas and Joe Haden in name recognition: with over 100,00 votes, EB is currently running away with the Thorpe Award poll on ESPN's SportsNation.

If Berry wins, I'm going to be incredibly happy for him, and for us. The Vols haven't had an individual award winner since John Henderson brought home the Outland Trophy in 2000, and watched Travis Stephens get robbed of the Doak Walker in 2001, Berry get robbed last year, and we've made it this far in this post about defensive backs and individual awards without bringing up our friend from Michigan. This would be a great thing for Berry and for Tennessee.

And Berry has sacrificed his individual opportunities for the team this season, moving to a position on the field where his interception chances are very low, and still making an incredible difference for this defense. He has more tackles than any other defensive back in the SEC except Sean Richardson at Vanderbilt, who gets more opportunities to make tackles because he plays for Vanderbilt. Eric Berry is a once-in-a-generation talent who should go on to do incredible things in the NFL.

Should he win? I don't know. Will he win? I hope so.

Your 2009 defensive Bammy Award winner is...

Sam @ WWAHT — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:00:18 -0000

by Terry Gilliam - AP

3 months ago: Ohio State's Brian Rolle returns an interception during Navy's two-point conversion attempt during the fourth quarter of an NCAA football game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

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Yesterday, I handled the offense.

Today promises to be much more difficult. Replacing James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman and Malcolm Jenkins was never going to be an easy task, but you know what? This defense ended up being even better than the last one headlined by those guys. There actually wasn't that much hype coming into the year about this defense, with question marks across the board and many uneasy about the turnover, especially considering many of the new faces would be operating behind what had been - up to that point - a lackluster front four.

So, it figures that the front four would end up being the story of the season. It isn't a stretch to say it's the best front four in the country, but unfortunately, I only had the foresight to nominate one member of it for the 2009 Bammy. Let's start with the criteria again. The winner has to:

- be heavily hyped in the preseason

- actually deliver upon that hype, unlike Bam himself

With that done, here is the brief list of nominees, along with what I had to say about them in the preseason:

Brian Rolle

Two years ago, an opposing kick returner was flattened by an undersized freshman linebacker whose arms looked larger than his torso from a distance. Unfortunately, that hit technically never happened; there was a penalty on the play, and Ohio State had to re-kick. On the re-kick, that same freshman darted back downfield and again planted the returner, getting a big cheer from the Buckeye crowd. That freshman's name was Brian Rolle. When Tyler Moeller was crossed off this season's depth chart, all were disappointed but most knew that it was time for the Buckeyes to showcase their depth at linebacker. The first name on everyone's mind was that one guy who flattens people for a living. I was a little surprised that Rolle didn't win the spot this spring, but clearly, Moeller brings a bit of a different game to the table as a converted safety than Rolle. In fall camp, Rolle moved inside and Spitler moved outside. Now, the little guy - he's 5'11" on a good day - is going to get his chance to shine. He has said he doesn't want to be average, and this is his last and best chance to prove he's not. No one of this defense has developed a reputation as a hitter outside of Rolle, and I'm expecting him to bring a level of physicality to the linebacker position not seen here since AJ Hawk. Dude's also got an excellent dentist.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 9 Bam Childresses out of 10

Doug Worthington

This one is a bit debatable - Worthington has been seeing significant time at various positions (mostly DT) for two years straight, and he has been... solid. Nothing spectacular, which is what most were expecting when he came to OSU as a five-star recruit. I've said in the past that he's playing out of position, but as DT, he does provide the occasional adequate pass rush. This year, he has to step it up in the wake of Nader Abdallah's graduation. While he'll never be the run stuffer Ohio State sorely needs, he can be an okay space-eater against the average teams on Ohio State's schedule. This year, he needs to come up big against either one of USC or Penn State. If he can be the feared guy on the Ohio State defensive interior in his last year, his career will be a rip-roaring success in my book.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 7 Bam Childresses out of 10

Jermale Hines

This year, I was expecting more of the same from Jermale Hines at the nickleback position. That is, until recently. Word out of practice is that Hines is legitimately pushing three-and-a-half year starter Anderson Russell for playing time. Hines excels where Russell frequently doesn't - in coverage against spread teams - but Russell is without a doubt the more consistent performer up to this point. Hines is known for his bone-jarring hits than his coverage ability, but that's last year. This year, he's lining up at deep safety, rotating with Russell, which tells me the coaching staff is confident enough in his development as a coverage guy to make him the last line of defense against long bombs.

Official WWAHT Breakout Year Hype-O-Meter: 7 Bam Childresses out of 10

and honorable mentions Austin Spitler

The guy's had it rough. He spent three years (four if you count the redshirt season) toiling away behind James Laurinaitis, and in his senior year, he's going to have to transition to the outside to make up for the absence of Tyler Moeller. Add onto that the fact that up until now, his legacy is this:

If you don't remember this, you had turned off your TV at this point. That's Spitler giving LSU a new set of downs.

and you can see why the pressure is on Spitler. Fortunately, Spits doesn't have to worry as much as others about preseason hype, mostly because he has already contributed quality time spelling Laurinaitis and guiding the defense in mop-up duty. Expectations are sorta "meh" for him; for whatever reason, no one really expects him to dominate. I wrote in the Buckeye Battle Cry that this season will make or break his career, but the preseason hype about him simply isn't in the stratosphere like it is for the other guys; as a result, he just garners an honorable mention.

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

and Nathan Williams:

Williams came on late in the '08 season as a true freshman pass-rushing extraordinaire, notching two sacks against Northwestern and generally raising hell when he finally got the chance to hit the field. A December shoplifting arrest (which is why I call him Nathan "But A G Thang" Williams) failed to slow his progress, and good things have been emanating from both spring and fall camp. Williams steps into a loaded situation at defensive end - Gibson, Wilson, Heyward and Worthington all have legitimate shots at more playing time than the sophomore - and that's why I've relegated him to honorable mention status. If the situation at DE wasn't so crowded, I'd be a bit higher on Williams' chances of being the breakout player this fall. As I said Wednesday, however, I do think we'll see Nathan Williams in on 3rd-and-long, perhaps as part of a line that consists of him, Cameron Heyward, Lawrence Wilson, and Thaddeus Gibson; the four best pass rushers on the team. While that may only be a figment of my dreams, I think there's a better-than-average chance of it becoming reality.

