Archives for July 2015

With Harbaugh At The Helm, THE GAME Looms Large In 2015 For Buckeyes

“The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on.” ~ Ulysses S. Grant

Leave it to a native Ohioan to spell it out what needs to be done in order to win. West Point graduate, Civil War general, and former United State President, I am willing to bet Ulysses S. Grant would have given football coaching a shot if it had been around in his day.

While counting down the days until the 2015 college football season begins, I thought I would pass the time by ranking and reviewing the upcoming 2015 Ohio State opponents, from least difficult to most difficult. This ranking system of mine will be highly subjective, prone to possibilities of injuries, transfers, or other unforeseen events that could dramatically impact its accuracy. As always, I encourage comments and critique about what I have projected.

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We are getting into the stretch of games that I believe will be challenging for Ohio State. Not impossible, not insurmountable, but the type of games and opponents that Ohio State fans would be wise to not overlook or be overconfident about as the games approach. I am willing to bet that Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff will be on guard against any overconfidence with the players.

Michigan Wolverines, AKA That Team Up North (Game 12)

2015 OSU Opponent Ranking: 2 out of 12

Players Recruited By Ohio State: DB Jabrill Peppers, DE Henry Poggi, LB Mike McCray, S Jarrod Wilson, RB Ty Isaac, DE Taco Charlton, RB Wyatt Shallman, TE Chase Winovich, RB De’Veon Smith, RB Derrick Green, DB Dymonte Thomas, LB Ben Gedeon, DL Chris Wormley, DE Tom Strobel, OT Mason Cole, OL David Dawson, OL Kyle Kalis, OL Logan Tuley-Tillman, DT Maurice Hurst Jr., WR Brian Cole, DE Lawrence Marshall. Ohioans from this group are McCray, Wilson, Charlton, Smith, Thomas, Gedeon, Wormley, Strobel, and Kalis. Derrick Green’s recruitment was ended after Ohio State began actively recruiting Ezekiel Elliott in 2013. I am more than willing to bet I may have inadvertently missed on some players; please let me know and I am happy to correct my error(s).

Game Date: November 28, 2015.

Kickoff Time: TBD

Location: Michigan Stadium

Rationale For The Ranking: THE GAME. ‘Nuff said.

Prediction: Anyone who says Ohio State can go into Ann Arbor confidently must not truly know their history of this rivalry. Look up at that list of players who were recruited by both programs, especially the players from Ohio who decided to spurn the Buckeyes in favor of That Team Up North. Do you think any of them want to halt a three year losing streak to Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer? Do you think any of them remember how close they were to victory the last time Ohio State was in Ann Arbor?

Throw out the record books. This one usually comes down to the wire. Jim Harbaugh will have the Wolverines ready to go, as Coach Meyer will have the Buckeyes ready also. More than likely a noon kickoff, this is a great way to conclude Thanksgiving weekend.

Previous Posts In The Series:

12 – Hawaii
11 – Western Michigan
10 – at Indiana
9 – at Illinois
8 – Maryland
7 – Northern Illinois
6 – at Rutgers
5 – Minnesota
4 – Penn State
3 – at Virginia Tech

Next Man Up Applies to Cover Suspensions

For a while now the Buckeye rumor mill has been churning at a very high squeal and fervor. There was talk about four Buckeye players going to get suspensions for some kind of violation. Yes there is rumor as to what the violations are, but until we here at MotSaG have some kind of confirmation, we will not be running with that information.

Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch tweeted this out today:

Seems the rumors were sadly true. ESPN and SportingNews.com are reporting that Corey Smith and Dontre Wilson are also on the suspended list for Game 1 against Virginia Tech.

Urban Meyer I am sure is going to discuss this later at his Big Ten Media Press Conference scheduled later today at 2:30-2:45pm EST. You can watch live on BTN if your cable or satellite company carries it or live on the BTNtoGo app. We will update this when we get more information.

8 Reasons Why Winning the National Title Kind of Sucks

Photo: foxsports.com

By: Ryan Black

 

It’s been awhile since I was able to write anything about those handsome boys in the gray pants. When we last met, I was handing out my first annual Negative Big Ten Awards as the Buckeyes were heading down South to take on you know who in the Sugar Bowl. Two games later, Ohio State was a National Champion for the second time in my miserable life.

There maybe two or three of you who actually remember my blog (hi Mom, hi Wife!), so here is a refresher- I’m not a glass half full kind of guy. To be honest, I’m more of a that glass is half empty and drinking it’s contents will probably give you listeria. So little surprise to myself, I can’t help but look at the downside of the Bucks winning it all and how it has affected me in a negative way.

