I asked the writers to put on their wizard hats and look into their crystal balls and predict how many wins the Buckeye Football Team would win this season. I also asked them to explain their reasoning. Here are some of the responses:

Jason: 14.

It’s not that I think our schedule a cakewalk; it’s just that I can’t look at it and convince myself that there’s a loss in there. Sure, road games against Northwestern and Michigan (and a potential B1G championship vs. Nebraska) are concerning, but I’m not going to *worry* about them until I actually see those teams play some games.

Last year’s team went undefeated and was almost certainly the *least* talented team Urban Meyer will ever coach at OSU. At times, they dominated opponents, both good and bad. They found themselves in close games against teams that had no business there and teams that should have won. They had some luck and they made some luck. And until another team finds a way to beat them, I’m not going to assume it’s going to happen.

Josh: 14
I’m pretty confident in the Buckeyes to pull of an undefeated season. In fact I’m almost expecting it. And I only need two words to tell you why I’m so confident: Urban Meyer. Look at his track record in his second seasons at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida. The records speak for themselves. Add in the fact that Braxton Miller has a year under his belt in the Meyer system, surrounded by a lot of potentially dangerous weapons and you should be brimming with confidence.

However, college football is arguable the most unpredictable sport out there and the Buckeyes could easily cough up a loss one weekend. The games to watch out for are Cal, Northwestern and of course that pesky team up north. It will all come down to how fast the younger Buckeyes can grow up and contribute to this team, namely Noah Spence and Adolphus Washington. I expect (and hope) the Buckeyes will be playing in Pasadena for all of the marbles against the SEC champion, where they finally get an opportunity to end the SEC’s reign of terror upon college football.

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Now that we’ve had a chance to look at the pieces parts of Ohio States defense, how are things going to look this year when the defense is on the field?

The Buckeyes, in their base defense, run a 4-3 under. This defensive scheme has been the bread and butter of Ohio State defenses for many years now. This “traditional defense” will be on the field when the opposing team comes in with a pro-type offense (such as Wisconsin or Michigan). More often than not, however, the defense will be combating a spread attack and to cover the field with athletes. They will be in a Nickel page (take out an outside linebacker, bring in a fifth defensive back [the Star]).

But that’s not all, folks! As Ronnie pointed out earlier, they may also show a 3-2-6 dime package. Offenses are evolving to present different looks and formations and defenses have to adapt accordingly.

The Defensive Line

No matter what formation/package is in place, there will always be two defensive ends on the field. The prohibitive favorites to start at those two positions are going to be Noah Spence and Aldophus Washington. They are backed up by a bevy of competent players. Urban Meyer has already said that Joey Bosa will be one of the freshmen to see the field against Buffalo (but let’s be honest, most of the freshmen are going to see the field against Buffalo) and is going to get dumped into the fire early and often. Steve Miller, the veteran of the group, should also factor heavily in the DE rotation.

With the exception of the 3-2-6 look, We can also expect to see Michael Bennett and Tommy Schutt clogging up the middle at the defensive tackle spots. Schutt will probably come off the field in the 3-2-6 configuration to let the more effective pass-rusher, Bennett, try to get pressure from the three-man line. This position is also full of guys that can be plugged in without much drop-off in size or production. Both Joel Hale and Chris Carter have game experience (Hale more so than Carter) and the shape Carter is putting himself could be the makings for a nasty nose guard for the next few years.

You never be strong enough up the middle. The linebackers and defensive backs get to make all the big plays but it start with wide bodies forcing the ball carrier into their hands.

Linebacker

In the base defense Curtis Grant will anchor the middle of the linebackers while Shazier and most likely Josh Perry will be at the Will and Sam position respectively.

More often than not, Perry will come of the field in favor of the Star, Tyvis Powell. Powell has been impressing coaches at camp.

Shazier will be the featured linebacker and will be called upon to time and time to step up. With the unknown quantity of Grant’s improvement and aggressiveness, Ryan will have to shoulder the burden of being the most dependable of the linebackers. Given his improvement from the beginning of the 2012 season to the end, his fundamentals looked to be on target to being an experienced, disciplined linebacker.

Defensive Backs

Rounding out the back four (once Roby returns from his suspension) will be Bradley Roby and Doran Grant at the corners with CJ Barnett and Christian Bryant at the safety positions. Throw in Powell (and Von Bell) at the star position and this group of defensive backs is the most experienced group of defenders.

