Gentleman, to start the year off I am starting Joe Bauserman at quarterback. That means three things:

1. We are going to run the ball… a lot. You all need to be effective run blockers because that is going to be our offense until Braxton Miller is ready and even when he is, he won’t be ready to throw the ball 25-30 times per game.

2. We are going to need ample pass protection because Bauserman isn’t exactly Fred Astaire back there.

3. At least the first couple games we will have a red headed, ginger fire crotch for a QB… disgusting, but that is neither here nor there.

Andrew Norwell, you will fill in for the suspended Mike Adams for the first five games of the season. You are a 310 pound sophomore and former five-star offensive lineman. You will project Bauserman and Miller’s blindside along with provide devastating blocking for our stable of talented backs.

Jack Mewhort, you will take over for Justin Boren at left guard. You are a red shirt sophomore and tip the scales at 305 pounds. A four-star recruit out of high school you are an elite talent. You have big shoes to fill as you are taking over for an All Big Ten Guard and all-around badass. You are also a fellow ginger with Joe Bauserman and therefore naturally sworn to protect his unbelievably awful complexion.

Mike Brewster, you are our senior anchor at center and undoubtedly the captain and leader of this team. [It wasn’t called “The Brew Crew” for nothing -ed] At 305 pounds and another former five-star high school lineman you will need to help along three new starters and physically dominate the interior defensive lines of the Big Ten. Mike, big things await you this year as you will anchor one of the best offensive lines in the country and be in line for every major lineman award in college football. The sugar on top of all that will be the fact that you will most likely be a first round draft choice and future millionaire in the NFL. One block at a time.

Marcus Hall, you will start at right guard and be asked to play a pivotal role in the running game. You, like Mewhort, will do a lot of pulling in our power running game. You are a former four-star lineman in high school and, at 321 pounds, one of our biggest offensive lineman. Remember, when in a jam against Big Ten foes, do this… works every time:

J.B. Shugarts, you are our senior right tackle. You are finally healthy and ready to dominate the right tackle position. At 300 pounds and a former five-star tackle in high school, you will finally live up to the hype you had before coming to OSU. Brewster and Adams have already lived up to their top billing. This is your year to be a break out player for the Buckeyes. More importantly than that you will give balance to this big, strong, athletic and talented offensive line.

Oh, and week six Big Mike Adams will take over for Norwell at left tackle and look to dominate the Big Ten. Keep in mind: no one is angry with you for being partially responsible for coach Tressel not being here, really.

Mike, all kidding aside you were a five-star tackle in high school and most likely a future first round pick in the NFL, like Brewster. You need to harness the pain and anguish you must feel for your off the field transgressions and concentrate that back onto the field. If you can do that, this team is going to have a completely different feel come week six and on.

We have been productive on the ground the last three years behind the Brew Crew and friends. This year, we need to keep that going and step it up.

2008: 192 yards per game on the ground, good for 3rd in the Big Ten
2009: 196 yards per game on the ground, good for 3rd in the Big Ten
2010: 220 yards per game on the ground, good for 4th in the Big Ten

Prediction:

2011: 240 yards per game on the ground, good for 1st in the Big Ten

We need to lead the Big Ten in rushing to supplement the lack of a passing offense. And it all starts up front. Four of the six of you that will see the brunt of playing time are former five-star offensive lineman. I’m tired of hearing about Kyle Kalis. That fat traitor isn’t even playing this year. Some talking head said that Ohio State has collapsed. Gentleman, that is ridiculous. You are the foundation of our offense. You are the definition of elite. We will not lay down and die. I refuse it and so should you.

(this message brought to you by fake Luke Fickell)

Gentlemen, you are the foundation.

You have come from Washington Courthouse, Ohio, Youngstown, Ohio, Lambard, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan. You are the starting defensive line of THE Ohio State Buckeyes and you will be tasked to physically dominate a group of men every Saturday that will outweigh and outnumber you. And if we are to have the success I expect and demand from this team, you WILL physically dominate once a week for the next fourteen weeks. That is all I ask.

Recently, that balding, babbling, drunken buffoon Gerry Dinardo said that we weren’t very deep on the defensive line. Let us remind ole Gerry why he was fired from Indiana in 2004.

Let’s get down to brass tacks. The starting defensive tackles will be:

Garrett Goebel, you will be charged with wreaking havoc on the opposing interior lines this coming fall. You will start at the nose and play the same role Dexter Larimore played last year. You only had nine tackles last year, however that was in a backup role and your job isn’t to accumulate tackles, it’s to make a mess of the opposing offensive line and let the best linebackers in the country mop up. Technically speaking you will play a 1-technique which means you will shade the shoulder of the center to the strength of the formation and blow up the A gap between the center and guard. Garrett, no one except for your mom and dad know who you are. No one has EVER heard of you, yet here you are — ready to anchor one of the best defensive lines in the country.