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

And the winner is...

First off, I'd like to note that this was a far harder decision to make than the offensive Bammy. So many players stepped up this year to turn this from another good Buckeye defense into one of the true greats; a team which held Michigan, Penn State, Iowa and Southern Cal to an average of fewer than 15 points. There were players that I hadn't even nominated - Dex Larimore comes to mind, as well as Ross Homan, to a lesser extent - who weren't really considered because they didn't have all that much hype in tow, or at least as much as the aforementioned dudes. This was a tough, tough decision to make.

So why did the losers lose?

First up, Hines. Hines was a good player, and did an excellent job at filling the hole left by the clearly-confused Anderson Russell after the Navy game. Ohio State didn't give up many long passes this year after that - as per usual - and Hines was a big reason why. He had another contribution that I liked as well: when Michigan tried to utilize the rolling pocket Purdue killed the Buckeyes with, Hines was frequently sent on a blitz - right into the pocket - that disrupted Forcier's rhythm and forced at least one pick. He was solid in rush defense, but only intercepted two balls (one returned for a touchdown, however), but really wasn't quite the ballhawk - or the big hitter that I expected. He was undoubtedly a solid player, but I'm not sure if he lived up to the "next Ed Reed" hype he was getting among some circles in Buckeye nation in the preseason.
Williams was good in limited time, notching 3.5 sacks on the season, but never broke into the starting lineup. When you're backing up Cameron Heyward and Thaddeus Gibson, that's completely understandable. Still, his resume - even in limited time - is not the greatest for this particular award.
Spitler was actually better than I expected him to be, especially after a subpar debut against Navy; after that, he looked quick, decisive, and smart. Everything a 5th-year linebacker should be. But he too was never really a superstar - although, to be fair, he wasn't really hyped up to be one in the first place, and I find myself asking my August self "Why, why did you include him on this list?" He has yet to return my calls.
Here's the hard part. Doug Worthington had the best year of his career, notching two sacks, 4 TFLs, and 40 tackles; impressive numbers for a defensive tackle in a defensive end's body. He had the game-clinching sack against Iowa in OT to bolster a resume that's already as solid as almost every other nominee. As much I love D-Worth and what he has done for this defense, I gotta give the Bammy to...

Linebacker Brian Rolle. No big surprise here. After saving the day against Navy, Rolle went on the warpath, racking up 91 tackles, 7 for loss, a key pick against Illinois, a half-sack, and quickly became one of the vocal leaders of this defense. In the preseason, he was one of the most hyped players (with hype that had been building for years, no less) on the team and he still may have ended up sitting on the bench behind Tyler Moeller. In Moeller's absence, he picked up the slack and made us wonder where Moeller will fit in on next year's offense (answer: opposite Homan, more than likely, which might give Ohio State one of the best linebacking corps in the country yet again).

In the end, we all got BrianRolle'd, (HT: 11W) and we enjoyed it. It was very hard to whittle it down to one guy, but no one else delivered quite so well upon high expectations. Congrats, B-Rolle, and may your lack of ideal height prevent you from declaring early.

The Big Ten at the Midpoint (Part 1 of 3)

Bama Hawkeye — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:45:50 -0000

We've made it through six weeks of the college football season. For everyone but Illinois (who moved a non-conference game to the end of their schedule), we're halfway home. Here at The Rivalry, Esq., it's a perfect time to step back and assess what we have seen so far. So, in 11 questions, let's analyze what we know about the Big Ten.

The Rivalry, Esq. asks:

What one Big Ten player would you import onto the Michigan Wolverines' roster to give them the best chance of winning the Big Ten next year?

Graham Filler Answers:

A decent safety would instantly change the complexion of the Wolverine defense. Michigan's secondary is injured, inexperienced, and just lost Boubacar Cissoko to suspention. His backup, JT Floyd, was ineffective, forcing Greg Robinson to move safety Troy Woolfolk to cornerback. The Wolverines are giving up the third most passing yards in the Big Ten, having been torched by Jimmy Clausen, Ben Chappell, and most recently Ricky Stanzi. I would remedy this situation by leaving Woolfolk and Donovan Warren at the corners and importing Kurt Coleman from OSU onto the Michigan team. Coleman is a ballhawking, hard hitting strong safety who would give Michigan a veteran presence in the middle of their secondary and stop the big plays that killed them against Iowa.

Here's Part II and Part III of the midpoint assessment.

The Rivalry, Esq. asks:

What team has been the biggest disappointment this season?

Jerdogg1 Answers:

Without question it has to be Illinois. In fact, anybody who would answer this question differently probably deserves a quick kick to the seeds. This very blog predicted that the Illini would be an 8 or 9 win team, and go to play Georgia in the Outback bowl. The fact is this team is not good. The early line is that they are favored over the Hoosiers this weekend by a couple of points, and I would have to question why? The Illini SHOULD have more talent than the Hoosiers, but Indiana has played better than Illinois this season. Ron Zook is a good recruiter, but that might be where his talent stops.

The Rivalry, Esq. Asks:

What team has been the most pleasant surprise this season?

HMLee Answers:

I may get some flak for writing this, since I am the quasi-Wisconsin writer around these parts, but I have to go with the Badgers. Sure, arguments can be made for Iowa and Michigan. But, let's be honest here, while we may not have expected (save for perhaps Bama Hawkeye) Iowa to be 6-0 right now, we all knew they'd be good this year. Michigan, of course, came out of nowhere when most of us expected them to be enjoying the Rotel at the bottom of the conference. Yet, lately it seems as though Forcier has turned back into a freshman pumpkin, and it looks like they'll realistically be a 7-5 team going into bowl season. Wisconsin, on the other hand, realistically could be 10-2, or 11-1 with a well placed upset going into the bowls.

