SB Nation User Blog: Law Buckeye

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - Nos. 69-67

Law Buckeye — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:13:52 -0000

No. 69 - Going Out with a Bang

That's how we do it in Big Ten Country. On the eve of Minnesota's last game in the Metrodome -- a 55-0 pounding by Iowa -- two fans took the time to consummate the occasion. The Minneapolis Star Tribune describes it best:

While the Iowa Hawkeyes were scoring at will on the field Saturday night, two fans from the Hawkeye State were scoring elsewhere in the Metrodome.

Police say a man and woman were "having relations" in a bathroom stall as a crowd cheered them on.

Ross M. Walsh, 26, of Linden, Iowa, and Lois K. Feldman, 38, of Carroll, Iowa, were cited for misdemeanor indecent conduct. Walsh was released to his girlfriend and Feldman to her husband, police said.

A security guard came upon the scene in the handicapped stall, police said. Police were summoned, and they separated the two.

Both were intoxicated, said University Deputy Police Chief Chuck Miner.

Thanks, Chuck. I wondered about that.

I don't know who I'm more concerned about here, the couple themselves, or the bystanders cheering them on

No. 68 - "Boiler Up"

It's time to light a fire. This freight train of slogan, chanted before kickoff to the beat of locomotive whistle is how Purdue fans get pumped up.

No. 67 - The Snow Bowl

November 25th, 1950 is a date forever enveloped in the myth and mystery of the greatest rivalry in all of sports. That's the day the Men of the Scarlet and Grey suited up to take on Michigan's Wolverines in the most unfriendly of conditions. As the Ohio State University archives describe:

The game was played in the teeth of a full-scale blizzard, five inches of snow on the ground and snow whistling through the air, borne on a 29-mile-per-hour gale. Despite the fact it was the worst blizzard in 37 years in Columbus, the Ohio capital easily defended its title as the football craziest town in the nation. A total of 50,503 persons braved the elements, staying below deck, under the Stadium, until just a few minutes before the kickoff.

Michigan won the game, 9-3, despite never earning a first down and failing on all nine pass attempts. The teams punted 45 times, sometimes on first down.

Everyone over 70 in Columbus claims to have been there. Everyone under 70 wishes they had been.

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - Nos. 72-70

Law Buckeye — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:51:22 -0000

No. 72 - Nighttime Halides

Sure, most stadiums brim with color, but few fortresses are as brutally blinding as Beaver Stadium at night. As Sports Illustrated's Stewart Mandel writes:

"If I was a Circuit City employee trying to woo a customer into buying a $2,000 High-definition plasma television, the first thing I would show him is Saturday night's broadcast of the Penn State-Illinois game. Even seeing it for a third time, it was impossible not to be awed by the visual grandeur of Penn State's "White Out," which manages to turn a 110,000-seat stadium one enormous flashbulb. It's powerful, it's organized (right down to the block "S" in one corner) and, quite frankly, it's awesome.

Two words of advice to all the other schools trying to mimic it: Just stop. Seriously."

No. 71 - Midwest Farmer's (Sons &) Daughters

You can't talk college in the heartland without giving a nod to the collective co-eds that keep the crowd pumped up on the sidelines. From mega-mounts to megaphones, Big Ten Cheerleaders are some of the sweetest around.

No. 70 - Polar Express

Situated parallel, and less than a mile from the dark breakers of Lake Michigan, Northwestern's Ryan Field has a serious wind problem. In November, these brazen bursts become bone chilling. The solution for the numb? A rich cup of hot chocolate from the stadium concession stand. Served frothy and thick in large styrofoam cups, this sweet tongue-searing elixir is a second-half haven.

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - No. 73 - Carmen Ohio

Law Buckeye — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:44:39 -0000

If the first notes of this burgeoning hymn of bells and brass isn't a welcoming interlude to the Pearly Gates, tell Heaven nevermind. This courageous psalm is a ghastly beacon of comfort, and tradition for the souls that walk the pebbly paths next to the University's Orton Hall at night.