No pressure.

Big Johnathon Hankins, you will start alongside Goebel. Do not eat him. Last year you did a hell of a job coming off the bench to work into the rotation. Your sixteen tackles and one sack weren’t as meaningful as the amount of carnage you caused when you lined up at defensive tackle. Technically you will play a 3-technique which means you will align your inside eye with the outside eye of the weak side guard. You will get less double teams and I can’t wait to see your 335 lb frame take a wrecking ball to guards across the Big Ten. Johnathon, I have a message for you:

Rotating in with Goebel and Hankins will be sophomore Adam Bellamy, the massively strong Joel Hale and fellow true freshman Michael Bennett. You guys will keep the starters fresh and you won’t just be warm bodies. Expect to make plays when you are in the game.

The starting defensive ends will be:

Nate Williams, you will play the LEO position. This is a familiar position for you. You will play standing up most of the time and play a 5-technique, shading the outside shoulder of the tackle. You will be the weak side rush DE. Like your last three years, I want you to pressure the quarterback, pressure the quarterback some more and sometimes drop back into pass coverage. You’ve got ten sacks in three years, but you will be expected to produce more than that this year.

Big Johnny Simon, you got the other defensive end position — the one vacated by Cameron Heyward last year. Like Heyward, you will also play the interior positions as well. Last year you had three sacks but that number should go up this year. You will be more of a 3-point stance every play traditional defensive end, unlike Williams. You will play a 5-technique and shade the outside shoulder of the tackle. Mr. Simon, you are the key to this defensive line and the key to the success of our linebackers. Hell, you ALL are but it starts with our best lineman and you’re it. Just based on bicep size you should have twenty-five sacks. This is what an arm wrestling match would look like with you and Gholston:

Rotation in with Simon and Williams will be Melvin Fellows, Solomon Thomas after he gets off suspension and Steve Miller.

This group will set the tone for our talented defense. It all starts up front. People talk about the spread offense, wild (insert southern farm animal name here), Air Raid, triple option, West Coast offense…when it comes right down to it, games are won and lost with brute force and physical domination. It’s your jobs to physically dominate the Big Ten and the rest of college football. Get it done.

(this post brought to you by a fictional Luke Fickell)

That is all…

Let’s just say Storm Kleins dad doesn’t agree with the SI article:

“I have raised my son right,” Jason Klein stressed Thursday evening. “Storm has no tattoos on his body whatsoever. He doesn’t have a drug problem, and multiple tests prove that. I have every single bit of his Ohio State memorabilia in my possession.”

“I will be meeting with attorneys shortly to pursue action against the NCAA and Sports Illustrated,” he continued. “That’s all I have to say at this time.”

http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/1076671.html

The Columbus Dispatch:

The NCAA and the Ohio State University’s compliance office are conducting an independent investigation of Terrelle Pryor amid allegations that the star quarterback may have received cars and other extra benefits, sources told The Dispatch today.

Pryor has been questioned by OSU compliance officials in the past, but sources said this is the most significant inquiry to date. He already has been interviewed at least once by investigators within the past few weeks, sources said.

Pryor and the cars he drives have been an issue since he arrived on campus three years ago. Pryor has been connected to more than a half dozen vehicles during his time at Ohio State, according to sources.

Ohio State spokesman Jim Lynch wouldn’t confirm whether Pryor is being investigated.

“The university continues to work with the NCAA as they investigate matters involving our football program, and we will continue to do so until the conclusion of the investigation,” Lynch said. “We are unable to comment on specific players’ situations because of federal law.”

The investigation of Pryor off the field is separate from Coach Jim Tressel’s resignation, which was announced earlier today. Attempts to reach Pryor were unsuccessful.

OSU officials previously said that even before Pryor arrived on campus in 2008, the NCAA examined the ownership of his vehicle and how it was paid for.

Pryor came under scrutiny in December after OSU received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice. It said that during a drug raid, it had recovered Buckeye memorabilia linked to the quarterback and other players.

In the ensuing 11 days, OSU confirmed that Pryor and five other current football players had sold or exchanged memorabilia for cash and tattoos.

On Dec. 23, OSU suspended Pryor, running back Daniel Herron, receiver DeVier Posey, lineman Solomon Thomas and tackle Mike Adams for five games this season. Linebacker Jordan Whiting was suspended for one game.