There are also young ones in the wings, but they are all green and will probably get most of their game exposure on special teams this year.

Roby will bring the defensive Voltron to full strength in week 2 and will be the biggest contributor on the field. His ability to be on an island yet be strong in run support makes him a very dangerous defender and Coach Coombs will lean on him to lock down his side of the field as Grant develops his own set of tools. Barnett, Bryant and others will also get their chance to play both the run and pass as the coaching staff finally gets their scheme firmly entrenched in the players’ heads and with the personnel to execute it.

Silver Bullets

This defense, on paper, has some issues. The linebackers outside of Shazier are relative unknown quantities. The potential of the defensive line is huge but the experience at game speeds is not. The maturation of these two groups will define the ceiling of the defensive unit. Coupled with a talented and experienced defensive backfield, the front seven may have some leeway in growing into and getting comfortable at their positions. But they won’t have a lot of time. The B1G opener and a night game at Northwestern loom in the near future.

MotSaG is holding a College Football Pick’em contest. We are in the process of assembling a prize package, but the first item in the winners package is an 11×14″ Framed Copy of Braxton Miller’s SI cover from SICovers.com.

The winner of the contest will receive this along with the other prizes that we’ll be gathering over the course of the season.

Just added to the prize pool: $25 Amazon.com gift certificate

So join us at Yahoo’s Fantasy College Pick’em:

Group ID: 11226
Password: buckeyes

And good luck!

We finished up our ranking of the top twenty-five players in the B1G this season. We are Buckeye fans, of this there is no doubt, but we also tried to be subjective enough to rank the best players in the league. Yes, there were Buckeyes at the top of the list but that’s simply because the Buckeyes are loaded with the best players in the conference this year.

We present to you now, our complete rankings from #25 to #1. (This post is going to be long and image and YT heavy, so hit the jump for the complete list)
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The MotSaG Reader’s Digest is just that — a quick glance at the past week of content here at Men of the Scarlet and Gray. This will give you a chance to catch up on anything you may have missed during the course of the week. This isn’t everything we posted this week, so we always encourage everyone to subscribe to our feed, sign up for email alerts or simply check the website on a regular basis.

It’s ALMOST TIME!

Recruiting

Basketball recruits are much fewer and further between than football, so when Thad Matta signs another player, it’s big news. This past week, AJ Harris, 2015 PG committed to play basketball for Thad.

We continue to chat with future recruits, possible Buckeye targets and OSU hopefuls. This week, Dylan spoke with Dontae Strickland a 2015 athlete and 2015 safety Tyler Green

Jeremiah had a chance to talk with 2015 TE CJ Conrad, 2015 DE James Lockhart, and 2015 CB Minkah Fitzpatrick

In football commitments, Curtis Samuel, WR from Brooklyn, NY, became the latest member of the 2014 Ohio State class, a class that is shaping up to be an amazing class.

Football

We are getting very close to football starting. Oh so very close. So why not look at the schedule and see who we’ve got coming up. Our newest writer, Chip, looked at the 2013 Buckeye schedule and ranked all the match-ups, from the easiest to the toughest.

We got bad news that numerous Buckeyes suffered career-ending injuries: Adam Griffin, Jamie Wood and Blake Thomas. We here at MotSaG thank them for their dedication to being a Buckeye and wish them well in their future endeavors.

We also were able to report that Bradley Roby was suspended for one game (along with Rod Smith). Video of the night Roby was arrested apparently puts some context behind Roby’s behavior, and it sounds like it wasn’t necessarily all on Roby. Smith was suspended for an incident earlier this year.

Troy Smith, former man-crush of many-a-Buckeye fan, decided to take his talents up a team up north (not that team up north) to join the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Coming up

Next week we continue previewing the different positions of the 2013 Ohio State Buckeye Football team, along with the unveiling of our preseason Blog Poll ballot. We’ll be looking for your input on what you think of our rankings.

Kyle Rowland of Eleven Warriors has reported that Bradley Roby has been suspended at least one game (more could be added if his case merits it) and also added that Rod Smith has been suspended due to an issue from back in February.

Word out of camp was that Jordan Hall had been taking reps as the #1 back with the offense, which to me seemed a little odd but now perhaps makes a little more sense in light of this news regarding Rod Smith.