As Wikipedia remarks, "Carmen Ohio is the oldest school song still used by The Ohio State University. The song was composed by freshman Fred Cornell on the train ride home from Ann Arbor, Michigan, after Ohio State suffered an 86-0 loss to the University of Michigan Wolverines. Set to the tune Spanish Hymn, or Spanish Chant, the Men's Glee Club first performed the song in 1903."

Sung by the team after every game on bended knee, the stands filled with swaying students, shoulder-to-shoulder, Carmen is the heart and soul of generations. It's words are for spirit, for loyalty, for valor, for strength...for Ohio.

Oh come let's sing Ohio's praise

And songs to Alma Mater raise

While our hearts rebounding thrill

With joy which death alone can still

Summer's heat or winter's cold

The seasons pass the years will roll

Time and change will surely (truly) show

How firm thy friendship ... OHIO!

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - No. 74 - Tale of Two Seasons

Law Buckeye — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:25:45 -0000

No. 74 - Tale of Two Seasons

Sure, it'd be great to wear short sleeves and cutoffs to a late November night game at Tiger Stadium. [Ed. Actually, that's a lie -- cutoffs suck]. And yeah, juleps really do taste best when the humidity is so thick your fingers web together on the outside of the glass. But, there's nothing like the seasonal variability of conference play in the Big Ten. From hot and hazy autumn afternoons, and bulb blue skies in September, to cross chill winds and powder gray blankets in November, the Midwest is true football weather.

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - Nos. 77-75

Law Buckeye — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:42:43 -0000

No. 77 - Hike, Mr. President

Before he was the 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford was a Wolverine. Alternating between center and linebacker, Ford led the maize and blue to two national titles in 1932 and 1933. He tackled Heisman recipient Jay Berwanger, and as Wikipedia reports:

Ford retained his interest in football and his alma mater throughout life, occasionally attending games and on one occasion asking to be awakened to find out the score of a Michigan-Ohio State football game, while attending a summit in the Soviet Union as President.^[19] Ford often had the Naval band play the University of Michigan fight song, The Victors, prior to state events instead of Hail to the Chief.^[20] He also selected the song to be played during his funeral procession at the U.S. Capitol.^[21] On his death in December 2006, the University of Michigan Marching Band played the fight song for him one final time, for his last ride from the Gerald R. Ford Airport in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

No. 76 - Jump Around

Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium is a House of Rain that loves House of Pain. This decade old tradition -- consummated between the third and fourth quarter of every home game -- sends the stadium skipping, after the first notes of the smash hit single flood the risers.

You can't really appreciate this one unless you've been there. It's a seismic experience that's second to none.

No. 75 - 41-41-2

Tight doesn't begin to espouse the series record between rivals Iowa and Wisconsin in the battle for the Heartland Trophy. These foes are currently flush, despite Wisconsin's having lost 18 in a row to the Hawkeyes between 1977-1996.

The next meeting between the schools is slated for October 17th in Madison. Naturally, the winner gets big time bragging rights.

Evaluating the Mechanics of Big Ten Running Backs - Dan Herron

Law Buckeye — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:22:56 -0000

Dan "Boom" Herron (Ohio State)

Anytime you lose a perennial 1,110 yards plus back, there's big shoes to fill. Chalk on the responsibility of cementing a young, and hauntingly predictable offense, and elite expectations, and you've got a load to carry. Has Ohio State's Daniel "Boom" Herron bitten off more than he can chew? Let's take a trip into the film room.

The Pivot (A-):

Stance (A): Herron stays flexed in a nice, solid, high and even "ready" position stance.
Consistency (A-): Herron consistently keeps his head up, and cocked slightly to the right in an unflinching resolve. There's no keying on the hole here.
The Pivot (B): Instead of turning his head and shoulders, Dan glances sideways, circling his inside leg in a tango-like fashion. The result is superfluous -- wasting valuable time on the blocks.
The Step (A-): Although a little short, Herron's initial step is powerful and direct, launching him into a chain-like rattle of motion.