This, to me, qualifies as the most pleasant surprise given the surrounding circumstances. Many a Wisconsin fan had been at least considering calling for Bielema's head after last year, especially if we had another abysmal season. Many of us were questioning the selection of him as successor to Alvarez and wondering if he could win games when relying on his own recruits instead of those he inherited with his head coaching title. Beyond the coaching, there were questions a plenty about a QB who seemed like a career backup and a defense that was comprised largely of freshman and sophomores. Wisconsin is of course a few stupid mistakes away from being that 7-5 team again, but as we are only talking about the first half here, they are my most pleasant surprise of this season.

The Rivalry, Esq. asks:

How does Ohio State's defense, with all those new faces, stack up with some of the wrecking crews that the Buckeyes have had this decade?

Law Buckeye Answers:

While every Ohio State defense since the holy grail unit of 2002 has played smart, and fundamentally solid football under the "bend but not break" banner, not all have possessed the core grit, and swarming intensity of this year's squad. Let's start by considering how the other defenses this decade stack up:

9. 2000

8. 2004

7. 2001

6. 2008

5. 2007

4. 2005

3. 2003

2. 2006

1. 2002

My gut feeling is that there's been two high points this decade (2002-2003 and 2005-2006) with relative re-loading periods in between. I think we're on the cusp of another summit in 2009 and 2010.

Some readers might be surprised that I put the 2007 and 2008 classes as low as I do considering they were populated by household names like James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, and Malcolm Jenkins. While those units had textbook form, I've always felt they lacked the earnestness and aggressiveness of the 2005 Bobby Carpenter/A.J. Hawk squad. For the last two seasons, our defense has played to not get beat, rather than to smother, intimidate, and wreck. This is one of the reasons I think they struggled against spread offenses.

This year feels like a return to 2005. Preseason no-names like Brian Rolle and Adam Spitler are flying all over the field, popping pads, and jumping routes. Arguably the deepest defensive line of the decade is mangling blockers at the line of scrimmage, twisting, contorting, and having its way with centers, guards, and tackles. (If you need any proof of this go back and look at what they did to USC, the "best" offensive line in the country). Unlike the 2007/2008 classes, this year's troops are regularly getting pressure without having to blitz, and are forcing turnovers in key game situations (think early in the Illinois game, and all day against Wisconsin).

This defense just might be the meanest and fastest of the decade, but to compete with the star spangled units of 2006, and 2002 it needs an offense that's proficient enough to keep it off the field, and keep its legs fresh for late game stands.

If that offense materializes by 2010, the unit is primed to end the decade on a high note.

The Rivalry, Esq. Asks:

What was the defining moment of the first half of the 2009 season?

Bama Hawkeye Answers:

With a 10-5 lead over Iowa in the 4th Quarter, Penn State lined up to punt on a 4th and 3 from near midfield. Iowa played it cautious and had a "Punt Safe" coverage in place. There was one player assigned to catch the punt, nine players assigned to play defense against a possible fake, and one player assigned to rush the punter. Luckily for Iowa, Adrian Clayborn was the player assigned to rush. He made an inside move on blocker Nick Sukay, extended his giant, bear-like paws and swatted the punt of Jeremy Boone. Blessed with a perfect carom, Clayborn scooped up the punt and strode 53 yards into the endzone. 11-10 Iowa. Penn State would not lead again.

That play did more than just win the game for the Hawkeyes. It shattered the preconceived notion that the entire Big Ten season could be boiled down to the date in November when Ohio State traveled to Happy Valley to face the Nittany Lions. Suddenly, the league race looked a whole lot more open. This wasn't going to be the two team race that we had las year.

Now, Iowa could lose their next two games and make their Penn State victory moot. But today, at the halfway point, no moment looms larger than the instant in which Adrian Clayborn decided that Iowa would contend for the Big Ten title too.

Onward and Upward

Sam @ WWAHT — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:00:20 -0000

More photos » by J.D. Pooley - AP

3 months ago: University of Toledo's quarterback Aaron Opelt is tripped up by Colorado University's Will Pericak during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009 in Toledo, Ohio. (AP Photo/J.D. Pooley)

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Believe it or not, Ohio State has another game this week! The season isn't over! The Buckeyes travel to Cleveland to take on the Toledo Rockets in Cleveland Browns stadium. In the spring, I had this to say about our opponent:

Tim Beckman took the job shortly after Tom Amstutz departed, having been the defensive coordinator at Oklahoma State for all of two seasons (in which the Cowboys finished 101st and 94th in 2007 and 2008, respectively). Beckman had been the cornerbacks coach at Ohio State, and was likely instrumental in the development of one Malcolm Jenkins, who he coached in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. So Beckman has history at Ohio Stadium, but he's probably thanking some lucky stars he doesn't have to take his team there this fall. [...]Toledo is, of course, traditionally known for offense, being a MAC team that can't quite lock down top defensive prospects but will gladly pick up any and all Big Ten leftovers. While it won't be anywhere near as challenging as the first two weeks, stopping the Toledo offense won't be easy.

I didn't realize how prescient that last observation would end up being until I watched the Toledo attack rip through its first two opponents like tissue paper. In two games against BCS conference opponents, Toledo has racked up over 1100 yards of offense and 85 points. Their defensive counterparts, on the other hand, have given up 986 yards of offense and 90 points. Appropriately, their record stands at 1-1, there season filled with as much doubt as hope. An upset of the 11th-ranked Buckeyes would serve as a springboard to a MAC championship and put Tim Beckman squarely in the middle of many discussions circling around the best up-and-coming coaches. Is that likely, though?

