What If Former Michigan And Ohio State Players Joined Forces To Make Their Own NFL Team?

What has 19 national championships, ten Heisman trophy winners, 80 Big Ten titles, bitter hatred yet mutual respect, and 1,841 total wins? That, my friend, is the Ohio State-Michigan college football rivalry, which has produced a ton of NFL talent. In fact, as of the 2017-2018 season, 33 former Michigan Wolverines players and 42 former Ohio State players were on NFL rosters. Well, what would happen if all 75 of those players joined forces and created their own NFL team? Let’s find out, shall we? Without further ado, below I have constructed the best two-deep roster possible for former participants in ‘The Game’

Quarterback: Tom Brady, Cardale Jones

The Game features Tom Brady, arguably the greatest quarterback of all time under center. Brady is widely recognized as being one of the most clutch quarterbacks of all time and has a ton of accolades to back that up, being a five-time Super Bowl champion, four-time Super Bowl MVP, three-time NFL Most Valuable Player, and thirteen-time Pro Bowler etc.

Behind him is Cardale Jones who has proven throughout his career that he is a reliable backup.

Running back: Ezekiel Elliott, Carlos Hyde

At running back, The Game features two former Ohio State stars in Ezekiel Elliott and Carlos Hyde. Despite the fact that Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was suspended for the first six games of the year, he and Hyde rushed for a combined 157.1 rushing yards per game in 2017. To put that in perspective, the Jacksonville Jaguarsled the NFL in 2017 with 140.2 rushing yards per game as an entire TEAM!

Wide Receiver: Michael Thomas, Devin Funchess, Ted Ginn Jr, Jalin Marshall, and Braxton Miller

In Michael Thomas, The Game has arguably the NFL’s best possession receiver who was sixth in the league with 1,245 receiving yards. It also has big-bodied Devin Funchess (840 receiving yards) and speedster Tedd Ginn Jr. (787 receiving yards) – both of which present big problems for secondaries.

Tight End: Nick Vannett, Jeff Heuerman

Although Nick Vannett and Jeff Heuerman provide solid blocking and are legit receiving threats, their 21 combined receptions for 266 yards and three touchdowns last season weren’t all that impressive. However, you better believe that those numbers would increase with Tom Brady under center. 

Offensive Tackle: Taylor Lewan, Taylor Decker, Darryl Baldwin, Chase Farris, Erik Magnuson

Led by rookie Pro-Bowl Selection Taylor Lewan, The Game has a respectable set of offensive tackles. Taylor Decker started in all 16 games as a rookie in 2016, but due to him undergoing shoulder surgery had to sit out for 2017. Nevertheless, the talent’s still there.

Offensive Guard: Andrew Norwell, Kyle Kalis, Patrick Omameh, Ben Braden

Anchored by All-Pro guard Andrew Norwell and an ultra-reliable Patrick Omameh, who started in all 13 games he saw action in last year, The Games guards aren’t so shabby. Kyle Kalis would make a solid option, too.

Center: Pat Elflein, Corey Linsley,  

Pat Elflein started in every game of his rookie season for the Vikings, making the 2017 PFWA All-Rookie Team. Ironically, three years earlier, Corey Linsley made the PFWA All-Rookie Team as well and is the proven leader for the Packers up front. 

Defensive End: Joey Bosa, Cameron Heyward, Brandon Graham, Frank Clark 

I don’t know if there’s a rivalry in all of college football that has produced a better collection of defensive ends than ‘The Game’. Highlighted by pro-bowlers Joey Bosa and Cameron Heyward, the combination of those two and Michigan alumn Brandon Graham and Frank Clark recorded a combined total of 194 tackles and 44 sacks last year. 

To put that in perspective, only four out of the 32 NFL TEAMS AS A WHOLE produced more sacks in the 2017-2018 season!