(This is a post from our Guest Columnist, Chip Minnich. Chip is a formerly blogger at Land Grant Holy Land and blogs regularly at his site, From the Mind of Minnich. He will be posting here periodically on a variety of topics. This week he looks at Ohio State’s 2013 schedule)

Part one of this series reviewed the perceived “easier” games for Ohio State in the upcoming 2013 season. As former legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes was fond of saying, “Anything easy ain’t worth a damn.”. Part two will focus on the more challenging games of this upcoming season, as I predict them to be, for the Buckeyes. As always, I look forward to your comments and contributions.

Beware The Bye Teams

The next two teams on this list both have bye weeks before they play Ohio State. While I expect Ohio State to win these games, I do not expect an easy time of it in either contest.

7. Penn State (10/26/2013; 8pm EST kickoff; ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 telecast; Ohio Stadium): It would be very easy for Ohio State fans to look at this game as an easy win – Penn State is still in the midst of its scholarship reductions, Penn State will have an inexperienced quarterback, and the game is at night in Ohio Stadium. Very good points, and I am guessing there are others I missed.

Here are some others to consider – Penn State won in Ohio Stadium in its last appearance there, after legendary coach Joe Paterno was let go by Penn State. Penn State is well-coached by Bill O’Brien, who was in heavy demand by NFL teams last winter. And…Penn State has a bye coming into this game, while Ohio State will be coming off the Iowa game the week before. Considering this is a home game for Ohio State, that is why I rank Penn State as being easier than…

8. @ Purdue (11/02/2013; kickoff TBA; Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN): Ohio State fans know, or should know, what has happened the last two times the Buckeyes have traveled to Ross-Ade Stadium to take on the Boilermakers (2009, 2011). I believe new Purdue head coach Darrell Hazell, a former Ohio State assistant during Jim Tressel’s tenure, is well-aware of those challenges too. More importantly, the returning players on Purdue’s roster have to be seething with anticipation for this game, after how close they were to defeating the Buckeyes last season in Ohio Stadium, only to lose in overtime. All those factors, the home field, and a bye week, should make this an interesting trip for the Buckeyes.

Goin’ Back To Cal(i)

9. @ California (09/14/2013; 7pm EST kickoff; Fox Sports telecast; California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, CA): I can almost hear you now ~ “Chip is concerned about a 3-9 team this much?!?”. Yes, I am, and here is why – Sonny Dykes is now the head coach for Cal, and Dykes’ teams are traditionally very strong offensively. To put it in perspective, Dykes’ Louisiana Tech squad lost a close shootout last season vs Texas A&M, 59-57. Ohio State had to rally last year against California, and that was in Ohio Stadium. Throw in how the Buckeyes have to travel across the country (even Coach Meyer has expressed concern about this), as well as Carlos Hyde’s suspension, and I think this one could be closer than expected by Ohio State fans.

Get Those Badgers Out Of My House

10. Wisconsin (09/28/2013; 8pm EST kickoff; ABC/ESPN/ESPN 2 telecast; Ohio Stadium): I have been fortunate to have been in Ohio Stadium to watch Ohio State defeat Wisconsin (2007, 2009, and 2011). As a matter of fact, I was up in C Deck on the 40 yard line looking down at Braxton Miller as this pass was released. I was able to happily watch Wisconsin’s secondary frantically race back in vain as Devin Smith waited on the pass in the end zone.

As usual, this game will be determined by how/if Ohio State’s revamped defensive front will be able to stop the traditionally strong Wisconsin running game. The team that wins this game will be in the driver’s seat for a berth in The B1G conference championship game. And just like 2007, 2009, and 2011, I am looking forward to being in Ohio Stadium for this one.

The Road Warriors (?)

11. @ Northwestern (10/05/2013; 8pm EST kickoff; ABC/ESPN/ ESPN 2 telecast; Ryan Field, Evanston, IL): Yes, I know that Ohio State has usually had their way with Northwestern in recent years. As a matter of fact, Ohio State has seemingly made a point of bashing Northwestern ever since the last time Ohio State played a night game at Northwestern.

Why the concern? Because Ohio State will have played a night game the week before versus Wisconsin, while Northwestern will have played Maine. I am not saying Ohio State cannot get psychologically up for two weeks in a row, but it will be a challenge, especially in front of a possibly raucous Northwestern crowd.

