SB Nation - Nader Abdallah

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)

View full size photo »

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 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.

An Early Look: Iowa

Sam @ WWAHT — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:00:16 -0000

Ah, the memories...

I did an interview not too long ago in which I said that I, unlike most college football fans my age, have teams that I root for outside of Ohio State. I just never grew out of that habit. Texas, despite the heartache they've given me, is one, and Iowa is the other. I like Iowa. Really, I do. Not in just a "they gon' be good this year hurrr" way, but in an I-genuinely-like-the-football-program way. Like us, they hail from a state many consider "flyover country", and since as a result they aren't one of the top destinations in college football for big-name recruits, they're a player-development-oriented team, as Hawkeye State from BHGP will later explain. Their entire program rests on the shoulders of their coaching staff; most of the guys they trot out each Saturday do not have the same level of innate ability as some of the guys on Penn State's, Ohio State's and Michigan's respective benches, but they still win, and heck, they've shown up in OOC games quite a bit more often that the conference's big dogs, and that's a plus in my book. Despite not having the best hand on the table, talent-wise, they win enough to keep the denizens happy. Even though I hate the team that inspired them, I love the uniforms too.

For a while there, I thought Kirk Ferentz had lost control of his program. The unbelievable string of arrests, the disturbing sex scandal, and a 19-18 overall record from 2005 to 2007 led me to believe the wheels had come off the wagon, or that at the very least, were threatening to. 2008 did not prove me entirely wrong; Iowa still lost 4 games - including mistifying losses to Pitt, Northwestern and Illinois - but managed to make a bowl game and beat an SEC team. Sure, that SEC team was about as threatening as a bag of dickless weasels, given that it was South Carolina, but they won their bowl game, which more than anyone else in the conference could say. 2009 is a pivotal year for the Hawkeyes, and it's pivotal for many of the same reasons the year will be pivotal for Penn State. The Hawkeyes also have to prove that an earlier malaise is officially behind them, and in doing so prove that they belong in the conference's top tier. They may even be competing with the Lions for the spot vacated - for now - by the Michigan Wolverines. Losing Shonn Greene doesn't help, but as you will see, there are reasons for optimism among the Hawkeye faithful.

Iowa players you should care about:

If you've been living under a rock since the bowl season, breathe a sigh of relief: Shonn Greene is gone. But the Iowa running back situation isn't quite as desperate as it seemed a year ago, when the prospect of Starter: Paki O'Meara horrified the Hawkeye masses prior to Shonn Greene's triumphant arrival. Looking to fill Greene's Shaq-sized 1800-yard back shoes will be Jewel Hampton, provided. Hampton played pretty well in spot duty last year, carrying the ball 91 times for 5.1 yards a pop. He has to stay healthy, and that's not going so well. The passing game revolves around Ricky Stanzi, who has given Iowa football something it has sorely lacked since Drew Tate's sophomore year with consistent play at the quarterback position, but Derrell Johnson-Koulianos needs to get himself back in the good graces of the coaching staff, who have placed him third (!) on the fall depth chart. Ferentz isn't a total idiot, so I imagine Koulianos will get back on the field, in a starting capacity, and he'll do it by September 5th.

Iowa's defense was solid last year, and the fact that seven of the top ten tacklers return may may you a bit queasier about the game, but remember: two of the best players on last year's defense, Mitch King and Matt Kroul, are goners. Iowa won't find anyone who'll even approximate their interior dominance, but if they can just get close enough to it, they're a lock to be a top-3 Big Ten defense. Pat Angerer - who continues a proud Iowa tradition of fantastically-named defenders like Klinkenborg and Humpal - is the leader of the defense.

Fun with statistics:

I do not doubt that Ricky Stanzi is good, but I must admit, I smirked a bit when I saw that 8 of his 14 touchdown passes came against FIU, Indiana and Minnesota.

With the departure of Andy Brodell and Brandon Myers, Iowa loses 37 percent of its receving production from last year. Might not seem like much, but Myers notched 34 grabs on the year last year, and the next-most productive receiver caught just 11. The passing attack will rely more on Johnson-Koulianos than ever.

As good as Iowa's defense was last year, the team as a whole notched just seventeen sacks on the season, five of which left with King and Kroul.

