SB Nation - Lawrence Wilson

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.

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.

The 2009 Bam Childress Award: The Nominees - Defense

Sam @ WWAHT — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:00:12 -0000

As a matter of clarification, yes, there will be a separate award handed out to an offensive and defensive player each. I enter the 2009 season with less trepidation about the state of the defense than I do the offense, as I'm sure is the case with most of you. All of the anticipated breakout players of 2009 seem to have a greater shot at breaking out because they play for a unit that is consistently tops in the nation in multiple categories. At Ohio State, defensive playmakers just develop quicker and with greater frequency than offensive players. For all the hate you may direct at Bollman for the lack of development along the offensive line, you should direct a relatively equal amount of praise at Jim Heacock, who, national title debacles aside, tends to get the most out of his best athletes before they dart for the NFL. It may seem as though expectations are not particularly high for this defense, but that's only because the bar has been set so high; anything less than continued statistical dominance will be seen as a massive disappointment. It's not entirely fair, but Heacock knows the standard he has set and would probably be the first to tell you when that standard is not being met.

There are fewer Bammie candidates on the defensive side of the ball only because the defense is looking at just five new starters, as opposed to the offense's seven. Add on to the comparatively-minor turnover the fact that almost everyone who'll be making a significant contribution this year has already seen the field as part of a rotation, and some of the faces don't seem as worrisomely fresh as they may have been otherwise.

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

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

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

As before, I'm willing to accept other write-in candidates and critiques of the current ones.

Post-scrimmage ramblings

Sam @ WWAHT — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 16:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Terry Gilliam - AP

Brandon Saine will need to step up in a big way for the Buckeye offense to thrive in 2009

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News of the Ohio State offense's continued struggles in the preseason intrasquad jersey scrimmage has created both a little bit of excitement at the defense's prospects and apprehension over the offense's. As has been the case since for a few years running, the defense showed up and played marvelously. In 2007, this heralded the arrival of a dominant, number-one ranked overall squad that held conference opponents to an average of slightly less than 13 points per game. In 2008, the offense couldn't reclaim the Scarlet jerseys, and as we saw throughout the season, it was at least partially of its own doing, rather than the defense's dominance. In 2009, the defense managed to retain its jersey, despite a surge from the offense later in the game. What does this scrimmage mean for this year?

Well, luckily, a few key players didn't see any action: Austin Spitler and Justin Boren both sat out the game with injuries, and so did Lamaar Thomas, Lawrence Wilson, and Jake Stoneburner. To say the squad was at full health would be lying. But you already knew that. Bullet time!

Much is being made of the struggles with the running attack outside of Herron, but reports from the scrimmage seem to agree that the line has improved its run-blocking over what we saw in the Fiesta Bowl. This is actually a pretty big development: in the first half of the Fiesta Bowl, the line did quite well for itself against a very talented Texas front seven that would end up third-best against the run nationally. In the second half though, Texas adjusted, and largely limited the Buckeye rushing attack outside of Herron's late TD run that put the Buckeyes ahead. (*sniff*) It's important to note that this all went down without the best blocker on the line. A healthy Justin Boren could make this one of the more devastating rushing attacks in the country.
While the blocking improved, the stats may not necessarily show it: While Herron was running free with 10 carries for 53 yards, Saine and Berry combined for 9 carries and 25 yards. Berry had all sorts of problems, conjuring up premature worries of another four years of Maurice Wells' dance-and-drop routine. Remember what I've said about him in the past: he will struggle mightily if forced to play a Beanie Wells/Maurice Clarett-type of game. If the staff uses him in ways similar to the way it handled the undersized Antonio Pittman, he will flourish. If not, expect to see more stat lines like that this year.
Ken Gordon noted that three different guys got beaten on the six sacks, ("without the benefit of replay", however) and two of them were back-ups. One, unfortunately, was senior OT Jim Cordle.
Jordan Hall, another smaller back, impressed, and he's a bit more in the Pittman mold than Berry as a runner. I'm not sure he'll contribute much this year, but it's definitely a good sign for the running game post Herron/Saine.
Pryor and Posey have developed a bit of chemistry, which is very good news, as Pryor seemed to lack it to at least some extent with his receivers last year. That it's Posey is even better, because he's got the most potential out of this entire crop of WRs
That Ohio State gave up one of its touchdown to Rocco Pentello running the Navy offense would be worrisome if it didn't seem like so much of a fluke. Not to make excuses, but Pentello is a pretty stellar athlete: he received an offer from Cincinnati and heavy interest from Michigan State and West Virginia before getting the Buckeye offer. He's a legit FBS defensive back running a pretty tricksy offense, and he has experience at QB. It's not a good thing he scored on a 33-yard run, but it's also not all that surprising.
Pryor's no-contact jersey was sort of a big deal; he was essentially forced to remain in the pocket, and that just isn't his game right now, no matter how much he may think otherwise. Without it, we probably wouldn't have seen quite so many sacks.
The underwhelming passing totals are a good sign that the downfield passing game simply isn't there yet. Passes into the flats were a surprisingly common sight, but they weren't netting much in the way of yardage. Good news: Pryor has begun hitting the slant consistently, even in the face of pressure. He isn't hitting anyone 30 yards downfield, but right now, it's the small things, and I'll take it.
Something that few people are talking about in the wake of the apparent offensive anemia is the very real possibility that the defense may just end up being an even better unit than it was last year. They were without Austin Spitler and Lawrence Wilson - one starter and one probable major contributor - and they clearly dominated most of the game. Brian Rolle looked great, flowing to the ball and attacking like a veteran. Ross Homan looked solid, albeit in limited action. Cameron Heyward notched two sacks before rolling his ankle. This front seven may actually end up competing with Penn State's as the conference's best when all is said and done, and that is a huge helping hand for this young offense as they continue to grow and progress.