Here’s 8 Reasons Why Winning the National Title Kind of Sucks:

 

 

 8. Paying tribute is expensive and time consuming

 

T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, shot glasses, socks, posters- It goes without saying that any true Buckeye must show off a new national title in every way to anybody who enters their house, I just wish I didn’t have to pay $11.99 for a one inch glass to put my Old Crow in.

I also decided to take it a step further and honor the 2015 champs with a weekly meal in honor of a different Buckeye player every Saturday until College Football starts again. I thought this awesome idea would help keep me “in season” during the dreaded time of mid-January until late-August. It started off well enough the first couple weeks. Bosa’s Bourbon Chicken, Zeke’s Steak Through the Heart of the South, Bell’s Stuffed Peppers were all huge hits. Unfortunately, we are 24 weeks later and I am running out of starters and alliteration ideas!

Now I am down to special teams and backups, what the hell can I make with Sean Nuernberger? This has been a very frustrating issue for me. But, I won’t dare give up this late in the game. I have 5 weeks left and if my wife has to eat Sam Hubbard’s Head Cheese Sandwich next Saturday, so be it.

 

7. I have an excuse to drink, every single night

 

Image result for workaholics drink

This one is a personal problem and will most likely last until Ohio State is no longer the defending champ. When a person debates whether an alcoholic drink is a good idea for the evening, a little voice in their head pops up and asks one question, “Is it worth it?” On weeknights this used to be a pretty easy question to answer for me. Of course it’s not worth it. The calories, the hangover, taking years off your life etc…

Now all that logic is overpowered by a big voice in my head, “Dude, we’re still national champs, drink up bud.”

Which leads directly into my next problem:

 

6. I can’t stop watching this video

 

Writing this sober, I’m cringing just thinking about this video. I’ve watched it so many times and I am so sick of it. Every word, every music note, every play I have memorized and it’s getting ridiculous. I’d rather die than watch this another time but I know the second I take a sip of alcohol, I’ll have a sudden urge to watch this near 30 minute video. I need help, I really do.

The national title run is literally ruining my mind.

 

5. Getting praise is awful

In life there aren’t many things worse than getting a pat on the back or a congratulations from somebody in my opinion. I like the idea that everybody hates me and my team, it’s kind of fun. All the talk now is, “Ohio State is the favorite”, Ohio State is the most talented, Ohio State is blah blah blah“….

My favorite part of the last decade was watching experts and opposing fan bases doubt the Buckeyes. Picking against my team or insinuating that the men of the scarlet and gray were slow football players fueled me to get up in the morning. I knew that my boys would eventually shut them up and prove them wrong.

Now that they have stifled the haters, I kind of wish they’d start talking again. Please tell me that Urban can’t develop a running game and that Ohio State’s skill players can’t hang with Oregon or the SEC!

Please!

Please.

Please…

I don’t have a reason to breathe anymore.

 

4. Comparison to other favorite teams

Another problem with one of your teams being the best, is you have to compare them to all your other favorite squads. It was so frustrating for me to see the basketball Bucks lack of heart, the Browns lack of everything and the Blue Jackets… Well the Blue Jackets whole team basically got AIDS.

It doesn’t make me appreciate Urban and the football Bucks any more, it makes me want to slap these underachievers until they finally get it.

 

3. Sick realization of Time

Thinking back about how epic this 14/15 squad was makes one put it into perspective. Then you realize that a lot of these players weren’t even born when Space Jam came out.

 

Image result for space jam

 

 

Kids who were born almost a decade after me are now winning national championships…

That’s disgusting.

 

2. I need to get a new pet

Last summer I was blessed to receive a second dog in the Negabuck family. This fat, stupid and sometimes smelly beast fit in perfectly in my family. With no motivation/passion/reason to live, I didn’t really care what we named the new girl. The wife took over and named the slob after some hot British singer.

If only we would have waited a few more months! How great of a fan would I have been if I was able to name my girl after a member of the 2015 Freaking National Champs?! None of you could hold a candle to me then. I’ve been begging my wife for a new addition to the family but I keep getting denied (Hell, at least give me a goldfish). It’s unbelievable how unfortunate I am. I’ve now resorted to calling the neighborhood skunk, who swings by driveway every now and then to give me a stroke, Joey B.

In the past few months there has been a sort-of-positive development in this naming department- Mrs. Negabuck is pregnant! This is a great opportunity for me to leap back into the upper echelon of Ohio State fans with a perfect unisex name for the child- Elliott.

photo: USA Today

 

Of course, as is tradition, this cruel world gets the last laugh. The little jerk is due to pop out the week of the national title game.