My prediction: Ohio State and Iowa have a quite a bit in common this year - quarterbacks looking to improve on breakout first-year seasons, a star runningback being replaced with a capable back-up and a spectacular defense that might end up being sub-par in one key area: the defensive interior. While I expect Ohio State to find a fairly good replacement to Nader Abdallah, it seems Iowa is just going to throw in a batch of random bodies alongside Karl Klug and hope someone does something other than breathe. Iowa's defense will still be very good, but it almost has to take a hit with the departure of "Kroul and Unusual Punishment", and I'm banking on that. At the very least, I'm hoping it does take a hit, because Iowa's '08 defense was statistically superior to Ohio State's, though it's doubtful they played an offense as good as USC's or Texas'. Expect this game to look a lot like the trip to Happy Valley the week prior, only this time, Ohio State will be able to pass its way out of an early deficit to secure a 24-16 win.

A Hawkeye's Thoughts: Hawkeye State from BHGP was kind enough to give us his thoughts on the game, and Iowa's season in general.

1. Give me one reason the Big Ten should fear Iowa in 2009.

Which team in the top half of the final Big Ten standings returns 18 of 23 starters from a year ago, including five all-Conference selections, a quarterback with a year of experience under his belt, the conference's best offensive lineman (and arguably the best line in general), and six of a defensive back seven that led the conference in interceptions. In fact, only Minnesota has more returning starts, and they're still coached by Tim Brewster. Inexperienced Iowa is scary for us. Experienced Iowa is scary for you.

2. Name a player whose name opposing fans should keep in mind when discussing Iowa. Preferably one we don't already know about..

The beauty of the current Iowa depth chart is there are so few unknown quantities: There are only 3 starters to replace on each side of the ball, and the openings on offense have ready-made, experienced replacements. If you need someone you haven't heard of, watch for Broderick Binns, a defensive end. It looks increasingly likely that one of Iowa's returning ends will move inside as a replacement at defensive tackle and open a spot for Binns, who stood out in rotation duty during the second half of last season and has been described as "unblockable" this fall by the staff. Iowa lost Mitch King and Matt Kroul, but it's not completely out of the question that the defensive line will be better against the pass and competent against the run. Binns will likely be the key.

3. Taking off the black and gold rec specs for a minute - what do you think Iowa's record will be in 2009?

I'm saying 8-4, followed by a bowl win. Ferentz made a good point last week: It's possible - maybe even likely - that Iowa is a better team this season but doesn't have the record to show for it. Road games against Iowa State, Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State are all certainly losable, and the home contests against Northwestern and Michigan are far from gimmies. I can't see Iowa getting through the road schedule with less than three losses, and it's certainly possible they lose a fourth or drop a game at Kinnick. With that said, getting Ohio State late in the schedule gives the Hawks a shot to repeat the Penn State upset from last season; Ferentz-era Iowa teams show near-uniform improvement over the course of the year, and getting them late in the season is a curse generally reserved for Wisconsin and Minnesota.

4. Was Kirk Ferentz ever genuinely on the hot seat in Iowa city? If so, did last season cool it off quite a bit?

No, not really; if he was, he's not anymore. There is a small but vocal minority of the fanbase who call the postgame show and break into hysterics after every loss, but they're not any real threat to the throne. Iowa football, by the very nature of the recruiting base, is a player-development-heavy operation. It's inevitable that, if players don't develop as expected and/or scholarship limits and player attrition force Iowa to field a young lineup, there will be down cycles. That is precisely what happened in 1988-89, when a national championship contender with 29 wins in 3 years, went 11-10-3. It happened in 1992-94, when a 10-1-1 team was followed by three consecutive .500 seasons. And it happened 2006 and 2007, as off-the-field issues decimated the ranks and the most highly-touted (and now clearly most disappointing) recruiting class in school history flamed out. Those with a long view of Iowa football, who have some historical perspective, understand that and refrain from breaking out the torches and pitchforks.

5. Make an off-the-cuff prediction for the Ohio State game.

The Iowa defensive line, never great at getting to the quarterback but always disciplined in containment, stops Pryor from scrambling outside/running the pistol option, and forces him to throw. Given what I saw from your quarterback last year, your returning receivers, and the November date, I feel good about any game where Terrelle Pryor has to throw the ball more than 20 times. Hampton runs effectively behind that line, Stanzi throws as necessary, and Iowa squeaks out a 21-17 win.

That, or we lose by 40.

Pryor has his share of doubters, doesn't he? Nick Siciliano, your time is now.