Position Outlook: Defensive End

Sam @ WWAHT — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:00:24 -0000

This section of the Death Star is fully operational (via cleveland.com)

Arguably the strength of the entire team this year, this crop of defensive ends could be something special. After racking up just 24 regular season sacks last year across 12 games, the unit really came through in the Fiesta Bowl, harassing Colt McCoy by notching four sacks, allowing just 54 yards rushing, and doing pretty much all it could in holding Texas to its lowest scoring output of the year. While the secondary couldn't hold up its end of the bargain against the Longhorns, it gave Buckeye fans something to look forward to on a defense that replaces four starters and one part-time guy in Donald Washington. In particular, the end play has to improve if Ohio State wants to take down the two big obstacles on the schedule - USC and Penn State. It can't be all Thad Gibson all the time. Fortunately, he's got plenty of help. More after the jump.

Lawrence Wilson has had two years running of simple bad luck. Following an injury in the 2007 opener against YSU, Wilson trained his hardest to get back in to playing form for 2008. Again, the injury bug bit him in the middle of the season. 2009 is his last year in a Buckeye uniform; he's already redshirted, and without a doubt, he has the most to prove of any Buckeye senior. He came here in the midst of tons of hype in 2005, and hasn't quite delivered. For all his trouble, he's still only listed second on the depth chart behind Cam Heyward. Heyward is massive for an end; 6'6" and and pushing three hundy. While he has the body of a 3-4 end, he's rotated between tackle and end due to injuries along the line the last two seasons, but for now, he's sticking at end in Heacock's 4-3 scheme.

On the other side of the line is the largely known quantity and junior Thaddeus Gibson, a Vernon Gholston-type "Leo" guy who has the athleticism to play linebacker and end. He will demand double teams frequently if he replicates his Fiesta Bowl performance in any way. Backing him up will the promising Nathan "Nothin' But A G Thang" Williams, a true freshman who came off the bench last year to notch two sacks against Northwestern and half of one against Texas. Williams is big, and an explosive pass rusher, but he had a history of injury at the high school level. If that's done bothering him, he will be very good this year.

I am become death, destroyer of worlds. Eventually.

The amazing thing about the situation at defensive end is that Ohio State runs three and perhaps even four deep. Rob Rose came to Columbus as a talented prospect but has never done all that much despite being built like a freaking dump truck. In my dreams, we redshirt him and he's groomed as Gibby's replacement, but that probably isn't going to happen. He's an excellent fifth man on this defensive line; expect him to get in on third downs alomst exclusviely. Keith Wells mysteriously blew a redshirt on special teams and mop-up duty last year, but he's fourth on the depth chart behind two seniors (Rose and Wilson) and a very good junior. I wouldn't fret over what this might say about his progression when the position is so completely stacked with more experienced talent. Solomon Thomas had a jaw-dropping jersey scrimmage but is still third on the depth chart behind more Gibson and Williams, who notched his sacks in genuine game-time action. Willie Mobley will be providing further depth at both positions.