A confluence of events would have to happen for Toledo to win, but we'll get to that later. What's drawing everyone's eye in this game are Toledo's aforementioned eye-popping stats. So first, I want to do a little sidebar here. The talent level for both of the teams Toledo has played is um, lacking, to say the last. According to Scout, in his time at Colorado, Dan Hawkins has yet to put together one top-25 talent haul. Purdue's recruiting struggles are well-documented:

Not a good sign, however: [Danny Hope's] first recruiting class: 64th, worse than such college football luminaries as Washington State, Duke and Baylor.

But that's really just par for the course at Purdue, which has brought just one top-50 class to West Lafayette in the last five years. So this we know: Toledo has shredded defenses that consist mostly of a few lower-tier Big Ten and Big 12 recruits to go with kids whose other offers were mostly MAC- and WACrifices. No knock on the Boilers or the Buffs, but Toledo just hasn't seen the defensive speed of a team like Ohio State yet. Aaron Opelt will not be taking one 60 yards to the house against Ohio State, even if it comes on a fullback follow.

That being said, Toledo runs just the sort of offense that has gotten all that talent on Ohio State's defense in a bind before: Tim Beckman has brought over the fast-paced, tempo-based spread from Oklahoma State, complete with goofy signs, and it will give the defense many of the same looks that Illinois will frequently feature next week. Opelt is not a burner, but he's mobile, and that makes me worry just a little bit. Toledo also has some talented wideouts that could be quite dangerous if Opelt is given enough time. Stephen Williams, who I mentioned in my Early Look linked above, is a dangerous weapon at 6'5" and 200+ pounds, and is of similar frame to USC's David Ausberry. Williams is of course a molehill to Ausberry's mountain talent-wise, and Ausberry was held to just 3 catches for 28 yards, and he was frequently covered by Devon Torrence. If Ohio State can't scheme to stop him, color me confused.

Defensively, there just isn't a whole lot to worry about with Toledo. I'll grant you that both Purdue and Colorado are more talented on offense - at least at the skill positions - than their defensive counterparts, but that doesn't really explain away Toledo getting absolutely gashed by both squads. The one thing the Toledo D has definitely done right: picking the ball off. Toledo already has six interceptions so far, and three of them are by defensive lineman Douglas Westbrook (!), who picked off two versus Purdue and another against Colorado. Another name to watch: Barry Church, a four year starter at safety for the Rockets who will probably be playing on Sundays next year.

Looking at these match-ups and attempting to gauge the general mood of both teams, I would expect Ohio State to come out a bit flat early - an early touchdown or two isn't out of the question, but that's it for the first half - but Toledo will come out badly, badly wanting the upset, tossing the ball all over the field when its running game doesn't click immediately. The Ohio State offense will eventually settle into a scoring rhythm against the worst defense it will play all year, while the Toledo offense will run out of gas midway through the third quarter. The defensive line will not look as frequently dominant as it did against USC, and Opelt will roll away from the pressure just enough to be annoying, but his receivers just won't get open consistently and turnovers will eventually bury a Rocket comeback attempt.

Five predictions that will make me look foolish come Monday :

- Aaron Opelt tosses two interceptions

- Ohio State racks up at least 200 yards on the ground

- Jermale Hines decapitates a fool

- Terrelle Pryor throws at least two touchdowns

- Final score: Ohio State 37, Toledo 17

Comparing the Online Recruiting Ranking Services

Buck Bravo — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

Rivals, Scout, and ESPN all provide ranking systems for recruits headed to Division 1 football programs. Often, ratings of individual players will vary greatly from one service to another. In an attempt to determine which service most accurately projects the future performance of players, let's take a look at the ratings that were given to the 2009 NFL first round draft picks back when they were being recruited for college football:

PICK

NAME

COLLEGE

TEAM

RIVALS

STARS

SCOUT

STARS

ESPN

RATING

Matthew Stafford

Georgia

Jason Smith

Baylor

Tyson Jackson

LSU

Aaron Curry

OLB

Wake Forest

Mark Sanchez

USC

Andre Smith

Alabama

Darrius Heyward-Bey

Maryland

Virginia

Boston College

Texas Tech

Penn State

Georgia

Texas

Ohio State

OLB

USC

Northern Illinois

Kansas State

Tennessee

Missouri

Oklahoma State

California

Florida

Ole Miss

Ole Miss

Illinois

OLB

USC

Donald Brown

Connecticut

Louisville

North Carolina

Rutgers

Ohio State

Missouri

ESPN did not start ranking recruits until 2006, so players from before that time have no ranking. Despite this limitation, let's look at the trend lines for the different services:

While Scout may have had the most 5 star rankings for recruits who ultimately became first round NFL draft choices, Rivals had the best trendline for accurately ranking future NFL talent. A more comprehensive analysis looking at later rounds and previous years would best determine which service best analyzes talent. If I were retired or writing for TDG full time, I'd be eager to put such a report together for later this week. For now, the first round of the 2009 NFL draft will have to suffice.

Bucknotes is a bit relieved

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:00:21 -0000

Another shorter entry today; a piece about the competition at tackle and the Preseason Blogpoll Ballot Top-5 a bit later on

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - Nos. 26 - 22 - The Rivalry, Esq.
Number 26: Eddie George. Fine series by the guys at Rivalry Esq. I suggest you read up.

An early look at the Ohio State Buckeyes. - The Crimson Quarry
Indiana SBN blog the Crimson Quarry does a brief preview of Ohio State and concludes that they will be dominated again. While it probably won't be as thorough as the Troy Smith years, it'll help speed Bill Lynch along into his early retirement.

New Orleans Saints rookie defensive back Malcolm Jenkins puts his versatility on display - NOLA.com
Jenkins is playing both safety and corner in practice, and while it's likely he'll eventually stick at safety, he's turning heads as a corner, and that's against a pretty potent Saints offense in practice.