The Carry (B+):

Handoff (B+): Herron's elbow is a little flat on carries to the middle, resulting in a "soft" delivery.
Cover/Security (B): Dan flaps a bit with the ball, although he keeps it shored up tightly, with his forearm draped diagionally in front. One thing he doesn't seem to do very much is transfer the ball from side-to-side. This is important, especially on off-tackle runs with cutbacks.
Avoidance (B+): Skates effortlessly off-tackle and on sweeps. Doesn't try to "shake and bake," relying instead on a lateral series of sidesteps to avoid closing linebackers. Stays away from defender's shoulders, frequently glancing off outstretched arms.
Second-Effort (B+): It's touch to tell on this one, since Herron isn't used much as a dive back. I'd be good to see a little more churning action on the legs after the initial contact.

Overall: A-

[Editors Note: I completed this evaluation using spring game and live game footage.]

Big Ten Report Card

Dan Herron (A-)

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - No. 78 - You Can Work For Us Someday

Law Buckeye — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 05:08:23 -0000

No. 78 - You Can Work For Us Someday

The Association of American Universities is "a nonprofit association of 60 U.S. and two Canadian preeminent public and private research universities." Comprised of leading research institutions, it sets the bell curve on post-secondary innovation. How so? Well, "Since 1999, 43% of all Nobel Prize winners and 74% of winners at U.S. institutions have been affiliated with an AAU university."

All eleven Big Ten schools are members.

By comparison, the SEC boasts two AAU member schools.

We've got brawn and brains, baby.

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - No. 79 - Big Ass Turkey Leg

Law Buckeye — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:18:33 -0000

No. 79 - Big Ass Turkey Leg

In Iowa City, brisket is for pansies. Bar-B-Que is for Curly Cues. That's because there's Chucky. The man who sells the famous Big Ass Turkey Legs on Melrose Avenue outside Kinnick Stadium. The cost? $5.

Sure you can play, but can you tailgate? As an uninitiated mother tells the tale:

"I knew that large colleges played football and that it seemed to involve bare-chested guys in freezing weather and beer, but that was about as far as it went.

That was before Iowa.

Before last weekend, I didn’t know that in Iowa, people got up before dawn to head out for tailgating.

I didn’t know that people parked RVs in lots, set up big-screen TVs and spent the entire day cooking, eating and drinking.

I didn’t know that they started drinking at 7 a.m. I didn’t know why anyone would want to start drinking at 7 a.m."

Hey lady, don't spoil the surprise, we've still got 78 entries to go.

Evaluating the Mechanics of Big Ten Running Backs - Part 1

Law Buckeye — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:39:29 -0000

Three short weeks ago, we took things in a new direction by debuting an "elements" series on the site. The result: Evaluating the Mechanics of Big Ten Quarterbacks. Ten profiles later*, we're ready for our sophomore effort. Let's take a look at the bread and butter of offensive happenings -- the founding fundamentals of the ground game.

It's time to survey the running backs.

Before we get started, let's get one thing straight: this isn't your usual crop of backfield bruisers. Departed are five of the Big Ten's top ten rushers from 2008. Greene, Ringer, Wells, Sheets, and Thigpen are gone. In their place are talented but untested hopefuls.

As a result, we'll keep this series on a "what have you done for me lately?" level. Using spring practice film, and recent metrics we'll see if any of these young souls has what it takes to play savior in a land where of Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust still reigns supreme. Like before, we'll ignore statistics, and focus only on fundamentals.

* Yeah, we know. We skipped Michigan State on purpose. After making a good-faith effort, we concluded that there just wasn't enough film on either Keith Nichol or Kirk Cousins to complete a balanced evaluation. Accordingly, both fall into the TBD category.

Running: A Primer

But first, we'll need a profile. So like before, let's address another deceptively simple question: what does a good runner look like?

1. The Pivot

As McCarthy tells us, "Many people seem to feel that the glory of football is found at the running back position...The running backs put the numbers up...[t]hey get hit...hard...buck[ing] the line with a full and reckless abandon."