In January, The Dispatch reported that three times in the past three years, Pryor was stopped for traffic violations while driving cars that were owned by a car salesman or a Columbus used-car dealer for whom the salesman worked.

The salesman, Aaron Kniffin, told The Dispatch that while working at Maxton in 2008, he allowed Pryor to drive his SUV to his hometown in Pennsylvania so that his mother could check it out. Pryor did not buy the vehicle.

Kniffin also said he arranged for Pryor to use a 2009 Dodge while Pryor’s car was being repaired at Auto Direct, a Columbus car dealership where Kniffin worked last fall.

About two dozen autographed jerseys hang inside Auto Direct’s office, including Pryor’s.

Pryor said at the time that he doesn’t remember the circumstances of him signing his jersey that hangs in the dealership, but “I sign a lot of stuff for Buckeye fans – I don’t like to turn down fans. But I don’t do it to get any favors or discounts.”

Kniffin also sold cars to Pryor’s mother and brother as well as dozens of other Buckeye athletes or their family members.

The car dealer has said repeatedly that the vehicles sales with OSU athletes have been legitimate and he has not offered them special deals.

As part of its investigation of Tressel, the NCAA wants to know details about Pryor’s relationship with Ted Sarniak, a 67-year-old businessman from Jeannette, Pa., the quarterback’s hometown.

Doug Archie, OSU’s director of compliance, said in March that Sarniak served as Pryor’s contact person during Ohio State’s recruiting efforts but is not considered a booster.

“Mr. Sarniak and Terrelle Pryor have been friends for a number of years, and their friendship dates back prior to Terrelle’s enrollment at Ohio State,” Archie said. “As the friendship developed, Mr. Sarniak is someone who Terrelle has reached out to for advice and guidance throughout his high-school and collegiate career.”

Sarniak has attended virtually every game, home and away, since Pryor enrolled in 2008.

Sarniak exchanged emails with Tressel last spring when the coach was tipped off that Pryor and others were selling memorabilia.

OSU released two of those emails but refuses to release any others, citing the federal student privacy law, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

State courts in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and North Carolina each have ordered colleges in recent months to release documents that they had withheld after citing FERPA. In Arizona, a community college attempted to withhold emails among faculty members about a student.

“Court after court has said that not every cocktail napkin with a students’ name on it is an education record,” said Frank LoMonte, executive director of the Student Press Law Center. “An email between a coach and an outside third party doesn’t qualify under FERPA.”

In addition to the emails between Tressel and Sarniak, the university also has censored the Justice Department letter that details by name what memorabilia the players sold and what they received in return.

INDIANAPOLIS ─ The NCAA Division I Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement has upheld the staff decision for five football student-athletes from The Ohio State University.

According to this decision, Mike Adams, Daniel Herron, DeVier Posey, Terrelle Pryor and Solomon Thomas must sit out the first five games of the 2011 season for selling awards, gifts and university apparel, as well as receiving improper benefits in 2009. These student-athletes must also repay money and benefits ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.

“While we are disappointed that our appeal request was denied, we respect the NCAA and accept its ruling,” said Gene Smith, Ohio State associate vice president and athletics director. “The players are sorry for the disappointment they have caused, will learn from their mistakes, and will strive to earn the confidence and support of everyone associated with the university through their future conduct.”

“The university remains steadfast in its commitment to continually improve the compliance education process,” said Dr. John Bruno, faculty athletics representative to the Big Ten and NCAA and Ohio State professor of psychology. “We believe that we do a good job in educating our more than 900 student-athletes, but we strive to do better to help them make good decisions.”

The reinstatement committee is the final appeal opportunity. The independent committee is composed of representatives from NCAA member colleges, universities and athletic conferences. It can reduce or remove the conditions, but cannot increase the conditions imposed by the staff.

Reinstatement decisions are made based on the collective facts of the case, withholding guidelines developed by the reinstatement committee, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the university.

More information on the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement process can be found on the NCAA’s website.

There are not very many teams that can, year after year, recruit and reload like the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Buckeyes will have another top 5 class. Let’s take a look at the Buckeye’s best offensive recruit and defensive recruit.

Braxton Miller-QB

Miller is regarded as one of the best quarterback prospects to EVER come out of Ohio. I’ve watched 3 or 4 of his games and I haven’t been this excited about a prospect since… Terrelle Pryor.

He is a different animal than Pryor. Braxton is not as big as Pryor at 6’2 200lbs, but he is every bit as fast as Pryor and has much more jitter-bug quickness when compared to Pryor. In other words he can make people miss… badly.