 

1. No more Underdog

 

Pessimists like myself love no lose situations. When Ohio State went up to Michigan State with an extremely young team or played Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon with a third stringer at QB, all the pressure was on the Buckeye opponent. Nobody picked the good guys and that’s the way I like it.

This year, Ohio State will be the villains in every game until they lose. If I’ve learned anything from sports movies, it’s that the favorites are evil and always lose in the end. Examples:

The Hawks in The Mighty Ducks

Apollo Creed in Rocky

The Monstars in Space Jam

Team Iceland in The Mighty Ducks 2

The Germans in Beerfest

The White Sox in Major League 2

The Cops in The Longest Yard

The Varsity team in The Mighty Ducks 3

Nobody rooted for these villians and I’m not sure I can be a part of a season where I have to cheer for a similar squad. I can’t handle the anxiety of having the whole country go bananas when my team loses. Especially not into today’s social media driven world… I won’t have it.

 

 

Whatever, let’s do it again.

Here’s to another one in 2016 Boys and Girls…

 

 

photo: buckeyextra.dispatch.com

 

 

The Buckeye Blitz Radio Show: FNLs Recap And B1G Media Days Preview

On todays Buckeye Blitz show @PatrickASchmidt and @SYRmotsag discuss all the happenings from Friday Night Lights and preview what to expect from this weeks upcoming B1G Media Days….

Listen Here: The Buckeye Blitz Show

Buckeyes Continue Boom Train

Lets be honest it is becoming almost comical how many top recruits want into Ohio State. Rumors of OSU coaches turning away players who would be the best player in almost every other teams recruiting class are true. Urban Meyer and Ohio State are on a recruiting roll that is almost unbelievable if we didn’t get to see it with our own eyes I wouldn’t believe it. Today’s newest commit is one of those exact type of recruits. Highly ranked and highly sought after.

As first reported by….

Isaiah Pryor is a 6’2″ 190 lbs High 4 star Safety from Lawrenceville, Georgia. Pryor is a big time get for Coach Meyer the no. 2 player in Georgia this is a coup.

Here is what Pryor had to say in the Atlanta Journal Constitution….

“Man, I’ve been knowing them at Ohio State for such a long time,” Pryor told the AJC. “I have been able to build a relationship with the coaches, and I’ve been able to go up there and visit. I got a good feel for the campus. I just like Ohio State a lot.”

Private Jet Not Needed for Buckeyes Newest Commit

Do you remember when Quinn Nordin recently announced his commitment to Penn State? Lucky for you I have the tweet to help you.

Why am I telling you about Quinn? Apparently he is the highest rated kicker of the 2016 class that had a ton of offers but non from Urban and company. Something already doesn’t smell right here, no Buckeye offer and your the top then commit via private plane and music. That’s not what Ohio State is about. Don’t need a hashtag #WeAre when #WeAreUndisputedNationalChampions.

Last night was the Friday Night Lights Camp and coach Meyer found himself a kicker. According to Bill Landis of cleveland.com:

Blake Haubeil stood at the 45-yard line looking into the north end zone of Ohio Stadium.

He was surrounded by a gang of Buckeyes, a group that included Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Ed Warinner, and just behind them was the entire collection of campers at Ohio State’s Friday Night Lights camp.

While the campers got a speech from Luke Fickell, Haubeil was trying to bang 55-yard field goals with Meyer in his ear. Haubeil missed a couple, getting a smattering of applause from the few hundred fans in attendance just for the effort. Then he nailed one, and Meyer threw his hands in the air.

Urban Meyer has a thing for special teams and he has a knack for finding talent. Not offering a top kicker who seemingly is enjoying the “its about me” aspect seems right. Coach going after a hungry kid that’s a diamond in the rough is what seems to work better especially for the Scarlet and Gray.

Buckeye Nation welcome your new kicker for the 2017 class. Blake Habeil a 6’3″/200lb young man from Canisius High in Buffalo, NY.

Habeil committed after Friday Night Lights seems this he enjoys pressure and isn’t backing down from it. Love he committed with a picture of his family by his side, looks like he gets it at such a young age.

BOOM! Luke Farrell is a Buckeye!

After being down to a final four of Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, and Boston College, Luke Farrell has pulled the trigger to become a Buckeye. The 4-Star recruit from Perry, OH is the 19th commitment of this 2016 class, and joins Jake Hausmann becoming the 2nd TE.

Many expected an early commitment from Luke, but when that didn’t come, people thought he did not want to be the 2nd TE in this class. That was not the case, and relationships with TE coach Tim Hinton and Urban Meyer were too strong to say no. Also, a strong pitch in his recruitment was the proven duo of Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett. Look for Luke and Jake to fit the scheme, and complement each other nicely, very similar to Jeff and Nick.

