We’ve listed the five things we’re keeping an eye on the defensive end, so here are the five things to look for on the offensive side of the ball:

5. Offensive line vs. Dorsey (and his little friends) – There’s no denying Dorsey is a game changer, even if he isn’t 100%. Cordle, Person and Rehring will have the hands full, literally. Dorsey on one side, Favorite on the other and a whole lot of manhood coming up the middle. How will they handle such speed?

4. Which Boeckman shows up? We talked about which Laurinaitis shows up, but the question is a valid one for Boeckman as well. Will we have the laser focused dead-eye Boeckman that showed up against Penn State or the ‘implody’ Michigan State Boeckman that couldn’t keep the ball out of Spartan hands? The Killers B’s want to know.

OSU will lean heavily on Beanie, but it will be Boeckman that will be under the most pressure. That makes us a wee bit nervous.

3. Wrinkles? What changes will we see coming out of the gate? OSU could surprise everyone and go with the spread with Boeckman (a-la Michigan, but that might be too obvious) or bring Henton in and let him throw the ball (oh please, Heavens, no). Something needs to be added for a nice little wrinkle to get Les’ knickers in a bunch. I wonder how he’d feel if he saw ‘Beanie McFadden’ line up in the shotgun?

2. Go right at the teeth of LSU’s D – This is a combination of #5 and #1. The Buckeyes can’t shy away from the challenge of Dorsey and the LSU defense. They need to go right at Dorsey and, as on defense, attack attack attack.

1. Beanie Beanie Beanie – Here’s where it gets real simple. The Stiff Arm of Justice™ has had a nice long layoff and is itching to punish some bad people. If Beanie’s ankle is 100% (we know the stiff arm never tires) then LSU has no idea what is coming for them. A steady diet of Beanie is just what the doctor ordered for OSU fans.

This just in: In a MotSaG exclusive, we have learned that the wunderkind Vernon Gholtson may arrive a little late to the 2008 BCS Bourbon Bowl.

He’s got a new gig opening up this evening.

This isn’t supposed to impact his performance in any way. Especially if Jacob Hester tries to score going across the rings.

Posting will be light around here for the next few days as everyone in the MotSaG family takes a break in preparation for the real Bowl Season to begin. In the meantime, here’s our special Holiday Edition Vernon Gordon Gholston shot:

We love Gee!

Actually, he’s your real gift, a head shot of the man himself. Just to prove that Vernon is, in fact, a handsome man, and not just a piece of delicious Meastcake for Buckeye fans to ogle.

Real quickly: It was reported that Donald Washington and Eugene Clifford were to be suspended for the Bourbon Bowl.

Later, we learn that just Clifford was out. It appeared that Washington had not been suspended and was in the clear.

Now, the Dispatch is reporting that Washington was suspended, but is appealing said suspension. We won’t no what comes of this for a while now. Hopefully we’ll all get a nice present after the Holiday break.

(On a side note, you know who didn’t get a nice present? All of Lloyd Carr’s assistants.)

Please let this not be true.

As with all information of this nature, we offer you grains of salt. That being said, Keith is pretty reliable.

Update: Confirmed. So this means:

His absence means redshirt freshman Chimdi Chekwa likely will start with Malcolm Jenkins at the corners. In the nickel defense, safety Jamario O’Neal now likely will get the nod.

Previously, Chekwa has played corner in nickel and Jenkins has shifted to safety. Andre Amos, Nick Patterson and Aaron Gant also could see more playing time.

I’m not freaking out about this, as Chekwa is serviceable and O’Neal was supposed to be all-world, but it still stings.

Update #2: Not so fast, my nervous friends.

It’s not uncommon to see former Buckeyes tackle former Buckeyes. It is, however, uncommon to see a former offensive superstar take down a former defensive heavy-hitter.

(For those of you who are NFL-challenged [who could blame you?] that’s Ted Ginn Jr. taking down Donte Whitner)