Scout.com: Thomas Hoping To Flash This Season ($)
Perhaps I'm being too much of an armchair coach, but I think getting the ball into Lamaar Thomas' hands in any way possible will greatly improve the offense's chances of success; not because he's our best receiver, but because outside of Pryor, he might be the best athlete.

OT Henderson selects his five official visits - ESPN
Seantrel Henderson will be stopping by for the USC game. You thought it was a big game beforehand? Now the staff has to impress the number one offensive lineman in the entire country, according to both major recruiting services. Hope they thrive on the pressure.

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Linebacker who?
Good piece on the talent glut at linebacker; with a good, if not easily quotable statistic:

According to Rivals.com, Spitler was the lowest rated of the eight coming out of high school. He was 48th nationally among inside linebackers in 2005. The rest were in the top 17 or better for their specialty. Sabino was No. 1 among inside linebackers in 2008.

Navy takes one mid-ship (Blogging the Buckeyes)
.... and Navy's starting nose guard has been dismissed from the academy. Not that I was ever intimidated by the Navy defense.

USC Trojans' top OL Kristofer O'Dowd injures knee in scrimmage - ESPN

At USC, yeah, there's depth, but all these injuries have to take a toll on them eventually, right? Right? The depth is disgusting, but dude: they're mortal. Jacquizz Rodgers decreed it from on high.

Bucknotes uses the term "beast" unironically, is ashamed

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:00:22 -0000

Oh, and here's the spot where I buried Ryan Hamby

Tressel at it again in Pennsylvania - ESPN
All your beasts are belong to us. Two years in a row has Tress locked down the top player in the state according to Rivals; Terrelle Pryor was the first, Corey Brown was the second (and Dorian Bell was the second-best in the state that year) and this year, that other Corey Brown, currently the 3rd-best player in the state, is liking what he's seeing from Ohio State.

Laken Tomlinson commits to Duke :: FOOTBALL :: YourSeason
He's a Dookie, baybay! [/DickieV] Another line recruit off the board, making a couple more gets in the '10 class a must.

Terrelle Pryor running Ohio State's offense against the first-team defense: Video - cleveland.com
Looks fairly sharp, considering the wide receiver corps featured two guys that will probably end up back-ups should Ray Small return. Apparently Devier Posey has a minor injury no one has heard of, potentially a pulled hammie. Also, Devon Torrence was splitting time at corner with Andre Amos. Told ya to watch out for the kid.

Michigan State program grows up under Dantonio -- chicagotribune.com
Dantonio has taken the Sparty NO! out of Sparty. Given a few years, and some offensive innovation, and I think this could be a consistently dangerous team in the Big Ten.

Benedictine guard, former Ohio State recruit Cameron Wright headed to Pittsburgh - cleveland.com
The guy Ohio State simply and mysteriously stopped talking to ended up in another solid program. Good for him.

Laurinaitis gets time with Rams's 1st-team defense -- chicagotribune.com
Sounds like JL is fitting in quite nicely in St. Louis. Not exactly a major feat to earn time with the ones on a defense that finished 28th in the league last year, but it's still not something most rookies do. I've been down on Laurinaitis as a pro, but I'm going to give him 2-3 complimentary seasons to prove himself, since he's a Buckeye.

The Consensus: Penn State bucked back to No. 2 - Dr. Saturday - NCAA Football - Rivals.com
Hinton goes over the press "consensus" about the Big Ten, brings up good points for and against Ohio State.

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - Nos. 33 - 32 - The Rivalry, Esq.
One of them: 14 and O-H! Very good picture of the obvious P.I. in the 2002 BCS title game.

A Way Too Early Look At The 2009 Schedule - Week 8 - Ohio State - The Daily Gopher
Gopher Nation does an excellent preview of the Buckeyes, which yours truly contributed to. He's anticipating a close game; his readership apparently disagrees.

Malcolm Jenkins' first practice with New Orleans Saints has ups and downs - NOLA.com
Jenkins is having problems with the Louisiana heat, says he's not "in football shape" after his holdout. Minor setback.

Big Ten position rankings: WR/TE - Big Ten - ESPN
Rittenberg ranks Ohio State fifth in the conference. This vexes me. I'm terribly vexed. He has Michigan State in 3rd place! Minnesota seems to be ranked 2nd entirely because of Eric Decker.

Here are seven ways to pump up the deflated Big Ten's national reputation: Analysis - cleveland.com
Good read from Lesmerises; I agree with every point but one: the stinkin' Irish. His logic is that if the Big Ten wants to be good, then we want Purdue, MSU and Michigan - all teams with an annual game against the Irish - to beat solid Domer squads. While his point makes enough sense, there's something a consistently good Notre Dame implies: it's a consistently talented Notre Dame. Follow me on this: If Notre Dame is ever good again, it'll be regularly raiding Ohio, Michigan, and to a lesser extent, Pennsylvania for talent, because their little corner of Indiana isn't exactly a hotbed. A good Notre Dame could quickly become a roadblock.

Bowl Projection - College Football - ESPN
Schlabach predicts the Buckeyes are Rose Bowl bound for a rematch against the Trojans, while Feldman has us trying to redeem ourselves (again) against Jawja in the Capital One.

A Way Too Early Look At The 2009 Schedule - Week 8 - Ohio State

GopherNation — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:45:49 -0000

More photos » by Terry Gilliam - AP

Probably more fans here for the spring game than will bother to show up for the Gopher game!

Browse more photos »

Let me start this schedule preview with a bit of final Jeopardy, I'll give you the answer followed by the question...

The Answer: USC, Texas and Minnesota

The Question: Who are the only three teams to score 21 points on the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes?

Now on to the preview...