Defensive Tackle: Adolphus Washington, Michael Bennett, Ryan Glasgow, Willie Henry 

Defensive tackle is by far the weakest of all positions for The Game. Adolphus Washington, Michael Bennett, Ryan Glasgow, and Willie Henry started in just 15 games combined in the 2017-2018 season.

But you better believe that with four stud defensive ends, the two that weren’t starting at their normal position could fill that void. 

Linebacker: Ryan Shazier, Darron Lee, John Simon, Joshua Perry, Raekwon McMillan, Curtis Grant

Despite Ryan Shazier’s late-season injury, he is included on this list because he played throughout the entire regular season, having a solid, 89-tackle season, and putting up similar numbers to fellow Ohio State alumn Darren Lee. John Simon and Raekwon McMillan would also provide respectable skillsets at that position. 

Safety: Malcolm Jenkins, Malik Hooker, Vonn Bell, Kurt Coleman

With veterans, Malcolm Jenkins and Kurt Coleman coupled with younger rising stars like Malik Hooker and Vonn Bell, The Game has a pretty good group of safeties. Ohio State has become defensive back-U over the last decade or so. 

Cornerback: Marshon Lattimore, Bradley Roby, Doran Grant, Gareon Conley, Eli Apple, Channing Stribling, Jourdan Lewis, Jeremy Clark

Having two cornerbacks like Marshon Lattimore and Bradley Roby on your roster would be an NFL coach’s dream come true. Veteran Bradley Roby could teach a younger and arguably more talented Lattimore a lot, and Lattimore – who led all rookies in interceptions – could put some wide receivers in check.

The verdict: 

I imagine that with Tom Brady, Ezekiel Elliott and Carlos Hyde, the stable of wide receivers, the dominance on the defensive line, and all of the play-makers in the secondary, not only would The Game win in dominant fashion versus most teams in the NFL, it would produce a team that could easily win the Super Bowl.

The NFL talent produced by The Game is by far the best of any and every other rivalry, which further iterates the fact that there’s no better rivalry in college football.

Things That Have Happened Since Michigan Last Beat Ohio State In Football  

When you’re a fan of arguably the most successful program in the history of college football, the Ohio State Buckeyes, you have a lot to brag about. However, for every single success story that is published or brought up in conversation about the men who have essentially made the sport of college football a secular religion in Ohio over the course of 100+ years, you have a Michigan naysayer around to remind you that the Womanrines have more total wins, more conference titles, more national titles, and have more wins in the rivalry.

For their sake alone, I have written this article. First and foremost, I would like to mention that, as of today, it has been 2,057 days since Michigan has beaten Ohio State in football. Their last win versus the Buckeyes came in 2011 when Ohio State was in between head coaches and had a true freshman at quarterback.

That was the year Luke Fickell was Ohio State’s interim head coach and the Buckeyes had their first losing record in 23 years. Of course that happened to be the year the Wolverines finally topped the Buckeyes (for the first time since 2003). Since then, however, be it due to controversial calls or utter dominance, the Wolverines have failed to beat their cross-state counterparts.

In the time since, a whole heck of a lot of things have happened. Thanks to Wikipedia and onthisday.com, I was able to concoct a small list of such things. Without further ado, here are some of the things that have happened since the Wolverines’ last victory over the Buckeyes on November 26, 2011:

  • December 18, 2011 – Withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq: The last United States troops withdrew from Iraq under the terms of the U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement.
  • September 11, 2012 – The Benghazi attack: An attack that was coordinated against two United States government facilities in Benghazi, Libya by members of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia.
  • October 25–30, 2012: Hurricane Sandy: A devastating hurricane wreaks havoc for the Eastern United States coast.
  • November 6, 2012: United States presidential election, 2012: Barack Obama is reelected as president.
  • December 14, 2012: Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting: Occurs in Newtown, Connecticut killing 20 Children and 6 Staff Members
  • January 20, 2013: Barack Obama is inaugurated for his second term as president.
  • April 15, 2013: Boston Marathon bombings: Two pressure cooker bombs explode during the Boston Marathon
  • April 16, 2014: Malaysia Airlines Flight of Malaysian airlines went missing and hasn’t been seen since.
  • May 23, 2014: 2014 Isla Vista killings occurs, killing 6, and wounding 14 others, perpetrated by elliot rodger.
  • June 2014: President Obama orders the return of a small number of troops to Iraq to help bolster Iraqi and Kurdish military forces
  • August 9, 2014: Michael Brown was shot and killed, in what was ruled by a grand jury to be self-defense, by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, igniting protests and riots in the following months.
  • November 3, 2014: New building, 1 World Trade Center, opens in New York City.
  • December 17, 2014: President Obama announces a restoration of full diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time since 1961.
  • April 27, 2015: Baltimore protests: Protests and rioting occur in Baltimore, Maryland after the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.
  • June 17, 2015: Charleston church shooting: A gunman killed 9, including a state senator in a church in Charleston, South Carolina.
  • June 26, 2015: Gay marriage is fully legalized in all 50 states
  • July 20, 2015: Restoration of relations with Cuba.
  • December 22, 2015 San Bernardino attack: Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, a married radical Muslim couple, kills 14 people at a center for the developmentally disabled.
  • June 11, 2016: Orlando Nightclub Shooting: A self-proclaimed Islamic State fighter, Omar Mateen, kills 49 and injures 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando, before being shot and killed by an officer.
  • July 7, 2016: Shooting of Dallas police officers: Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed and fired upon a group of police officers in Dallas, Texas, killing five officers and injuring nine others. Two civilians were also wounded.
  • August 12–22, 2016: Louisiana floods and prolonged rainfall in southern parts of the U.S. state of Louisiana resulted in catastrophic flooding that submerged thousands of houses and businesses.
  • August 13, 2016: Milwaukee riots: A riot began in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sparked by the fatal police shooting of 23-year-old Sylville Smith.
  • November 8, 2016: Donald Trump wins the 2016 presidential election
  • January 20, 2017: Donald Trump is inaugurated as the forty-fifth president of the United States
  • February 22, 2017: Discovery of 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting star Trappist-1 announced in Journal “Nature” – raises possibility of alien life
  • March 22, 2017: Terrorist attack on London’s Westminster Bridge and Houses of Parliament kills 4 including a police officer and injures 40
  • May 10, 2017: President Donald Trump shares classified information about ISIS plot with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office
  • June 2, 2017: Trump announces the US is withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement
  • July 5, 2017: 101 people reported shot, 15 killed in Chicago, Illinois over 4th July weekend

It’s safe to say that for Wolverines fans, a win versus Ohio State is long overdo. This explains why so many of them were so upset about the double overtime fourth down spot in the 2016 edition of “The Game”.  Nevertheless, it has still been over 2,000 days since Michigan has beaten Ohio State in football.

This list could have literally been 100 pages long.

 

Let Me Fix Your Team – Michigan Wolverines

I look around college football and I see a lot of disgruntled fan bases. They aren’t happy with their team whether it’s the coaching, the play on the field, all of the losing or a combination of these three. When I see these problems I start to think of a solution for these teams, but I never put them on paper before. But in you’re luck now downtrodden schools! Now I’ve decided to use my expertise to help you through your issues. With my help you’ll be a winner in no time. Just call me Doctor Josh! After helping Florida with their problems, I decided to take on an even bigger problem this week. It’s my toughest patient yet…

Patient: Michigan Wolverines
Status: 3-5 (1-3 in Big Ten)
Current Fan Base Mood: Most of the fan base is starting to realize their program hasn’t been relevant in decades, which has led to depression and heavy drinking. Also: #FireHoke #FireBrandon
Most Embarrassing Moments: Getting shutout by Notre Dame, losing to Minnesota, concussion management of Shane Morris, Brady Hoke’s press conferences, Dave Brandon in general, getting beat by their “little brother” (Mike Hart’s words, not mine) Michigan State, Devin “Pastry Chef” Gardner serving up turnovers and suffering a humiliating blowout loss to Ohio State. Wait that last one hasn’t happened. Yet.