The runner needs to be able to seamlessly move in any direction in the simplest way possible. Good backs start in a "ready" position - feet spread wide, palms on knees, and eyes beamed forward. Some stay up, for visibility -- others drop into a "set" position, sacrificing a birds eye view for pure speed.

To facilitate lateral movement, backs keep their legs spread -- the inside foot back slightly for balance. The inside hand is straight down. Again, this maintains balance. "The body is tense, coiled and ready to spring. The toes are straight ahead, or even pointed outward a bit since the push comes from the inside front or balls of the feet." (McCarthy, p. 49).

One thing that cannot be understated is the importance of getting into the same stance every time. Defenses are trained to look for indications of a back's disposition. Angle in -- it's a dive. Turn out -- it's a sweep. Do either: it's a tackle for a loss.

A good back pivots towards the hole before taking his first step. This orients his momentum, and saves precious time. The head and shoulder move simultaneously with a push off the opposite foot.

The step comes naturally, a large push off the leading foot. "The idea is to take off low, stay low, and...build up speed with strong churning arm movement." (McCarthy, p. 51).

2. The Carry

"A running back should not worry about the quarterback. The quarterback's job is to get the ball to the runner safely. The runner must look at the gap he will run through." (McCarthy, p. 51).

The ball should land in the runner's midsection, just above his waistline. If the play goes to the middle of the line, the runner should receive the ball with the near elbow flexed chest high. If the play goes to the outside, the runner can opt to take the ball with his arms out.

Penn State's Evan Royster steps and heads for daylight.

Here we're looking for cover and security. Both hands should be curled around the ends of the ball in a muscular fashion. Cuddle the carry, and the ball will launch at the first tackle attempt. To protect against a fumble, solid backs "jam the point of the ball into the pocket between the upper arm and ribs, just below the armpit." (McCarthy, p. 51). The forearm then traces the length of the ball -- the fingers spread to the interior, providing a horizontal buttress.

"Now it's time to get yardage. The single focus of the running back must be to get as much yardage as possible. He doesn't worry about the tackler; he looks...for daylight." (McCarthy, p. 52). The best backs avoid the shoulders of would-be tacklers. They run through outstretched arms, maneuvering in short controlled bursts of energy -- never letting the body become disjointed from the legs.

They drive, fall-forward, and lunge. Stiff-arm, step out, and crossover.

A good runner always gives a valiant second-effort.

That's all for now. You know the drill. Later this week we'll use this profile to critique various Big Ten rushers.

80 Reasons to Love the Big Ten - No. 80 - Paul Bunyan's Axe

Law Buckeye — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:42:58 -0000

As a prelude to the 2009 season, for the next two and a half months we'll be recounting the faces, spirit, and legends of the Granddaddy of All Conferences. As we wrote when we first joined the network:

If you've ever visited Northwestern's Ryan Field on a Saturday in late-November - the Chicago wind ripping off the lake like some aberration from a Jack London novel, skipped Friday classes to drive across the Bible Belt for a game under the lights at Kinnick, peeled off half your face from sun exposure after an early-season kick in East Lansing, lost yourself in a maize and blue flood at the corner of Stadium & Main, danced in the freezing rain at Camp Randall, sat under the blinding white halides at Beaver Stadium, or been born-again in the ‘Shoe you understand why Big 10 football is a religion.

It's just lately the world has become a little agnostic.

College's oldest Division 1 conference enters the modern era with the thick-knuckles and high-brow of Fitzgerald's last tycoon - thick-blooded, sweet, and slow to change, like a vintage port.

Here are 80 reasons why the Big Ten will only get better with age:

No. 80 - The Oldest Rivalry in the FBS

Sure, there are more famous entries, but none predates Wisconsin-Minnesota, and the battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. As GopherSports.com describes:

"At 116 games and counting, the series between Minnesota and Wisconsin ranks as the longest in Division 1-A football; and "Paul Bunyan’s Axe" has the history of one of college football’s fiercest rivalries emblazoned on its six-foot long handle. The first game in the series, a 63-0 Gopher victory in 1890, is printed on the handle near the axe’s head."