We still aren't done, by the way. The 2009 Ohio State recruiting class featured two defensive ends: Melvin "Safari Planet" Fellows and Jonathan Newsome figure to insert themselves into the mix at some point this fall; Fellows has the recruiting accolades but Newsome has the more prototypical "Leo" size at 6'2" 220 pounds. While neither may see significant time, these guys could be the core of the next great Ohio State defensive line. Keep an eye on them.

Don't Bet On It!: National Games of Interest

T Kyle King — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:30:04 -0000

Calling the weekly picks segment "Don’t Bet On It!"---the name my co-host, Travis Rice, and I used during the six-year run of "The Dawg Show" on local cable access---is intended to be a wry nod to my lack of actual expertise. On a good day, the title ought to rise to the level of genuine cleverness.

These, however, are not good days---cue Robin Williams’s opening narration from "The Best of Times"---so, now that I have taken you around the S.E.C., it is my sad duty to report that my 3-2 record in last week’s national forecasts only managed to boost my overall record in non-S.E.C. prognostications to 21-16 for 2008.

21-16 . . . the final score of every Virginia Tech football game ever played!

At this point, I suppose it goes without saying, but I will reiterate it anyway: Don’t Bet On It! Except where otherwise indicated, the following contests all are slated to be played on Saturday, October 18:

Georgia Tech at Clemson: Admittedly, I’m picking this game essentially for the same reason that people slow down when passing car wrecks, but it’s always interesting to see how a team performs immediately after the announcement that its head coach has gotten the axe. I have seen my team win a game because our head coach had just been fired (over Georgia Tech in 1995), I have seen my team lose a game because the other team’s head coach had just been fired (to Kentucky in 1996), and I have seen my team win a game over a team whose head coach had just been fired which my team probably would have won anyway (against Florida in 2004). If Cullen Harper’s reaction to Tommy Bowden’s departure is any indication, the Country Gentlemen will play hard for their interim skipper. Given that, and the fact that the game will be taking place by the shores of Lake Hartwell rather than across the street from the Varsity, and the fact that the Tigers still are a talented team, and the fact that the Orange and Purple didn’t almost lose to Gardner-Webb, I’m going to go with Clemson.

Ohio State at Michigan State: Don’t look now, America, but the Buckeyes are back in the hunt. Jim Tressel’s team stands at 6-1 and O.S.U. is getting ready to face the perfect foil, a ranked club with a fine record and a penchant for folding like a lawn chair. It’s time for the Spartans to begin their collapse and the Bucks to start to roll, right? Wrong. Ohio State has dithered about for 60 minutes in four of its last five wins, needing a late comeback to defeat a Wisconsin team which subsequently was demolished by Penn State before being outgained by the hapless Boilermakers in a lackluster win in Columbus, and now the Bucks must play without Lawrence Wilson. It will be hard for O.S.U. to avoid looking ahead to the de facto Big Ten title game against the Nittany Lions on October 25, so Michigan State may have something less than the Buckeyes’ undivided attention. For their part, the Spartans have the advantages of playing in East Lansing and being coached by Mark Dantonio, who spent eight years as a defensive assistant to Cheatypants McSweatervest at Youngstown State and Ohio State. (If you doubt that this familiarity gives Coach Dantonio insights into Coach Tressel’s approach, consider the fact that, in 2007, a Buckeye club on a course for the national championship game hosted the first-year M.S.U. coach’s Champs Sports Bowl-bound Spartan squad at the Horseshoe and came away with only a seven-point win.) To top it all off, Sparty has shown a propensity for collapsing (a) in the most head-scratching fashion and (b) against Michigan. Guess where M.S.U. travels on October 25? Yep, Ann Arbor, to face a Wolverine team Little Brother ought to beat, but won’t. The Spartans will finish the regular season with four straight losses, but they have one more win left in them, and Michigan State will get it this weekend.

Maybe this obnoxious chucklehead ought to make a documentary about Spartan football and call it "Fahrenheit 7-5."