Devin the Pastry Chef

Dr. Josh’s Advice: Well it’s good to hear Michigan fans are starting to accept what they are: a shell of how great their program was back when they were winning multiple national titles in the 1800s when there were only two other teams playing football. People say Notre Dame has issues with this, but at least they went to a national championship game in the last decade (even though they got smoked). Anyway the point is accepting your football team sucks is the first step.

Next you need to go out into the wilderness and go on a spiritual quest to discover who should be the true “Michigan Man” to lead your program back to being great. Of course the wilderness you’ll probably be taking your journey in is located in Ohio because that’s where the greatest Michigan Man ever came from. Come to think of it most great coaches around the country come from Ohio (Urban, Tressel, Stoops, Miles, etc.).

One more thing: I know it’s going to be tough getting through the rest of the season, so you might as well pick up some Domino’s pizza and a Coca-Cola. You should at least have some comfort food in your time of misery.

Prescription: As a certified college football doctor, I’ve sat back and watched fans along with “experts” say who should be the next head coach at Michigan. I laugh at these suggestions though because they’re all wrong. The Harbaugh brothers seem like fine gentlemen, but they don’t fit the recent competitive culture of the program. You’re overreaching and they’re unlikely to leave the NFL. Then there’s Les Miles, who is from Ohio and has previous ties to the program of course. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? Wrong! He’s currently a head coach in the SEC, which is the greatest conference God has ever delivered to mankind according to Paul Finebaum and the College Football Playoff Committee. You can lose three games in that conference and still compete for a national title. No way he’s leaving easy street.

Rich & Les

Last, but not least I’ve seen Ron Zook’s name thrown out there as a “joke” candidate. That’s just wrong, man. This is a serious situation and as you know I take my job quite seriously. Just look at the fine prescriptions I made for Illinois and Florida. Their fans have done nothing but praise my miracle work.

I have the perfect coach in mind for the University of Michigan. This man was born right in Ann Arbor, Michigan! He’s fairly young at 49 years old and played at Michigan State in college. In fact he was a starting center for three years and earned All-Big 10 Conference honors. He was the co-captain of the team when they defeated USC in the Rose Bowl in his senior season. Not only a great player, but a great student too! He was the first ever graduate student to play on the football team at Michigan State. In addition to this Big Ten experience and hometown lineage, he has three years experience of being a head coach in the NFL and is currently the offensive coordinator for one of the hottest offenses in the league. Aren’t you dying to know who this is?

Can I get a drumroll please? This man deserves it!

This mystery man and the guy I feel should be the next head coach of the Michigan Wolverines is…

Pat Shurmur!

Shurmurnator

You won’t find another coach that battles as hard as this guy. He battled so hard that the Browns had to fire him because they knew he was going to deliver success and battle them to Super Bowls, something that the football gods won’t allow. So I’m going to list the reasons this is a homerun hire: 1) He’s forthright and open about injuries, something that is the exact opposite of Hoke. Proof? This quote describes Shurmur after his first preseason game with the Browns: “When his first game was over, he was open about injuries and honest in his assessment of individual players.” 2) You would be sticking it to your rival Michigan State, just like you stuck that spike in their field before losing to them last Saturday, which led to Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio sticking a late touchdown right up Michigan’s…. well you know. 3) It would bring back to life the once greatest parody account in Twitter history, fake Pat Shurmur. Fake Shurmur could then have epic Twitter battles with the current greatest parody account, Fake Bo Pelini. So if you’re losing you still get entertainment!

I don’t think I need to list any more reasons at this point because you’re probably at Shurmur’s front porch right now begging him to come to Michigan. In fact since you guys like hashtags so much, here’s one for you: #ShurmurToMichigan. I’m a genius!