The Gophers have the incredible misfortune of getting to play Ohio State in Columbus in back to back seasons. This wouldn't have been the worst year to play the Buckeyes at home considering they lose about half of their starting lineup and we are a fairly experienced and a relatively talented team. Clearly this is a conspiracy by Jim Delaney and the Big Ten bigwigs to keep the Gophers down and make sure Ohio State gets itself back to the BCS for yet another chance to redeem itself. Honestly though, I'm not trying to say that on paper these teams are relatively equal and a home game gives us a great shot at winning. Regardless of the venue we are likely to lose to OSU the majority of the time. I'm just saying a home game moves our chances of winning from 8% to maybe 18%. We'll get to the outcome later, lets take a look at the Buckeye's.

Once again I took the easy route and had a local blogger answer a few questions for me regarding his favorite team. This time I went to Sam at We Will Always Have Tempe to help me out.

TDG - The Buckeye's are replacing 10 starters plus their K and P. We all know that Ohio State reloads, but that is a lot of quality and quantity to replace. What, in your opinion are realistic expectations for the 2009 Buckeyes?

WWAHT - Well, Ohio State has just finished racking up two excellent recruiting classes, so the talent level is actually roughly the same; that being said, the overall level of experience has taken a bit of a hit. That being said, with this schedule and in this Big Ten, anything less than 9-3 would be a disappointment..

I'm assuming 9-3 would mean a losses to USC, @ Penn State and...Minnesota (?). Sorry, with fall camp starting this week I am a little drunk on the kool-aid. Crazier things have happened and that is a lot of experienced snaps to replace but I'm not that delusional. Ohio State is replacing a number of very big names on both sides of the ball. Offensively they basically bring back their QB and most of their OL. In my book those are the key positions in college football so if you are only going to bring back 5 starters on offense those would be the ones I want to bring back. Defensively they lose some big names at all position groups. As Sam points about above they do have some very talented kids stepping in to fill the shoes of Chris Wells, Malcolm Jenkins, James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, etc. But one has to expect that regardless of how talented these guys are there will be an adjustment period and likely a small step back.

It will also be interesting to see how things go on special teams for the Buckeyes as they are replacing their P and their K. That is often overlooked but should also contribute to OSU coming back to the entire Big Ten pack in 2009.

The Buckeyes on Offense

TDG - Offensively every skill position player is being replaced, with the exception of Pryor. Is this going to hamper his growth, or at least his numbers, as he moves into his sophomore season as the most experienced skill position player in the backfield? Also talk about Dan Herron and what you expect out of him.

WWAHT - I don't think it will hamper his growth one bit; in fact, I expect his numbers to improve as the offense improves. Pryor has far more chemistry with the younger skill position players on the team, and I think the offense will jell much more easily as a result. Dan Herron will be the focus of the running game, and I expect him to put up monster numbers; think of him as Antonio Pittman with a nasty streak.

I think I worded the question wrong. I wasn't implying anything would prevent Pryor from improving, but not having other known commodities (mainly Wells) around him means defenses will be keying on him more than they did last year. So maybe he still improves but I'm wondering if his numbers will improve significantly.

I also really do not want to forget about Dan Herron here, he does concern me. I seem to remember when Wells was on the sideline, Herron didn't exactly offer a reprieve for the Gopher defense.

Overall, would any of you be surprised to know that the Buckeye offense actually finished 9th in the Big Ten in overall yards gained? They were the antithesis of the Gopher offense. OSU finished 3rd in rushing offense and a dismal 10th in yards gained through the air. The Gophers were the worst rushing team in the conference and finished 4th in passing. One would expect that Pryor will be better equipped to throw the ball in the Big Ten, but once again the OSU ground game should be the heart and soul of their offense. Fortunately I feel as though stopping the run will be a strength of the Gopher defense so maybe (just maybe) we can slow down their rushing attack this time around and force them to throw it.

Catching the ball will be a handful of names less familiar than Robiskies and Hartlines we often heard last season. The spring depth chart has sophomore DeVier Posey (former 5-star recruit) and junior Dane Sanzenbacher listed as the top two receivers. Senior Ray Small is also a returning contributor who had 18 catches last year but is a no show for fall camp due to academic issues. Of course some younger guys will likely be a factor this season (Taurian Washington, Lamaar Thomas and true freshman Duran Carter).

Those receivers could be very talented but if you are going to stop the Buckeye offense, you better start with the ground game. Herron is likely going to step into the starting role and will be a top 5 Big Ten back, plus you have the always dangerous Pryor. Basically I would expect the Buckeyes will move the ball about approximately the same clip as they did a year ago. Where they may struggle is putting points on the board with so many new skill position players. In 2008 the OSU offense was 9th in total offense but managed to finish 4th in points scored. I'm going to make an assumption that this was largely due to the experience of the offense and the very good defense putting the offense in great position to score without having to consume more field then they had to.

The Buckeyes on Defense

Speaking of that defense, what is this unit going to look like with three All-Big Ten players, including the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, gone? Sam gives us a position group breakdown...

TDG - Defensively, can you give me a small paragraph on each position group (DL, LB, DB)?

WWAHT - If the defensive line can find some modicum of consistency on the interior, it'll be one of the best units in the Big Ten. Thaddeus Gibson will be one of the more feared pass-rushers in the country, but he needs help. Look for Dex Larimore to develop into a very good run-stuffer.

The linebacking corps may be 2/3rds new, but Austin Spitler has seen so much time backing up James Laurinaitis it's like breaking in a second-year starter. He isn't very fast, but he hits hard and excels at play recognition. Tyler Moeller is the other new face here (ed note: Moeller was recently injured and is likely out for 2009), a converted safety who many remember for chasing Pryor down in the open field during the spring game. He's a little small for a Big Ten linebacker, but he'll terrorize offensive tackles with his quickness on the blitz. Lastly, Ross Homan is a true junior and possibly the second-best defensive player on the team.

The secondary is breaking in a new starter - Andre Amos - but overall, looks to be a solid unit. The two safeties have around four-and-a-half combined years (that "half" being Russell's solid redshirt freshman debut that ended in an injury at Iowa in late September of '06) of experience under their belt and could end up being one of the better tandems in the country. Opposing quarterbacks should avoid Chimdi Chekwa - or as I call him, "Chex"- at all costs.

