Archives for September 2010

(I’m trying something new here. Feedback is welcome.)

I’ve always wondered if there really is a chip-on-your-shoulder mentality that people talk about in these intrastate football games. Players are usually motivated by their own desire, what their teammates bring out of them and ultimately what their coaches are able to coach out of them. Does the environment and opponent have an effect? The accepted wisdom is that players from smaller Ohio schools (your Akrons and Toledos and OUs) play with a little more passion, a little more heart because they were “snubbed” by not being recruited by Ohio State. It’s a valid assumption but is it based in any sort of reality?

We’ve seen it more than once, a lesser MAC team comes into the Horseshoe and play inspired and completely out of the their collective team gourd. We fans fret and think to ourselves, “come on, this is Akron. Finish Them!” But but in the back of our minds there’s a confidence that says, “this well end in our favor.” And since the 1920s, it has. Where did this inspired play come from? Was it really a collective effort to prove they’ve got it? That they deserve to be on the same field?

You may remember the pain inflicted on Ohio State in two consecutive years by the Lou Holtz-led South Carolina (yes, not an Ohio school, but stick with me) and their wiley running back Ryan Brewer. You remember being reminded (over and over again) that Brewer was Mr. Ohio in football but didn’t get a call from John Cooper. Whether his performance was fueled by the perceived snub or he just had a really good day, he still went bananas that day on Ohio State in the 2001 Outback Bowl. Where did the motivation come from? It had to come from somewhere.

So does it exist? Or is it just another myth perpetuated by the media and mindlessly heeded and repeated by fans of all stripes? I know I’ve repeated the mantra before but now I’m starting to doubt it. On a logical level, it makes perfect sense. Of course that would motivate me! Perhaps. I’d like to say we, as fans, are a little smarter than we were back then, but what gets borne out on the field?

And now this week it’s going to be amplified because the Posey brothers go head to head in this game.

Sibling rivalry is nothing new but brings an interesting twist. How many times have brothers not only played on opposing teams, but played opposing positions? And what does this do in terms of the talent differential? Julian was a decent football player coming out of high school but DaVier was a five-star prospect that had interest from teams all across the country. So one brother has more talent. Does that motivate Julian to play any better? We’ll see. But blood is thicker than Gatorade. DaVier and Julian have a relationship that’s deeper than football. As he said, in reference to his brother, “that’s my best friend.” No matter how this game turns out, that relationship is a beautiful thing.

So that brings us to the game. Remember, Ohio had OSU up against the wall in 2008, leading Ohio State going in to the fourth quarter. But was it because of inspired play by the spurned OU players or was it a sudden change of play style when Boo Jackson entered the game?

There are physical limitations and talent imbalances and sometimes you’re just not as good as the guy across from you. It’s not just the talent. It’s the training, the conditioning and the depth. The underdog factor is only going to carry a team so far and ultimately you might have a big play here and a breakdown in your favor there, but in the end the better team pulls away.

And that’s what should happen in the Horseshoe on Saturday.

Ohio State 48
Ohio 6

State of the Big Ten

So stop me if you’ve heard this one before…

A young Michigan quarterback leads the Wolverines back for a big win against hated rival Notre Dame and Michigan is back! Last year Tate Forcier accounted for 3 total TD’s and over 300 yards total offense and threw a game winning TD with 11 seconds to go in the game. He was a hero and being mentioned for the Heisman. Michigan was official “back.” They were ranked in the top 25 after the Notre Dame win and all was right with the world, except for the fact that they finished 5-7.

Let’s fast forward to this year, Michigan has two wins vs. bad to average teams and all of the sudden, once again they are back, this time under Denard Robinson. Robinson had a big game against Notre Dame and scored a TD with 27 seconds left on the clock. And once again after the win vs. ND, Michigan is ranked in the top 25 and is “back” according to all the talking heads out there. While I do believe they are better, I do not believe they are back. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Currently Penn State and their offense do not have an identity. Midway through the second quarter vs. Youngstown State the Nittany Lions were losing. Shades of Appalachian State were threatening. They finally got themselves together and routed the D1-AA school. The next test for PSU was mighty Alabama.