He also has an absolute cannon for an arm. He is also much further ahead of Pryor as far as throwing the ball when compared at the same stages in their careers. Both came from spread option offenses out of the shotgun, but Miller threw the more than Pryor. Pryor has become a pass first nightmare for defensive coordinators, Miller could rewrite every passing record OSU has when it is all said and done. That is how good he is.

There is one thing that could hurt his chances to be a long term success at Ohio State and that is injuries. Miller has had a history with getting hurt. Something that Tressel will have to protect him from by making sure he doesn’t run it too much.

To me, Miller is a cross between Troy Smith and Michael Vick with a lean towards Vick. Smith could run the ball well, but is no where near as fast as Miller. Oh, and one other thing — he is enrolling at OSU early which means we should be able to see him at the Spring game!

Curtis Grant-LB

The 6’3 220lb linebacker from Richmond, Virginia will be patrolling the middle of the field in the future for the Buckeyes. Next year it should be red-shirt junior MLBer Etienne Sabino in the middle for the Buckeyes with Grant learning the ropes until he is ready to go.

Grant leads an impressive LB haul for the 2011 class. A few months ago the Buckeye’s were close to not getting a single linebacker in this class. Instead they poached Ryan Shazier, the 5th ranked OLB in the class from Florida (a tip of the cap to Urban Meyer for stepping down). Ejuan Price, who will play OLB opposite Shazier. Price was ranked 14th in the country and nearly went to Pitt before making the right decision. Then came the #1 LB in the country in Curtis Grant. Grant is a great mix of speed and power. He will want to work on his tackling as at the next level, he won’t be able to get away with standing too tall while trying to bring down ball carriers.

Roderick Smith-RB

Okay fine, he’s not a recruit for 2011 but a red-shirt from 2010. I want people to get excited about this guy. Rumor has it that during bowl practices he nearly had his red-shirt pulled. With a stable of Herron, Saine, Hall and Berry why on earth would the Buckeye coaching staff think about that for 2 seconds? Apparently he was the best player on the field and couldn’t be stopped. He has been compared to Chris Wells and Eddie George. He is a big, tall running back that had nearly 7000 yards rushing in his high school career.

With Boom Herron to sit 5 games to begin the 2011 season, look for Rod Smith to see a lot of action. Smith could very well take away carries from Herron, who proved himself a dangerous full time back in 2010.

Ohio State had another great recruiting class in 2011. Top 5 in the nation. Quick run down of all the new recruits(HS position ranking/name):

QB’s
#2 Braxton Miller
#24 Cardale Jones

WR’s
#19 Evan Spencer
#29 Devin Smith

TE’s
#14 Nick Vannett
#24 Jeff Heuerman

OL
#83 Tommy Brown
#22 Antonio Underwood
#1 Brian Bobek

DL
#8 Michael Bennet
#10 Chase Farris
#30 Joe Hale

DE
#9 Steve Miller
#14 Ken Hayes

OLB
#1 Curtis Grant
#5 Ryan Shazier

MLB
#14 Ejuan Price
#24 Connor Crowell

S
#11 Ron Tanner
#30 Jeremy Cash

CB
#5 Doran Grant
#22 Dejuan Gambrell

Long Snapper Bryce Haynes

Welcome aboard guys!

The Offensive Line:

Three parts Brew Crew, one part Browning and one part crazy Boren brother. This group was a veteran group and the soul of the Buckeye offense. They helped the Ohio State offense to the 14th best rushing output in college football and during the Sugar Bowl didn’t allow a sack against quarterback Terrelle Pryor. All year long the running game was consistent and Pryor was kept clean for the most part. Mike Adams, Mike Brewster and Justin Boren were 1st Team Big Ten offensive lineman. Brewster, Adams and Shugarts will return next year to form another formidable OSU offensive line.

Grade: A rock solid A

Wide Receiver:

Devier Posey:

Posey had another solid year. He was 6th in the Big Ten in receiving yards and  was on the  Big Ten’s honorable mention list for wide receiver. Posey is a big play type ball snagger that from time to time had issues catching easy balls. Something I’m sure he will work to improve his senior season. Posey lead Ohio State in receiving in the Sugar Bowl and hauled in a beautiful 43 yard touchdown from Pryor in the 2nd quarter.