Happy Halloween Michigan fans! For next week’s post I would like to take questions from you the appreciative audience. It’ll be a Q&A session where Dr. Josh can solve any problems you may have or are curious about. You can put those questions in the comments sections below or send them to Twitter: @SchottJosh. Be sure to send some questions!

MotSaG TV Guide

All right, everybody, it’s week two! Time to stop losing to FCS schools and turning in mildly disappointing performances that do not meet all of your fans’ absurd expectations!

Thursday

10:00pm

Sacramento State at Arizona State. Don’t worry about the late kickoff, this game isn’t likely to be on your TV anyway. So why would I include it on a list of games I think you should watch? Well, for starters, there are no other good options tonight, but more importantly, Sacramento State is one of two FCS schools who beat FBS opponents in 2011 and 2012. The other one? North Dakota State, who just beat Kansas State in last weekend’s Dawn of the Living Sisters of the Poor. Working in the Sun Devils’ favor here is the fact that Sac State got shut out by San Jose State last week. (Pac-12 Network, which is a thing I guess)

Friday

8:00pm

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College Football is Finally Here: B1G Preview for the Weekend Ahead

After many long months of waiting college football season has finally arrived! As much as I love baseball, college football holds a special place in my heart. I especially enjoy watching B1G football.

Every year the B1G is expected to step it up and produce some impressive results on the field, with this year being no different from the rest. Last year the conference was hurt by two of its most illustrious programs, Penn State and Ohio State, being punished with bowl bans. Now that the Buckeyes have served their penalty, high expectations return to Columbus. Ohio State is the consensus favorite to not only win the conference, but run the table and play for it all in Pasadena. As far as the next best team in the B1G? That’s anybody’s guess.

In the Leaders Division Wisconsin lost Montee Ball, but have 10 other Wisconsin-like running backs waiting in the wings (namely James White and Melvin Gordon). Penn State is in year two of their bowl ban and break in two new quarterbacks. Indiana has a lot of starters returning to the team and the pressure is on head coach Kevin Wilson to get the team to a bowl game. Illinois head coach Tim Beckham is already on the hot seat in Champaign, despite the fact that its only his second season with the program. Purdue breaks in new head coach Darrell Hazel (former Buckeye coach) and look to begin rebuilding their program.

In the Legends Division Nebraska has Taylor Martinez return for what feels like his 10th year in the program, but their defense is a huge question mark. Michigan State is the exact opposite of Nebraska. They have a great defense, but four different players competed for the QB position. Northwestern is receiving the most preseason hype in decades, but many are unsure if they can handle the high expectations. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz has been getting bashed by the media and fans all offseason and looks to silence the doubters. Minnesota looks to continue to build off their 6-6 season last year and move up the ladder in the conference. And the team up north finally has an actual quarterback again, but do they have enough to be considered an elite team?

Enough chatter, let’s get to the opening week games:

Thursday, August 29

Indiana State @ Indiana – If this was a basketball game taking place in the 70’s, with Larry Bird lacing it up for the Sycamores, I would be pretty psyched about this game. But instead it’s a football game in 2013. Even though I’m not thrilled about this match-up, these two actually played a tight game last season in the opener. Indiana only won 24-17 and only led by a touchdown at halftime also. I expect Indiana to learn from last season and dispatch Indiana State with ease.

UNLV @ Minnesota – This is another non-conference rematch from last season. And it was even closer. Minnesota needed triple overtime to defeat the Rebels, 30-27. Close games like this are what make the B1G look bad. B1G teams aren’t supposed to have close games with teams like UNLV. I hope the Golden Gophers win this game, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this is another close game.

Friday, August 30

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The Best of the B1G, #7 Jake Ryan

Jake Ryan (2012-09-15)

#47 Jake Ryan
School: The School Up North
Position: Linebacker
Class: Redshirt Junior
Hometown: Westlake, Ohio
Height: 6-3
Weight: 242 lbs.