Kansas at Oklahoma: This fact has been somewhat obscured by the simultaneous rise to prominence of division rival Missouri, but the turnaround that has taken place in Lawrence is nothing short of remarkable. In the 21 seasons from 1982 through 2002, the Jayhawks attended all of two bowl games, both of which were played in Hawaii. (Around these parts, we fire a guy for getting our team to a bowl game in Hawaii.) Since then, though, K.U. has made it into postseason play three times in a five-year span. How have the ‘Hawks built up their record of success? The same way Mark Mangino has built up his physique: with lots and lots of cupcakes. Kansas’s last regular season win over a Division I-A team with a winning record came in last year’s Oklahoma State game over a Cowboy club that made it to 7-6 by virtue of an Insight Bowl win over Indiana. The Sooners are good; therefore, the Jayhawks will not beat them.

Brigham Young at Texas Christian (Thursday, October 16): It’s put up or shut up time in the Mountain West as the Mormons and the Disciples square off to settle their denominational differences. As a Methodist, I don’t have a dog in this fight, but, last week, I gave B.Y.U. the benefit of the doubt and experienced pollster’s remorse. This week, I elevated T.C.U.; will I feel similar regret come Friday morning? It’s quite possible that I will, inasmuch as the Cougars have scored at least 28 points in five of the past six games while giving up a total of just 17 points in their last four contests combined. The Horned Frogs haven’t been as dominant as that, although they have yet to surrender more than seven points to a non-B.C.S. conference team. At a time when squads from the Beehive State are getting all of the national attention paid to the league, though, Gary Patterson and his T.C.U. squad have to be feeling a wee bit disrespected. After all, Texas Christian posted double-digit win totals in four of the five seasons from 2002 through 2006 before dropping to 8-5 last year, and 2008 represents the seventh consecutive autumn in which T.C.U. has beaten a B.C.S. conference opponent. Jilted by the Big 12 and overlooked by the national news media, the forgotten Frogs have a chance to make a statement on national T.V. tomorrow night, and they will snap the nation’s longest winning streak by beating Brigham Young.

The team, that is, not the guy.

Missouri at Texas: This is just my perspective from outside Big 12 country, but the quarterback matchup in this game intrigues me for reasons having nothing to do with either quarterback’s ability to play football. The Longhorns field the most aptly-christened signal-caller in the sport; had Tom Wolfe written a novel about college football and set his story at a fictitious Lone Star State university with an athletic director named DeLoss Dodds, a head coach named Mack Brown, and a quarterback named Colt McCoy, you’d shake your head at how far over the top the New Journalist had gone. On the other side of the field, Chase Daniel rapidly is descending into ridiculous self-parody. Even leaving aside the fact that a Division I-A quarterback that chubby ought to have a plethora of nicknames calling attention to his heft (a la Jared Lorenzen, a/k/a "The Round Mound of Touchdown," a/k/a "The Battleship Lorenzen," a/k/a "J-Load," a/k/a "The Pillsbury Throw Boy"), I have to wonder what is up with Daniel’s painfully lame attempt to appear as hip as Warren Buffett and ask myself why the Tiger quarterback fails to heed the advice Chris Rock gave to the G.E.D. class of 1999 and take off that silly hat. There’s some interesting psychology to this showdown---will Texas have a letdown after its big win in the Red River Shootout? how will Mizzou respond to last weekend’s blow to the Tigers’ title hopes?---but, when push comes to shove, I abide by the following formula:

Better Coach + More Talent + Established Tradition of Winning + Home Field Advantage + Will Muschamp = Victory

Back in August, I predicted a Missouri loss in Austin and I see no reason to deviate from that forecast now. The ’Horns hook ‘em once again.

Honestly, even I don’t believe I’m doing better than 2-3 with that set of picks, so you should greet these prognostications exceedingly warily. My forecasts are solely for entertainment value (although even that is open to debate) and they should not be taken seriously by anyone, which is why I feel compelled to offer the weekly disclaimer: Don’t Bet On It!

Coming Soon: National Game of Disinterest.

Go ‘Dawgs!

What to watch for: Louisville vs. Connecticut

Mike Rutherford — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:21:21 -0000

DocCardsFan's exceptional UConn preview earlier this week has afforded us the opportunity to get a little bit more specific as kickoff approaches.