I wouldn’t expect Luke to be the biggest recruiter, just because he is fairly shy, and not often on social media. But again, he will be a very solid player. He is a willing blocker, good route running TE, and will do whatever the coaches ask.

Link to highlights

 

The Buckeye Blitz Show: All Things Braxton Miller and Recruiting

Here is the latest show from myself and @PatrickASchmidt. Today we discussed what the Braxton Miller news means for OSU and Braxton. We also discussed all the latest recruiting news.

*Sorry about the sound quality I had some internet issues today*

The Buckeye Blitz Radio Show

The Impact of Braxton Miller

As you’ve probably heard, Braxton Miller has moved from Quarterback to the H-Back position. Many had predicted this move to occur, but I still am surprised that it actually happened. Two-time B1G player of the year moving from his lifetime position to a position that will utilize his athletic ability.

There are several reasons why he could’ve made this position change. Perhaps he saw Terrelle Pryor make the switch, and decided he could do it as well, and it would potentially be better for his long-term career. Maybe he just didn’t think he could win the competition, and he wanted to go to a place where he would be used. And the most likely option is that his throwing shoulder wouldn’t allow him to return to QB. Having one labrum surgery can be brutal, let alone two, so he likely knew it wouldn’t be impossible to be a full-time QB. In the SI article that broke the news, Braxton claims it’ll be two months until he is fully healthy in his shoulder, and he will still spend 20% of his time with the QBs during camp, but it obviously remains to be seen if that is actually the case.

So, with a enormous move like this, we’re going to examine how this could impact the team in this upcoming season.

 

The Quarterback Position Battle

In one of the more obvious victims of the impact, this battle has moved from the greatest QB position battle of all time, to one of the greatest battles of all time. The favorite among many to win the competition, Braxton, is now at a different position, and two remaining QBs are the stars of the championship season; J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. I think having only two quarterbacks in this competition will ultimately benefit this team in contrast to what three would have done. It gives all offensive players a chance to better adapt and get a better idea of each QB. With three, the reps would’ve been split, and the players wouldn’t have had as many reps throughout camp with the eventual starter as they should’ve. Familiarity and chemistry goes a long way, and the more reps the better. I know all 3 have had game experience, but Cardale has only played three games, Braxton hasn’t played in a year, and even though J.T. likely has the most chemistry with the offense, the young guys still need to get used to him.

“That’s the only thing that’s starting to eat away at me a little bit,” Urban Meyer said. “It didn’t for a while because you’re just so busy. But now that I’m seeing what I’m seeing, I have such great respect for all three guys.” This move also helps the coaches. Urban would hardly admit it, but this was going to be one of the most difficult football decisions he has ever made. Even though he still has two great people, and quarterbacks, it’s a lot easier than deciding between 3. Although  the new QB coach, Tim Beck, won’t be deciding who wins the battle, he still needs one-on-one time with the quarterbacks, and this gives him a better opportunity.

 

The H-Back battle/rotation

Who would’ve thought this battle would’ve become an interesting topic? Now that Braxton Miller is at this position, it’s going to be quite the log-jam. With Curtis Samuel, Dontre Wilson, Parris Campbell Jr., perhaps Jalin Marshall (I say perhaps because he was moved outside during the spring, so it’ll be interesting to see if they keep him there), and now Braxton, there is no lack of athleticism. These are all players who deserve quite a few touches and snaps a game with their electricity that they bring, but this will bring their snap numbers down. With Zeke at RB, there aren’t too many opportunities for them in the backfield, and with most of their size, or lack thereof, there’s not a whole lot of opportunity for them on the outside. This is a tough position to get two of them on the field at the same time.

Making this change almost implies that he thinks he will start at this position. I can guarantee you that Curtis and Dontre aren’t going to give it up that easy. Braxton will need to prove that he has the ability to run the routes, catch the ball, and make plays out of the slot in order to get this spot. “It’s going to be electric,” Braxton said. “We had a great season last year, but we didn’t see anyone do off-the-wall type stuff. I’m sure guys miss seeing an explosive, 60-yard shake-and-bake run every once in a while.” He seems to be confident in the fact that he will be able to make plays out of this position. I’m not sure who will start at this position on September 7th, but I know it will be a fun one to watch throughout fall camp.