Position Outlook : Defensive Tackle

Sam @ WWAHT — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:00:13 -0000

Dougie Smooth (image courtesy cleveland.com)

Even with arguably the heaviest rotation on the entire team the past two seasons, defensive tackle is still a bit of a question mark heading into the '09 season following the graduation of Nader Abdallah. Abdallah developed into an adequate run-stuffer in 2008, after spending a few seasons either injured our out of shape. With Cameron Heyward's move back outside, the question marks are proliferating. Early in the season last year, the defensive tackles were, to put it kindly, lackluster. Against Ohio and USC the run defense got shredded, but by the time the Texas game rolled around, the unit had solidified. Perhaps Texas isn't the best example, however:

Name	G	Att	Yards	Avg.	TD	Att/G	Yards/G

36	Northern Illinois	13	501	2226	4.44	22	38.54	171.23
37	Nebraska	13	487	2210	4.54	27	37.46	170.00
38	Illinois	12	460	2034	4.42	17	38.33	169.50
39	UAB	12	435	2027	4.66	19	36.25	168.92
40	Troy	13	449	2178	4.85	23	34.54	167.54
41	Texas	13	508	2177	4.29	33	39.08	167.46
42	Indiana	12	445	2003	4.50	19	37.08	166.92
43	LSU	13	495	2168	4.38	27	38.08	166.77

As most of you probably already know, Colt McCoy was the 'Horns' leading rusher on the season, and the Bucks held them to an astonishing 54 yards of 29 attempts. Of course, it could be argued that Texas didn't need to run the ball when McCoy was dicing the secondary to the tune of 414 yards. So what is a good example of the unit solidifying? How about Penn State? Ohio State held Penn State 90 yards below its average for the season in their October meeting, and when combining that with the unbelievable amounts of pressure Ohio State applied to Daryl Clark, I think it's safe to say the entire line had jelled by that point in time. But now, Nader Abdallah, the most consistent guy on that line, is gone. In his place will be Dexter Larimore, possibly the strongest guy on the team. Larimore hasn't quite found his way yet, but if he's ever going to become a star, the time is now.

His fellow nominal starter will be Doug Worthington, a converted DE who, just using the eyeball test, still appears out of place in the center of the Buckeye defensive front at 6'7" and 276 pounds. I always worry when I see him out there, because any opposing interior lineman worth his salt will know to get under his bads and escort him into the secondary. Worthington hasn't been Pat Massey levels of bad, but the potential is at least there, against the better offensive lines on the schedule (*cough* USC *cough*). At least he knows how to pose for badass pictures in the middle of a game.

Todd Denlinger will probably be the first guy off the bench once the rotation kicks in. This is Todd's senior year, and he's probably hoping for a Nader-style breakout season after three years of frustrating inconsistency. The fierce beard and piercing stare are quite impressive, but his numbers are not. In 27 career games, he has notched 24 tackles and one sack, against Wisconsin.

Garrett Goebel will be the next guy in. A touted recruit two years ago who redshirted last year, Garrett is also quite large at 6'5" and 280 pounds but more of a wide body than all but perhaps Larimore. This kid's the future, though; if anyone's poised to be the Nader Abdallah type who actually carves out a consistent niche for himself, it'll probably be him,

A couple caveats: Both redshirt freshman Willie Mobley (seen here in the Pryor tat photo) and Cameron Heyward have the size and versatility to rotate between the inside and the outside, and the spring depth chart listed the oft-injured Mobley at DT. Mobley is basically a carbon copy of Heyward in terms of size and athleticism. I didn't include Mobley in the defensive end discussion, because I think - assume, rather - that this is where he'll stick. Now that Shawntel Rowell is apparently an academic casualty, freshmen John Simon and Adam Bellamy are going to have to play bigger roles. Whether that means field time for any of them is up in the air, but my gut says yes. Big Ten teams will work this interior hard, because it's the closest thing the front seven will have to a weakness. Thus, guys will get tired out and fresh legs will be needed. Simon and/or Bellamy will probably see late-game and mop-up action, at the very least. Watch out for Simon though - word is he's a physical freak, but the disparity in the Rivals and Scout ratings (3-star to Rivals, 36th-best DT, 5-star to Scout, fifth best DT) are a tad troubling. Nevertheless, I'm optimistic for the future of both, as both are large, and most of all wide - not bamboo sticks like Worthington, who plays his heart out but can't overcome his physical limitations in his current position.

Overall, this should be a unit that is merely good. Not exceptional. The experience and depth simply aren't there for an elite unit, and there isn't an experienced, consistent run-stuffer in the entire crop. One could develop, but until that happens, this will be the area to watch when the other guys have the ball for at least the first few games of the season.