Here are a few items to keep an eye on tomorrow night.

1. Louisville stacking the box

Though it's easy to claim that his stats are inflated because of the number of carries he's received or the defenses he's gone up against, Donald Brown is the real deal, a fact Louisville's Orange Bowl champion defense learned firsthand when the then freshman scampered for 122 yards on 21 carries in the 2006 regular season finale.

Though he stands just 5-10, 208, the Cards haven't seen a back nearly as physical as Brown, who'll provide the biggest test yet for U of L's still inexperienced linebacking corps. Given Tyler Lorenzen's recent struggles, Ron English stacking the box with eight or nine guys until the Huskies prove they can move the ball through the air is just about the safest bet anyone can make over the next 24 hours.

It's a shame that Richard Raglin is almost certainly going to be in street clothes, because this is the type of game where he could have thrived. Instead, it will be Bobby Buchanan and Latarrius Thomas who will be called upon to make plays within five yards of the line of scrimmage. I'm also interested to see if English opts to use a guy like Brandon Heath as a sort of safety/linebacker hybrid, or whether he gives the physical challenge (Double Dare) to the likes of Daniel Covington and Josh Wiley.

2. Pressing Cardinal corners

English and Eric Lewis's stated objective last week was to not let Josh Freeman complete deep passes over the heads of their defensive backs. The result was a lot of early six or seven yard completions in front of Johnny Patrick and Woodny Turenne. With Lorenzen's confidence shaken and him unlikely to throw anything outside of single-digit yard slants, outs or stops early in the game, I think it's safe to assume that the corners are going to be far more aggressive tomorrow night.

Through four weeks, the Huskies still don't have one wideout with more than 100 yards receiving. Things have gotten so bad that cornerback Darius Butler has been brought over to help out.

If the Cards have to decrease the amount of attention paid to Donald Brown because of the effectiveness of the UConn air attack, then they're going to be in trouble.

3. Connecticut bringing pressure in the middle

Maybe the biggest thing the U of L offense has going for it right now is that the Husky defense is coming off of a week in which it spent all its time preparing for a spread attack and trying to contain a world class athlete at quarterback. Even with what Louisville has been able to accomplish in its last two games, Scott Lutrus, Lawrence Wilson and Greg Lloyd have to be excited about the prospects of blitzing and run-stuffing as opposed to covering wideouts and shadowing Robert Griffin. The trio of sophomores are about as talented as any group of middle men in the Big East, and Todd Orlando is likely going to let them test a hobbled Cardinal offensive line from the opening series of the game on.

4. UConn's defensive ends vs. Louisville's offensive tackles

The Huskies possess probably the best bookend tandem in the conference with Cody Brown and Julius Williams. The pair were among the league's top 20 in multiple defensive categories at the end of last season, and have already combined for five sacks (Brown three, Williams two) in 2008.

Greg Tomczyk did a tremendous job supplanting the injured George Bussey a week ago, but Kansas State can't lay claim to a threat off the edge as potent as either Brown or Williams. If the duo has their way on the outside and the middle is opened up for the Husky linebackers to do work, then the Cardinal offense could end up looking more like it did on Sept. 2 than on Sept. 17.

5. Josh Chichester getting increased looks

Butler is among the top corners in the conference and sophomore Jasper Howard has had his moments, but they stand just 5-10 and 5-9, respectively. Husky safeties Robert Vaughn and Dahna Deleston are each talented veterans with big plays to their credit this season, but they're only a couple of inches taller than Butler.

While the group is skilled and athletic enough to potentially put the clamps on a guy like Doug Beaumont, there's absolutely nothing any of them can do if 6-8 Josh Chichester runs a solid route and the ball is put in the correct place. With Scott Long and Troy Pascley both appearing to be no-gos, the spotlight will once again shine a bit brighter on the man who can't be checked on the baseline inside Rupp Arena.

6. The utilization of Andre Dixon

While Brown is currently leading the country in rushing, many seem to have forgotten that he didn't even lead his own team in the category a year ago. That honor belongs to fellow junior Andre Dixon, who has been hampered by an ankle injury since late August and has carried the ball just once in '08.