 

Ezekiel Elliot’s Heisman Case

Braxton’s move to H-Back has the potential to help or hurt Ezekiel’s run at the Heisman. If Braxton is successful and a true threat at the H-Back position like he could be, then this will hurt Ezekiel’s chances. Braxton’s move adds another elite member to the already deep #Zone6. There are so many weapons out there, it’s hard to imagine Ezekiel will get as many carries as he needs to win the Heisman. Urban will want to really move Braxton around, and I think he is one H-Back who can get those inside carries, so he will likely take some touches away from Zeke. Because Zeke is so elite, he will still get plenty of touches, but not likely as many as he will need to win.

I know that the past couple of years, this team has been based off of the power inside running game. I don’t necessarily think that will change, but with an experienced and talented QB, and many weapons on the outside, including Braxton, this team could potentially throw more than in the past. Nobody had said this to be the case, but with all the talent there is on the outside, and a trustworthy QB ( J.T. or Cardale), I wouldn’t be shocked to see a more prominent passing game.

 

Braxton’s Draft Stock

When one NFL scout was asked about this move, the first word that came out of his mouth was “smart”. Braxton was not the best QB in college football when he played, but he sure was one of the best athletes. He had a strong arm, but the accuracy just wan’t there. This move is reminding people of what Denard Robinson did. He was a terrible QB, but he was fast, and now he is a pretty successful RB in the NFL. Also, with two labrum surgeries NFL teams were likely not going to take that risk on Braxton unless he had a spectacular senior season and proved he was healthy. Even then, teams didn’t necessarily like him as a QB. This move to H-Back will greatly improve his stock, because teams love him as an athlete. Even if Braxton doesn’t have to best year out wide, he will still get drafted just because the immense potential is there.

 

Overall, this is a smart move for Braxton and a good move for the team. Urban will find a way to utilize Braxton, and Coach Smith will coach him up to where he needs to be in the time he has. Watch out, Braxton is back, and he intends to bring the big plays with him.

Virginia Tech Hoping To Make It Two In A Row Against Buckeyes

“The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on.” ~ Ulysses S. Grant

Leave it to a native Ohioan to spell it out what needs to be done in order to win. West Point graduate, Civil War general, and former United State President, I am willing to bet Ulysses S. Grant would have given football coaching a shot if it had been around in his day.

While counting down the days until the 2015 college football season begins, I thought I would pass the time by ranking and reviewing the upcoming 2015 Ohio State opponents, from least difficult to most difficult. This ranking system of mine will be highly subjective, prone to possibilities of injuries, transfers, or other unforeseen events that could dramatically impact its accuracy. As always, I encourage comments and critique about what I have projected.

**

We are getting into the stretch of games that I believe will be challenging for Ohio State. Not impossible, not insurmountable, but the type of games and opponents that Ohio State fans would be wise to not overlook or be overconfident about as the games approach. I am willing to bet that Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and his coaching staff will be on guard against any overconfidence with the players.

Virginia Tech Hokies (Game 1)

2015 OSU Opponent Ranking: 3 out of 12

Players Recruited By Ohio State: TE Bucky Hodges, CB Kendall Fuller, OT Austin Clark, OL Brent Benedict. A few players on Virginia Tech’s roster are from Ohio, such as OL Cole Petit and QB Chris Durkin, but did not receive scholarship offers from the Buckeyes. I am more than willing to bet I may have inadvertently missed on some players; please let me know and I am happy to correct my error(s).

Game Date: September 7, 2015.

Kickoff Time: 8pm EST, ESPN telecast

Location: Lane Stadium

Rationale For The Ranking: The lone blemish on Ohio State’s 2014 season, Virginia Tech befuddled the Buckeyes en route to a 35-21 victory in Ohio Stadium. I use the term “befuddled” as Ohio State’s inexperienced offensive line was unable to effectively handle a 46 Bear defensive front the Hokies used to essentially neutralize Ohio State’s traditionally strong offense.

This year, Ohio State starts the 2015 season on the road in a night game, at Lane Stadium, to begin defense of its 2014 national championship title, in what promises to be a raucous and hostile environment. Below is an example of what Ohio State has to look forward to in Lane Stadium…

Prediction: What a terrific way to kickoff the 2015 college football season for Ohio State, against the team that almost derailed its national championship hopes last season. Virginia Tech Head Coach Frank Beamer has been doing his best to hype the game, stating that “I think it’s the most anticipated game ever to come to Lane Stadium”. Look for Virginia Tech to try to play Ohio State in the same manner and fashion as last season. And has anyone forgotten that Ohio State may be playing Braxton Miller or Cardale Jones at quarterback against the Hokies? This looks to be a dandy.

Previous Posts In The Series:

12 – Hawaii
11 – Western Michigan
10 – at Indiana
9 – at Illinois
8 – Maryland
7 – Northern Illinois
6 – at Rutgers
5 – Minnesota
4 – Penn State