Rumblings Authors Mock, V2.0 - WABillsfan's Take

Brian Galliford — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:15:07 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

7 months ago: FILE - In this Jan. 1, 2008 file photo, Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers (91) sacks Wisconsin quarterback Tyler Donovan (12) during the second quarter of the Outback Bowl football game in Tampa, Fla. Ayers is a top prospect in the 2009 NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius, File)

Browse more photos »

Ed. Note, by Brian Galliford: Our resident left-coaster, WABillsfan, takes center stage in the wee hours of the morning (east coast time) to present the seventh of nine Rumblings Authors Mocks, which you've been reading (perhaps with a bit more anxiety for the weekend each go of it) over the past five days. What does WA think the Buffalo Bills should do this coming weekend? We'll let him explain himself from here. End Note

Trades
We move Roscoe Parrish to the Titans after talks with Kansas City do not go very far, as they wanted too much in conjunction with Roscoe to get OG Brian Waters. We get the No. 130 pick from the Titans in exchange for him; the Titans need an established return man who can also help out Kerry Collins in the passing game.

We then call the Buccaneers and offer them Chris Kelsay for their seventh rounder, just trying to unload the salary he commands. The Bucs still need to add some bodies to reach the salary cap floor, so they do the deal and we get the No. 217 pick.

Draft picks
11, 28, 42, 75, 110, 121, 130, 147, 183, 217, 220

Top Ten (for both mocks)
1-1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
1-2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
1-3. Kansas City Chiefs: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
1-4. Seattle Seahawks: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
1-5. Cleveland Browns: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
1-6. Cincinnati Bengals: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
1-7. Oakland Raiders: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
1-8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
1-9. Green Bay Packers: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
1-10. San Francisco 49ers: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

Mock One: Bills Take OT Early
1-11: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama. Fat man, meet Bills fans. Now don't become the next Mike Williams.

1-28: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee. Either Ayers or Michael Johnson is the pick here if they are still around at this point. Clay Matthews is also a possibility, especially if the ends are gone by then.

2-42: Max Unger, G/C, Oregon. We luck into the find of the year, getting ourselves a superior swing player to start immediately at RG (since I think Brad Butler will move to LG in this situation to assist Smith at LT). He can also play C in a pinch too! Langston Walker gets to stay at RT - his normal spot - and we now have Seth McKinney, Kirk Chambers and Demetrius Bell as backups.

3-75: Jason Williams, LB, Western Illinois. Tyrone McKenzie or Marcus Freeman work here, too. McKenzie is my first choice, but I think Williams could be a fine SLB as well. I have a feeling we will not see McKenzie make it to us at this spot, though. I think we end up with Williams, who is a heady player (called all the shots on his team's D), has great sideline-to-sideline speed, can strip the ball, fill in the hole and also can play coverage. I think he might push Keith Ellison to the bench by mid-season if we get him signed and onto the practice field ASAP.

The rest of this mock, as well as a "no-OT-early" scenario, after the jump.

4-110: Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida. We need someone better to pair up with our boy Derek Fine, and I think Ingram could be it. Yeah, he got hurt last year, and there are some concerns about his knee, but he was showing some serious pass catching ability, has the size to become a good blocker with some tutoring. Otherwise it might end up being Bear Pascoe, which would allow us to go with heavy sets of two TE and our behemoth line for Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch to run behind.

4-121: Lardarius Webb, CB, Nicholls State. Here we get obligatory DB pick so Dick Jauron can get that out of his system. This kid is an interesting person due to his speed (4.35), the fact he has return experience, and his 5 INT last season - three of which he returned for scores. He also ran the ball 9 times for 129 yards and caught a pass for 27, so he can do it all - our own Jack Of All Trades to help the team out. He is a player I would consider grabbing slightly early to insure Bobby April is kept happy.

4-130: The Ghost of Rob Johnson. (Ed. Note, by BG: Good ol' WA re-tooled his mock so many times that he straight up forgot he traded Roscoe Parrish. The Bills passed on the pick all the way until the close of the draft - experts continue to debate whether there was, in fact, a "Mr. Irrelevant" this year.)

5-147: Sammie Lee Hill, DT, Stillman. A very big boy, this small school prospect could be a steal when he gets some tutoring at the pro level and gets to learn from a guy like Marcus Stroud. He had 14 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks this past year, so he can get to the QB or RB in the backfield. A project to be sure, but one with a lot of upside for this spot.

6-183: Deon Butler, WR, Penn State. PSU's all-time leading receiver, he has shown some serious wheels recently, but is more of a Josh Reed clone in that the kid will do whatever it takes to move the chains. He has quickness, sure hands, and is tough as nails. A former walk on, this is the type of lunch pail player the Bills like to talk about drafting. We also need to fill Parrish's roster spot in the WR corps (Ed. Note by BG: maybe he didn't forget...), and he would do that.