So the secondary should be really good, while the D-line and linebackers break in some newcomers. Iowa and Ohio State are the only two teams who gave up fewer than 300 yards per game and less than two TDs per game in 2008. As mentioned Ohio State does lose a few key members of that imposing defense so I think it is save to assume they won't be quite as dominant this time around. What does that mean though? It means Ohio State may not be brilliant defensively, just very good. This side of the ball has ranked in the top 15 nationally five of the last six seasons, so one has to expect this unit will be very good once again.

What to Expect

TDG - Clearly Ohio State will be favored and favored heavily to win. If these teams played all 12 games in Columbus the Gophers would maybe win 1 out of 12 times. Paint me a scenario that could potentially play itself out where the Gophers go into Columbus and come out with that one win.

WWAHT - I think the key to the Gopher's chances will be Simoni Lawrence. He's your leading returning sacker and was also 2nd in TFL in 2008. If he can provide adequate pressure on Terrelle Pryor, the Ohio State offense will be at least partially stymied. Offensively, Minnesota has to consistently get 4-5 yards on the ground on first and second down. It absolutely has to find a way to do this, because if it gets into the 3rd and long situations, Thad Gibson will have his way with the Minnesota offensive line.

Lastly, Adam Weber can't turn the ball over. At all. The Minnesota passing attack may have go into the box; whenever Weber doesn't see an open man on his first few reads, he needs to tuck the ball in and scramble for whatever yardage is available. If these three factors converge on that fateful day, Minnesota will probably find itself victorious. And you will find me hanging from the rafters.

So you are saying there's a chance. Sam seems like he might take a Gopher win kind of hard, not to worry though, it's not like the blogging world would miss one of 328 Ohio State blogs (just kidding, I'd miss my SBN brother).

I think that Sam is dead-on (pun intended) when he says Simoni is a key, probably more so in this game than any other. He has to be able to contain Pryor or we will see the Buckeyes run up and down the field at will (again). The rest is pretty obvious. Run the ball well on the road and don't give the opponent any turnovers.

I'm not going to convince you that we are going to win this game. While I feel our chances are better this year than they have been in the last few years, chances are still pretty slim. We have an experienced offense with at least a couple serious weapons. We also have an experienced defense that should be pretty good against the run (at least inside the box) and pretty good against the pass. But Ohio State is Ohio State and we are playing at Ohio State.

Unfortunately this is a game where if we can be competitive most of us will be relatively pleased. I know that comment leaves me open to criticism that how can we ever expect to be great if we accept moral victories. And while I agree with that, I open myself up to further criticism if I say we are going to win this game. Because while we want to be competitive with the Ohio State's of the world, right now it is nothing but hope that should tell you otherwise. At some point I want this game to be viewed with the Gopher's chances being at least 35-40% on a regular basis. We aren't there yet, this team could surprise and this could end up being a game we look forward to, at this point I'm expecting a loss and hoping for the best.

Minnesota - 24
Ohio State - 31

what say you?...

Poll

How will the Gophers fare in Columbus (AGAIN, thanks a lot Mr. Delany)?

Ohio State dominates

73 votes

Ohio State gets caught looking ahead (to New Mexico St) but eeks out the W

28 votes

Minnesota wins a close one and riots ensue in Dinkytown

26 votes

Minnesota dominates in a perfect day of football

1 votes

128 votes | Poll has closed

Bucknotes is lookin' lean and mean

Sam @ WWAHT — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:00:16 -0000

Contrast that with this and you get an idea of how much more athletic this line could be

Not a whole lot of news out of the first day of camp, what with it being closed and all. That being said, the offseason fluff machine may be winding down, but my willingness to cover it shall never wane.

Freshman Matt Barkley vying for USC Trojans' top QB job - ESPN
I know I've been dogging the Bucks for months over this game, but if Pete Carroll is serious about starting a true freshman in the 'Shoe against what should be a ferocious pass rush, I'm liking our chances a whole lot more.

NCAA College Football Power Rankings - NCAA Football - ESPN
Ohio State places sixth, proving that the lovefest ain't just the coaches.

EDSBS " Archive " THE JIM TRESSEL MOOD CHART

The chart should yield multiple dividends. First, skirts take flight for the winter and and never return under the steely gaze of Jim Tressel: it’s foreplay and distraction in one efficient move. In addition to this, your wife/girlfriend/prison psych will assume you’re actually trying, and will likely call this "progress." Finally, you can engage in this activity while spending mere seconds away from watching sweet, precious football.

If, for some reason only known to you and God, you aren't reading EDSBS consistently, this will convince you to do so.

SEC plans to enact new media policy | TideSports.com | The Tuscaloosa News | Tuscaloosa, AL
That gigantic new contract with the WWL has its drawbacks for the media and fans. About time something bad happened to something associated with the SEC.

A 2011 Recruiting Primer | mgoblog
Michigan thinks they have a chance at Braxton Miller, but HA:

his dad has said that Braxton won't play in an offense where the quarterback has to run around all the time

Nevertheless, Miller did attend a UM camp, but I don't think it's too much of a stretch to assume he did it to put up some good camp numbers.

Wake me when Terrelle Pryor's fake 40 time eclipses speed of sound - Dr. Sa... - NCAA Football - Rivals.com
Dr. Saturday dampens the enthusiasm over Pryor's ridic 40 time, which I still believe is on the very low side. Not that Pryor isn't fast, he just isn't "a few tenths of a second slower than Chris Johnson" fast:

If that time is correct, it would make Pryor not only the fastest Buckeye, but surely one of the fastest humans on earth. Consider that a 4.33 40 is significantly faster than any quarterback has run for the electronic clocks at the NFL Combine in the last four years, including Pat White (who turned in an official 4.55 in February at 197 pounds), and in fact more than a full tenth of a second faster than any running back or cornerback ran at this year's combine. Only one player at that entire event, Darrius Heyward-Bey, came in with a faster time (4.30) than Pryor's alleged 4.33. Of Pryor's six non-lineman teammates in Indianapolis -- a group that included Beanie Wells, Malcolm Jenkins and Brian Robiskie -- only one, cornerback Donald Washington, came in under 4.5 (4.49). In 2007, Ted Ginn Jr's "official" workout times ranged from 4.37 to 4.45, which knocked the scouts out. Ginn then weighed 178 pounds. Pryor's usual analog, Vince Young, reportedly ran the 40 in 4.58 seconds in 2006 at 228 pounds, on what was apparently considered a "fast track" in Austin [...]

