Week #1: Naval Academy – Open Thread

FINALLY! It felt like this day would never get here, where we were sat less than twenty-four hours until kick-off.

Because I wore myself out writing last night, I’m making this one short. For starters, let’s look around the Buckeye web for previews: The O-Zone, Buckeye Commentary, Buckeye Planet, and our good pals at Eleven Warriors.

A few bullet points:

  • Starting against Navy seems like a double edged sword. On one hand, the defense should learn discipline and assignments. On the other hand, we’ll never see an offense like this again
  • Everyone is talking about it: the chop-block technique vital to the triple option attack. The makes it imperative that the offense get on the board early and often. Let the back-ups take the punishment. Someone is going to get hurt. This seems inevitable. The possibility makes me nervous.
  • Playing the run so much this week may pay off dividends for next week’s game against USC, since they may have to rely heavily on the run to take the burden off freshman Matt Barkley (if he is still the starter in week two).
  • Plenty of players should see the field this week. I’m looking forward to seeing the future of the Buckeyes in the third and fourth quarters.

Predictions

As we’ve done in the past, we plan on awarding prizes. Unfortunately they aren’t quite ready, so this week will be a warm up for the rest of the season. This week we’ve got three questions:

  • Final Score
  • Can the Buckeyes hold the triple-option attack to under 178 yards? How many yards do they give up?
  • Name one newcomer (non-starter from last year) to have the biggest impact on the game.

el Kaiser’s predictions
Final score: OSU 38 Navy 10
Rush defense: Yes, 159 yards
Newcomer: Brain Rolle

Sylvester Yon-Rambo’s predictions
Final score: OSU 52 Navy 3
Rush defense: Yes, 87 yards
Newcomer: Justin Boren

sportsMonkey’s predictions
Final score: OSU 27, Navy 13
Rush defense: Yes, 175 yards
Newcomer: Berry

Comments

  1. Final Score: OSU 27 Navy 6
    Rush Defense: 97 yards
    Newcomer: Jaamal Berry

  2. OSU 33 – Navy 16
    Navy with 190 yds
    Newcomer: Taurian Washington

  3. OSU 32 – Navy 6
    Navy 240 yards
    Newcomer: Devier Posey

  4. zfanatic: 97 yards for a team that rushes on every play? That would be neat, but I just can’t see it, particularly once the lead hits two touchdowns and the OSU defense relaxes.

Trackbacks

  1. […] The men at “Men of the Scarlet and Gray” make their final predictions and collect their thoughts on today’s opener at the stadium against the Naval Academy: “Everyone is talking about it: the chop-block technique vital to the triple option attack. The makes it imperative that the offense get on the board early and often. Let the back-ups take the punishment. Someone is going to get hurt. This seems inevitable. The possibility makes me nervous.” [El Kaiser] […]

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