Why He’s Important to the School Up North’s Success: Ryan is the best defender on the entire Wolverine roster and one of the best in the Big 10. He can be an absolute nightmare for quarterbacks and offensive linemen. Jake Ryan was one of few the good players who slipped out of Ohio and decided to play for the school up north (with Urban around this will not be the norm).

During the 2012 season, Ryan racked up 88 tackles (21st in the league) and 16 tackles for loss. Ryan also had 5.0 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. In terms of how his stats ranked in the Big 10, he was third overall in total tackles for loss. He also led the league in fumbles forced per game.

Most importantly Ryan is one of only five returning starters for the Wolverine defense and his presence (or lack thereof) will certainly make an impact on their season.

Career Highlight:

In terms of Ryan’s big career moment, I would say his 22 yard tackle for loss against Virginia Tech in the 2012 Sugar Bowl would be it. Take a look below:

How Ryan Stacks Up Against His Competition

Ryan is one of the best linebackers in the Big 10, right with Ryan Shazier and Max Bullough of Michigan State. Unfortunately for Ryan, many people tend to overlook his talent and he seems to be forgotten about. This was evident when Big 10 coaches and media revealed their 2012 All-Big 10 teams. The coaches didn’t name him to the first or second team, only garnering an honorable mention. The media named him to the second team. (Side note: That was some of the worst voting I have ever seen. It was certainly politics at its finest. Several players from several teams got screwed.)

Ryan did not make any preseason All-Big 10 teams this year. This isn’t because he’s being looked over again. Ryan suffered a torn ACL during practice in March and was originally ruled out indefinitely. Coach Brady ‘Walrus’ Hoke has since came out and said Ryan could return as soon as the middle of October. It would certainly be ideal for the Wolverines because it would be the beginning of a brutal stretch on the schedule (Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern and Ohio State). I’m sure Wolverine fans everywhere are crossing their fingers Ryan makes a return this season. Meanwhile, all of us in Buckeye nation will hope Ryan takes all of the time in the world to heal.

Why is Ryan Ranked (Only) No. 7?

It’s basically for the two reasons that I have already been mentioned above: overlooked and injured. If Ryan was fully healthy he would’ve probably been first team All-Big 10 and would’ve made a few awards’ watch lists. While he was overlooked by many last season, I don’t think that would’ve been the case this season. This injury will continue to cause him to be ‘under the radar’ to the average fan. While I feel bad he suffered a serious injury, I also remind myself he plays for the main enemy. If Ryan Shazier suffered a similar injury, their fans wouldn’t be shedding any tears either.

While Ryan is slated to return in October, don’t be surprised if you wouldn’t see him on the field at all this season. He suffered a serious injury and it’s uncommon to recover from this type of injury so quickly. If Ryan somehow returns this season, don’t overlook him like everyone else has in the past. I know quarterbacks around the Big 10 haven’t and won’t overlook his talents.

Previously on MotSaG’s Best of the B1G
#8 Carlos Hyde
#9 James White
#10 Trevor Siemian/Kain Colter
Best of the B1G, #15-11
Best of the B1G, #20-16
Best of the B1G, #25-21

The Best of the B1G, #14 Devin Gardner

b1g_iconDevin Gardner Jr. Quarterback University of Michigan

Devin officially takes over being the starting qb of the Wolverines this year. Having started the final 5 games for the Maize and Blue last year for an injured Denard Robinson, Gardner inherits the full time leadership role due to Robinson’s departure. Gardner changed the dynamics of Michigan’s offense running Brady Hoke’s pro style offense. While Robinson was pretty much a pure running QB Gardner is a dual threat but more of a passer.