Dixon, who lit Louisville up for 170 all-purpose yards a year ago, played sparingly against Baylor, but Randy Edsall has hinted all week that his production would be increased in the conference opener. Dixon might be the top dual threat back in the Big East, so don't be surprised if Connecticut subtly tries to slip him into the game and burn an over-aggressive Cardinal rush defense by hitting him in the flats or on a middle screen. If you see No. 2 trotting onto the field, it'd probably be wise to keep the blitzing to a minimum.

7. The continuing emergence of the Zack Stoudt jersey

This kid's on the verge of having one of the greatest redshirt seasons in the history of college football.

8. U of L trying to look like a varsity high school squad on special teams

I've given up on hoping to win the special teams battle, and have moved on to the more realistic option of at least keeping it close. Timmy Dougherty appears composed enough to handle placekicking duties from inside 45 yards or so, and I think being removed from the job is really going to help Chris Philpott on kickoffs. If you noticed, his best kicks came after made extra points or field goals, while his shanks or kicks that didn't make it to the 20-yard line came after he'd missed or had a field goal attempt blocked.

UConn has one of the best punters/kickoff men in the conference in Louisville native Desi Cullen, and placekicker Tony Ciaravino has been solid from inside of 40 yards. Butler is an extremely dangerous return man, and going up against a Cardinal coverage unit that has struggled with tackling opposing players carrying footballs and looking to advance toward the endzone should make him that much more dangerous.

9. Let's talk edges

OK, this isn't something to watch for, but if you want to fight about it, well, I'll probably change it to something else because I like to avoid conflict.

UConn run offense vs. U of L run defense

Edge: CONNECTICUT

The Huskies have a senior-laden offensive line and the leading rusher in the country. And if Andre Dixon is healthy, he's one of the top six or seven backs in the conference.

UConn pass offense vs. U of L pass defense

Edge: LOUISVILLE

Lorenzen's thrown just one touchdown to six interceptions so far this year, and he comes into this game with his confidence especially shaken after a particularly rough night a week ago. While Butler's athletic enough to come in and make some plays down the field, the Huskies don't have the receivers to make life easier for Lorenzen against an experienced U of L secondary.

U of L run offense vs. UConn run defense

Edge: LOUISVILLE

This is a tight one, and could be where the game is ultimately won or lost. Victor Anderson and Brock Bolen are each coming off of monster performances, but Kansas State's front seven is a far cry from what they'll be up against on Friday. Still, U of L's men in the trenches are playing with a great deal of confidence, and the guys they have behind them don't need enormous openings to make plays.

U of L pass offense vs. UConn pass defense

Edge: CONNECTICUT

Butler and Vaughn are outstanding, and Deleston is an imposing figure across the middle who's made a pretty smooth transition from linebacker to safety. Chichester is the wild card, and as we've seen over the first three games, he has the potential to make both the amazing play look routine and the simple play look impossible. This is also the first 4-3 defense the Cards have faced since Kentucky, and one that has comparable talent and a comparable commitment to putting pressure on the quarterback. U of L didn't exactly set the world - or Rhode Island - on fire through the air in their season-opener, so them making the proper adjustments to ensure that Hunter Cantwell has adequate time to release the football is paramount.

U of L special teams vs. Connecticut special teams

Edge: CONNECTICUT

They're a crafty bunch. Is "crafty" the right word?

Intangibles

Edge: LOUISVILLE

Nobody has to go to work the next day, so I'd expect nothing less than a packed house out for blood in what most fans are approaching as a revenge game.

Make it happen, people.

Louisville 38, Kansas State 29

Mike Rutherford — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:28:13 -0000

We'll move quickly since this game is already five days old and Larry Taylor Depreciation Week appears to be in full swing.

This is as excited as I've been about Louisville football since the first offensive drive/play of last year's Murray State game. If the last two weeks have proven anything it's that the effort level is going to be there week in and week out, and that there is a decided dedication to improving the execution. After the Kentucky debacle, this is all any of us could have hoped for.

It would still take something resembling a miracle for this team to have a legit crack at the BCS once mid-November rolls around, but honestly, what team in the Big East terrifies you right now? What team in the Big East do you know beyond the shadow of a doubt would have beaten the Cardinals last Wednesday?