Grade: B-

Dane Sanzenbacher:

Terrelle Pryor’s security blanket. He was named the Buckeyes MVP in 2010 and rightfully so. He was also a 1st team Big Ten receiver. Chances are that on Saturdays if you were watching an OSU game, Sanzenbacher was flying through the air making some kind of ridiculous circus catch, keeping drives alive and making heads up plays. Like the one he made in the Sugar Bowl after Pryor fumbled and 3 razorbacks missed an opportunity to seize momentum. Dane was there to seize it back. We all saw the play and that is just the type of player Dane was. He will go down for many as a Buckeye all time favorite and he will be sorely missed.

Grade: A+

Tight End:

Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel made for an outstanding 1-2 punch at tight end. One is known as a pass catching threat and the other is known for being an overpowering run blocker. Stoneburner was 3rd on the team in receiving yards and that was after missing multiple games with an ankle injury. His production out of the tight end position was the best output since 2003 when Ben Hartsock had 33 grabs. Fragel and Stoneburner both and a hand in the Ohio State win vs. SEC foe Arkansas as they combined for 4 catches and 81 yards. While Stoneburner is not a pure tightend and more of a flex end, Fragel is the real deal. He is an outstanding blocking and a surprising weapon on playaction.

Grade: B

Running Backs:

Brandon Saine: was supposed to be THE guy for Ohio State in 2010 and after a monstrous first half vs. Marshall in week one, all indications were that Saine was set for a huge senior year. However after the 1st game Saine just wasn’t right as the lead back and a change was made. Saine took a back seat to Herron and switched to more of a pass catching threat. Saine had 7 total touchdowns and was 4th on the team in receiving. He proved to be a valuable offensive threat out of the backfield and a serviceable runner in the tail end of the year.

Grade: D+ as a running back and a B- as a utility weapon.

Boom Herron:

The man turned into a BEAST when he was made the full time running back and helped the Ohio State offense become one of the most potent offenses in school history. Herron ran for 1155 yards (good for 4th in the Big Ten) and 16 touchdowns (3rd in the Big Ten). Herron was also a 1st Team All Big Ten running back. His games against hated rivals Penn State and Michigan totaled 365 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Oh, and one more thing… Boom has NEVER lost a fumble in his Buckeye career.

Grade: A

Backup Running Backs:

Jordan Hall, Jamaal Berry, Rod Smith, Carlos Hyde… there just aren’t enough balls to go around. Hall was the primary backup behind Herron/Saine and both Hall and Berry were given the duties of being return men. Hall returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Michigan and Berry averaged over 8 yards a carry (32 attempts). I mentioned Rod Smith because the buzz around bowl practice was that Smith may have had his red shirt pulled because he was THAT good. While Boom sits out his suspension next year I believe Jordan Hall will get the start, but Rod Smith will see a lot of playing time and could be the full time starter next year by seasons end. Just not enough balls to go around.

Grade: B+

Quarterback:

Terrelle Pryor:

In 2010 the Ohio State Offense averaged 38.8 points per game. The offense lead by Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith averaged 34.6. Terrelle Pryor was a different quarterback in 2010. He was a pass-first nightmare to deal with for opposing defensive coordinators that has rewritten the Ohio State quarteback record books. Is he at times overly emotional? Yes. Does he at times act his age? Yes. Do we all at times wish he would shut down his twitter account and stop talking to the media all together? Yes. Do I want anyone else quarterbacking OSU right now? HELL NO.

A lot of comparisons have been made between Terrelle Pryor and Cam Newton. Both are HUGE quarterbacks and both are AMAZING athletes. Both have commanded successful offenses and both have been in the spotlight for off the field mistakes. Yet, there are differences — a couple come to mind. Cam Newton is leaving Auburn for the paycheck of the NFL, Terrelle Pryor is staying to finish what he started. Cam Newton doesn’t want to talk about the hundreds of thousands of dollars he and his daddy took to play football at Auburn, Terrelle Pryor after being named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl apologized to his coaches, teammates and all Buckeye fans for what he did…and he did so on national television. It was a stand up move and a glimmer of maturity. Still waiting to hear from Cam Newton…could be a long wait.

I’ve often wondered what OSU’s record would be without Pryor at the helm…scary thought.

Grade: A+

Overall:

This offense was fun to watch, no doubt about it. A multifaceted offense that could not be stopped. You want to stop the run, fine — deal with Pryor slicing up the defense throwing to Dane, Posey, Saine or Stoneburner. You want to shut down the pass, fine — deal with Boom Herron and Terrelle Pryor running the ball all over the field.

Play calling did at times get in the way of this juggernaut unleashing the full fury onto college football. Please see the entire second half of the Sugar Bowl. Ugg. Evil Tressel needs to be in full effect EVERY gameday.

Grade: A-