7-217: Mesphin Forrester, S, Washington. This UW product can lay the lumber and also make plays (1 TFL, 2 INT, 2 PBU, 1 FR, 1 FF). The big issue with him is speed (4.52 in the 40) and some concern about tight hips. But hey, this is the seventh round.

7-220: Nader Abdallah, DT, Ohio State. He was known for being a very good run stopper at OSU and this allows the Bills to fill their quota of Buckeyes players to be drafted each year. Luckily it isn't a DB this time around. His line (19 TT, 3 TFL, 1 SK) isn't very impressive, but he was known for taking up two guys on a regular basis. He can pack some more weight on as his frame is large and he is still young. I see him as a practice squad guy whose job is to get bigger and stronger then contribute a year or two down the line.

Mock Two: No OT Early
1-11: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee. We now have Kelsay's replacement on hand, but a much more talented version.

1-20: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State. We trade No. 28 to Detroit along with Nos. 110 and 130. They get shorted a bit on the trade value chart, but they'll take three picks to make it happen.

2-42: Max Unger, G/C, Oregon

3-75: Jason Williams, LB, Western Illinois

4-121: T.J. Lang, OG, Eastern Michigan. Here we get someone who can be a backup for Bell and Unger and let the former college LT duke it out with Unger for the RG spot. He never missed a game and shows good feet. He's not athletic enough to be a NFL LT, but could become a very serviceable RT in a pinch in case we lose Bell and/or Chambers to injury. He plays with a mean streak, and I think he is what the Bills are looking for - big, some athletic ability, and likes to hit people HARD.

5-147: Lardarius Webb, CB, Nicholls State

6-183: Deon Butler, WR, Penn State

7-217: Mesphin Forrester, S, Washington

7-220: Nader Abdallah, DT, Ohio State

Thursday Morning links and notes

Kirkendall — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:26:40 -0000

The players, not the coaches, front office or even the media, are telling you, the fans to stick with them, hang in there with and for them. Antonio Chatman even believes that the Bengals "will be in the playoffs and we will be running for a championship this year."

John Thornton relates and understands the fan's point of view, having lost so many games in the 90s through 2002. "You know, when I'm retired and a fan, I'll have those same feelings."

Perry isn't worried about critics, nor injury. "It's out of my hands. I can't control that. So for me to worry is a waste of time."

Kenny Watson would be in Real Estate if he wasn't playing football.

Willie Anderson is in high demand right now.

Interesting results on an Enquirer survey regarding the Bengals.

WDR thinks that the Bengals should include a clause in Jeremi Johnson's contract fining him per day for being overweight. The only problem is that the Bengals can't just add something into the contract. Johnson is signed through 2011, and gets paid handsomely for a fullback. Maybe restructuring his contract isn't a bad thing; nor a clause for his weight. But Johnson would have to agree to it.

Robert Geathers picked up some skills while playing linebacker last year that he'll apply returning as a pass rushing end.

Carson Palmer press conference
Marvin Lewis press conference

DeDe Dorsey likes kick boxing.

Bobbie Williams is proud to be a big family guy.

Antwan Odom on injury: "No pain, no soreness, nothing. I taped it up and it didn't bother me a bit," Odom said Wednesday of his practice experience Monday. "No restrictions. I just tape it up and go. I want to prove to the fans that I belong here."

How does the defense feel about being the weakest link on this team? Mike Zimmer says, "I think they're tired of all that stuff."

The Bengals newest fullback Reagan Maui'a was arrested back in April for misdemeanor battery.

Bad publicity will always take precedence over all the good that players do in the community that never gets documented.

AROUND THE LOCAL COLLEGE SCENE

Paul Daugherty asks where the UC buzz is. Apparently he doesn't read this blog.

The NCAA denied Mauk, again, saying:

“Our review of the facts as presented and possible mitigating factors for this eligibility request was extensive and thorough, exhausting all avenues in the administrative procedures and ensuring a fair process for this student-athlete,” said Carol Iwaoka, the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee chair and associate commissioner of the Big Ten Conference. “Even after reviewing the latest information, the committee was unable to identify compelling factors that might be viewed as beyond the control of the student-athlete and the University of Cincinnati.”

Is it now on the University of Cincinnati to give the Big East a boost?

Brian Kelly press conference

Head coach Jim Tressel gave the seniors a box of 12 marbles, each one representing how many games are left in their college career, pointing out how quickly they go.

Buckeyes defensive lineman Nader Abdallah is a New Orleans native, and thankful that Gustav wasn't a repeat of Katrina.