If Connecticut is toppled on Friday then we're all allowed to at least entertain crazy thoughts for a couple of weeks, and that's something to get excited about.

I'm not driving it, but I'm officially on the Vic Anderson bandwagon.

All spring and summer we heard about Vic's speed, but what's been amazing to me is how many times we've seen him lower the boom on potential tacklers in the first three games. It's safe to say that the kid can leg press more than I can.

Another fine, fine game from Hunter Cantwell, but now he has to prove he can do it against a 4-3 defense stacked with talented linebackers. Hunter's been able to sit back and pick apart 3-4 sets for the past two weeks, but Lutrus, Wilson and company aren't going to allow him that luxury Friday night. Robert Vaughn and Darius Butler are also two of the better defensive backs the Cards will see from here on out. Overall, this will be a fantastic test of just how far this offense has come since Kentucky.

Doug Beaumont: when this is all over, let's go somewhere warm and sandy together.

Josh Chichester is still very much a work in progress, which means we're going to have to take the good with the bad for the foreseeable future. The great news is that the good has far outshone the bad to this point.

Even though I think the time for the Tim Dougherty placekicking era to commence is upon us, it's pretty obvious that Chris Philpott is still in possession of a stronger leg and I'd like to see him remain the man on kickoffs.

I love deferring after winning the coin toss, and I hope it becomes a trend. Delayed gratification is the shit.

One of the most positive things I saw on Wednesday was Latarrius Thomas and Bobby Buchanan kneeling next to Richard Raglin when he went down with the wrist injury in the second half. It was just one of those little things that last season was so devoid of.

Speaking of Buchanan, I love the way he's stepped up and embraced the leadership role in his senior season. Even though he's had his fair share of bad moments over the course of his college career, and even though he and Thomas were again the main culprits on Kansas State's four biggest offensive plays, it's impossible not to root extra hard for someone who cares about his team and his program as much as No. 34 does.

Major props need to be hurled in the direction of Greg Tomczyk and Josh Byrom, who made it possible for thousands of fans to have no idea that George Bussey and Mark Wetterer were out with injuries.

Whatever wasn't clicking with Woodny Turenne a year ago certainly seems to have been rectified. Good things happen when you're talented and in the place you're supposed to be.

Let's go ahead and up the amount of practice time devoted to special teams by about eight hours this week.

I think it's safe to say that Bilal Powell is still at his best when he's forced to improvise, a fact which is a bit more discouraging than it was when he was a true freshman. Still, I remain bullish on his potential and think he needs to see at least ten touches a game for this team to have the best chance to reach its ceiling.

The crowd was tremendous for the first three quarters of the game, but it was sort of depressing to see so many empty seats as the Cards closed things out. On the other hand, you can't schedule a Wednesday night game and then be upset when people with families and 8-5 jobs choose not to stay at the stadium until 11:45. It's just the way it is.

Even though it came at the expense of my favorite team, it did bring me at least a little bit of pleasure to watch someone three inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter than myself tear it up in a major college football game.

Black jerseys > red jerseys

Zack Stoudt jersey > Art Carmody jersey

Art Carmody > any other football player to ever put on pads

Raise your hand if you wish the fake dive, pitch to Vic had been put in the playbook a month ago.

Being friends with Brock Bolen and Joe Tronzo is basically a free pass to look at or talk to anyone however you want on Saturday nights.

The inconsistent Mo Mitchell of yesteryear appears to have graduated a year early. Mitchell has been playing inspired football since the first snap of the Kentucky game, and has become the force off the edge that the defense lacked in '07.

No one on the team talks more than L.D. Scott. Focusing on him for a couple of plays every game is hilarious.

It was great to see Daniel Covington flying around the field and bringing the lumber on multiple plays, especially since it appears the secondary is going to be without Richard Raglin for at least a couple of games.

Dan - of having his U of L hat thrown on the ground by a girl outside a bar in Charlotte fame - called the Kansas State fake punt and was justified moments after his dad and I ripped the prediction for a solid 15 seconds. For the record, it was an awful call and we should had the up man who took the snap behind the line.

I'm going to go ahead and give the Card Chronicle seal of approval to the Jeff Brohm moving back upstairs decision.

I really, really want to win on Friday just so the seeds of insanely irrational objectivity can be planted.

Larry Taylor sucks.