Sweater Vest Digest – The Best Damn Blog in the Land! BuckeyeBanter.com " Preview No. 10: Penn State
BB ably breaks down the Penn State game, though I think they're underestimating the Lions on the year.

Ray Small waiting on grade change, dad says (Blogging the Buckeyes)
Whole thing still seems fishy. I mean, I've never heard of a grade being delayed this long. For anyone, let alone a star athlete. Plus, we know his dad is batnuts insane.

The story behind Michigan's dismissal of Feagin - Big Ten - ESPN
Cocaine's a hell of a drug.

Big Ten preseason power rankings - Big Ten - ESPN
Rittenberg places Ohio State first, says the offense will be "fine".

Ohio State linebacker Tyler Moeller likely to miss season with head injury suffered in fight - ESPN
The story constantly evolves; now the brawl apparently took place in Cincy (UPDATE: Nevermind...) and Moeller has since had a seizure. Thoughts and prayers to the family; football is entirely a secondary concern now.

Ohio State confirms free public practice on Aug. 24 - cleveland.com
No autograph session, except for JT, who'll be signing copies of the Winner's Manual.

The pads... they are a poppin'

Sam @ WWAHT — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:12 -0000

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am"

Today heralds the coming of the real most wonderful time of the year: fall practice is in session, starting spots are up for grabs, and football season is mind-bogglingly close, like a hobo waiting to shank you in the night. Only, an awesome hobo whose shank brings countless hours of watchable sports television. I wouldn't watch an hour of a Cleveland Indians baseball game if you put a gun to my head, but San Jose State-Fresno State at two in the morning? SIGN ME UP, HOSS. Bid adieu to your significant others for about four months or so, ladies and gents: football is officially here.

At Ohio State, it's a season of renewal. Camp should be an interesting one; Ohio State replaces all of its skill position starters, breaks in two new linebackers, as well as at least one corner, and will be looking to find a DT that can approximate the consistency of Nader Abadallah. The legends - James Laurinaitis, Malcolm Jenkins, and Marcus Freeman, are gone - and they will be missed. But the Terrelle Pryor era is just getting started, and competition in camp is pretty damn fierce with so many spots up for grabs. Let's briefly review some of the key position battles heading into fall camp.

Left tackle - This one is coming down to Mike Adams and Andy Miller. Miller has got seniority on Adams as a redshirt-junior, and as a converted tight end, he's probably the more athletic of the two. However, Adams is the one who came in with the all-world recruiting hype, and an inability to secure a starting spot over a former TE is a bit worrisome, to say the least, for a kid who was considered the next Orlando Pace coming out of high school. Both are expected to bring a bit more of a "finesse" approach in pass pro, as opposed to Alex Boone, who blocked with all the finesse of elephant sex.

Right guard - While left tackle is probably the most important battle on the line, right guard might be the most interesting. It's possible that the most experienced player on the line - Jim Cordle - may get crowded out. I don't think that's likely, however, as his main competition is none other than Bryant "El Matador" Browning. Browning has been mercifully moved over from tackle to a position he's probably better suited for with his size and speed (or lack thereof on the latter). That this is even a competition, however, shows that Browning may have made some offseason strides. Ohio State does have the luxury of some veteran Plan B's here; both Connor Smith and Evan Blankenship could provide some quality depth at all three interior positions.

Right Tackle - In the spring, Cordle moved over to right tackle, but apparently, JB Shugarts is now the frontrunner to start. The other star tackle prospect in the '08 class, Shugarts may be the most athletic lineman Ohio State has, and he apparently plays with a bit of an edge - something this line needs. Shugarts' backup just might be Jim Cordle, who'll probably rotate over in the event of an injury.

Wide Receiver - After DeVier Posey, things get eeenteresting. I'm going to assume, for simplicity purposes, that if Ray Small remains on the team, he'll find a starting spot in the slot. But he sounds like he's in pretty deep this time. My guy, Dane Sanzenbacher, is probably the frontrunner at split end. If Ray Small is truly done, then Taurian Washington will battle with the younger guys: James Jackson, Duron Carter and Lamaar Thomas, all of whom could be dangerous weapons at that particular position.

Left cornerback - Most have Andre Amos penciled in as the starter, but apparently Devon Torrence is making the senior corner's life interesting. Amos has overcome constant bouts with injury to get where he's at, but Torrence is a converted wide receiver and two-sport athlete with very soft hands who showed more flashes in the spring than what's expected of a back-up. This isn't quite the fiercest of battles, but Torrence is definitely someone to keep an eye on throughout camp.

Defensive tackle - The main competition here is to see who's going to complement Doug Worthington. Worthington has his spot locked up as a big, quick, and most importantly experienced interior guy, but Todd Denlinger and Dexter Larimore are in a fight to the death. Or, at least to the Navy game. I personally think Larimore has the upper hand, as he was pretty solid backing up Nader in the latter stages of 2008.

There are other minor positions up for grabs - nickelback against non-spread teams (Hines has it locked down against the Penn States and Illinoises of the world, but against Wisconsin et al., they might be looking for someone else), and punter has a bit of a battle between John Thoma and Ben Buchanan, but that's really it as far as the most important positions go. Personally, I'd expect at least two of these rotations - corner and defensive tackle - to end in some form of rotation.