12. @ Michigan (11/30/2013; kickoff TBA; Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI): THE GAME. Throw out the records on this one.

Actually, Ohio State fans would be wise to consult the record books on this one. Think of the various disappointments and heartbreaks the Buckeyes have experienced in their many trips to “That Team Up North”, especially when an undefeated season is on the line. 1993. 1995. Those two right there cost Ohio State a chance at a national championship. The same thing could be on the line this season.

Can you imagine how painful a loss to TTUN would be if it cost Ohio State a shot at a national championship? Yes, I know – they might play the very next week for The B1G conference championship. If Ohio State does not win the first time, it could make the second time mean less.

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As I wrote in part one, it is very natural to look at games on a schedule and mark down the wins ahead of time. It is also why the games are not played on paper, but on the field. Ohio State fans everywhere, myself included, will start watching on August 31st to see if their predictions of ease or difficulty are as accurate as they forecast.

Three Yards and a Cloud of Links is Men of the Scarlet and Gray’s newly renamed, semi-regular curated look at items that would interest the casual and hard-core Ohio State fan. These include news items, interesting blog posts and the occasional meme you’ve probably already seen. It’s all here and it’s all for you. Have a tip that should be included in the next TYAACOL? Drop us a line at motsag@gmail.com or through our Contact Page.

BRAXTON, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED SWIMSUIT MODEL COVERBOY: Sports Illustrated has released the covers for its College Football Preview, and our very own Braxton is on the cover available for the fly-over states in the midwest.

I have long been a propenent of the regional cover (going as far as advocating regional covers for EA’s NCAA Football video game) so I’m excited for Braxton but I would have preferred that the whole country got to take in Brax’s brilliance.

(Get your own framed Braxton cover at SIcovers.com)

HERBIE SAYS “WATCH OUT FOR WISKY”: Both Kirk Herbstreit and his broadcast partner Brent Musberger were high on the Badgers, according to Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. Musberger mentioned how impressed he was with Gary Anderson, Wisconsin’s new head coach and Herbstreit says that Ohio State should be on their toes when Wisconsin comes to town on the 28th:

“But if there is one team Ohio State needs to be careful of in their own division, I think it is Wisconsin,” Herbstreit said. “(They have) a couple of veteran quarterbacks, with (Joel) Stave and Curt Phillips, who played late. They have Jared Abbrederis back. Running backs are outstanding. I love Melvin Gordon. We have seen what James White can do. You know they are going to have a great line.

Herbstreit also goes on to mention Chris Borland and the Wisconsin defense. Wisconsin was well represented in our Best of the B1G.

I personally think that Wisconsin will still be going through growing pains when they get to Columbus, while Ohio State will be primed for the first B1G match up. I’m not too worried about this match up. I mean, Wisconsin is going to do Wisconsin-type things but I think Ohio State will be up to the task.

DONTRE WILSON, ELECTRICITY MAN: Zac Jackson over at Fox Sports Ohio has a piece on Dontre Wilson, one of Urban Meyer’s new weapons of choice for this coming season. The article recounts Wilson’s recruitment after Chip Kelly was hired away from Oregon and how Wilson finally ended up at OSU (Thank you, Coach Herman).

“(Herman) was calling me every chance he could, as many times as (the NCAA) allowed him to,” Wilson said. “When he came to visit me, he kept fighting and fighting and fighting. Then when Chip Kelly finally went to the NFL, I told him I wanted to take that visit.

Wilson said that Urban mentioned him filling the Percy Harvin role. Is that Wilson’s ceiling? Most Buckeye fans are hoping so. Me, I’ve got higher expectations than that.

I want Urban recruiting kids in five years telling them they can fill the “Dontre Wilson role” for the Buckeyes.

ANYONE GOT A COUPLE THOUSAND I COULD BORROW?

Jerry Lucas is one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and now, at the age of 73, the guy is getting rid of a lot of his possessions. Basketball-related items, relics from an age gone by, a few things that can make a lot of money on the open market.

Really. I don’t need much. Just a few thousand.

ETC… It’s good to see that the rivalry is alive and well in the NFL. Speaking of Herbie, he sure thinks Manziel is dumb. Signing autographs? That’s dumb. Just dumb.