This game was not pretty. Penn State’s first team offense lead by true freshman quarterback Robert Bolden managed 0.0 (Howard Stern/Animal House reference) points and got a late FG with the backup QB in there.

At times it really did look like Alabama was toying with Penn State. Trent Richardson literally ran over the Penn State defense accounting for just under 200 yards total offense. Penn State is a team that could certainly get better as the season rolls along. They have got to get Even Royster going. So far the All American candidate has 72 yards rushing and is averaging 3.6 yard per carry with 0.0 TD’s.

The number 2 team in the country has lived up to its billing. Week one the Buckeyes crushed Marshall. After the game Marshall fans could be heard chanting, ”WE ARE”….”GLAD THEY DID’NT HANG 60 ON US.”

The next game was against the twelfth ranked Hurricanes of Miami. A game that was billed as a revenge game for Miami turned into a 19 pt lead for the Buckeyes in the third quarter and the Buckeye’s went into shutdown mode. Pryor had another huge game for Ohio State who looks like they will continue to roll.

This team has not yet been tested, and has a game coming up against #24 Arizona that should be a good barometer for the Hawkeyes. This team is steady as she goes. Lead by Stanzi and Robinson of offense, the Iowa O is not explosive but it is productive. It will be interesting to see how they fair against a decent Arizona team in Arizona.

Wisconsin has won their first two games against inferior opponents, but unlike Iowa has not done so in a convincing fashion. While the Badgers aren’t a team that is going to blow many teams out, they will play solid defense and will kill you with a potent rushing attack and play action passing game. Arizona State will be a good test for the Badgers as the look to move into Big Ten play.

After playing two nobody’s the Michigan State Spartans will host Notre Dame this Saturday, their first “test” of the year. Tailback Edwin Baker is lighting up the stat sheet and is leading all Big Ten tailbacks in rushing. It will be interesting to see what he can do against a real team.

Another 2-0 team in the Big Ten, the Wild Cats have started off strong in 2010. They started off the season knocking off SEC power house Vanderbilt (snicker, snicker) and may make some noise in the Big Ten. Northwestern does not have a difficult schedule and doesn’t play a ranked team until Penn State in November. The Wild Cats could be a sleeper in the Big Ten. Lead by athletic quarterback Dan Persa the Cats offense could be potent.

Only one game under the Hoosiers belt this young season, they are 1-0 beating Towson…whoever they are. The Hoosiers have a tough road ahead of them with 5 ranked Big Ten opponents. I like Indiana just because of their home town of Bloomington, or as I call it Columbus West.

Gone is Juice Williams and I’m not sure if Illinois fans are happy about that or not. He started off so strong and just really fizzled out. They dropped another game vs. Missouri and simply put aren’t very good. They will finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten.

They lost to Notre Dame. I refuse to talk about them.

They lost to South Dakota. I have no words for them either. Maybe they were looking past the Mighty Coyotes to USC…either than or they just suck. I’m going with the latter.

Overall the Big Ten Conference has certainly regained its lost mojo. This all started with a big bowl season last year and has continued with the resurgence of the Big Ten this year.

A year after getting sucker punched in a Florida restaurant Moeller’s college football career continues. Tyler suffered a severe head trauma that left him unable to participate for the Buckeyes last year. His football career had almost ended before it ever really began.

After a long rehab Moeller was cleared for full contact and ready to give football another shot. He won the starting position known as the star position and in his first two games back has made his presence felt.

Tyler is 2nd on the team in tackles with 13, just one behind leading tackler (and All American candidate) Ross Homan. Moeller is tied for 2nd in tackles for loss and tied for the team lead in sacks in this young season.

Moeller is the player that I am rooting for the most. I think he has a special place in the hearts of Buckeye fans not just for his play on the field which is outstanding, but more so for his dedication to the game he loves and the team he calls his own.

Moeller is already starting to standout on one of the very best defenses in the country and should have a very productive 2010 season for the Buckeyes. Welcome back Tyler Moeller!