Devin showed in the final five games he has a strong arm, completing 75 passes out of 126 attempts,passing for 1,219 yards and accounting for 22 touchdowns (threw for 11 td’s). Giving him a QB Rating of 161.7 percent averaging 243.8 yards passing a game. He also threw 5 INTS one in each contest. Gardner only ran for 100 yards in those 5 games averaging 2.1 yards per carry. If he played in all 13 games he would have had over 3000 yards passing easily.

Gardner is projected as the third best quarterback in the B1G behind Ohio State’s Braxton Miller and Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez. Devin is going to be facing a tougher B1G schedule than those two QB’s. Having to face 5 of the B1G’s projected top secondaries out of his 8 conference games. Miller and Martinez only have 2 match-ups against those same projections.

Devin Gardner is going to be the key to Michigan’s chances of being a championship caliber team as he states they are. His touchdown/interception ratio for the five games he started were good being 11/5 but he has a problem holding on to the football. He showed last season against Ohio State’s defense, which should be better, he struggled only throwing (season lows) for 171 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. If Devin cuts down on his turnovers he could be inserting his name into the Heisman talk. He is lucky in having his LT Taylor Lewan (one of the best in the NCAA) coming back to protect his blind side.

Devin Gardner’s best College Game:

Previously on MotSaG’s Best of the B1G
#15 Kenny Bell
Best of the B1G, #20-16
Best of the B1G, #25-21

Three Yards and a Cloud of Links

OSU FootballMorning Buckeye Nation!!

First off I would like to thank MotSaG adding me to their staff. It is great to be a part of the Buckeye Nation. Thank You to all our readers for taking the time to be a part of our family. I hope to keep you entertained and informed as we go forward.

That being said these are going to be the longest weeks in college football. I mean the coaches are going on vacation, players working out getting ready for camp approximately a month away. Recruiting slows to a crawl and its my job to find Buckeye info to share with you.

Awards Watch lists: The Maxwell Football Club has released their Maxwell and Bednarik Award preseason watch lists.

The Maxwell award is given to the best player in college football. No surprise but Braxton Miller is one of the Buckeyes offensive weapons that made the list. Also making the list is Carlos Hyde who has the chance to become Urban Meyers first 1000 yard rusher.

The Bednarik Award is given to the top Defensive player. Three Buckeyes made this list. C.J. Barnett, Bradley Roby, and Ryan Shazier.

I know preseason awards don’t mean much but it goes to show that the Buckeyes have some great players on both sides of the ball. The biggest question mark is going to be the Front Seven of OSU’s defense. Having Barnett, Roby, and Shazier as your leaders is going to help the young front. The Buckeyes might have one of the best secondaries in the nation this year. It’s going to be fun watching these players grow and get better each week.

New Uniforms for Sale: The Buckeye Room Tweeted about new Buckeye Uni’s on sale now

No official word if these will be the same as the players wear. Nike has added seven Golden Leafs on the back collar representing the Seven National Championships. I know Ohio State has seven Heisman Trophy’s too. If you want one and have 120 dollars I would get with the Buckeye Room before they are gone.

Mascot Love: Chomps the Browns mascot tweeted a picture of him and Brutus together playing in a mascot soccer game at Columbus Crew Stadium.

M*ch*g*n wins in football: Hahaha not really just a poll for the best B1G uniforms. We all know the Scarlet and Gray have the best uniforms but I guess we can be nice and let them win something. You know its not going to be on the field anytime soon!!

Beat M*ch*g*n: This is a story that even M*ch*g*n fans are embracing. A young Grant Reed was diagnosed with life threatening brain tumor 2 years ago. His parents, both former members of The Best Damn Band in the Land and die hard Buckeye fans, instilled the values of being a Buckeye which lead to them calling the disease “M*ch*g*n”. He has beaten Blue. He has been visited by Urban Meyer and his story is inspirational. There’s a chance it can come back but Buckeye Nation stands behind this young man.

Grant, from one cancer survivor to another, I say congratulations. You are an inspiration to so many.

Well Buckeye Nation until next time.

Buckeyes Need The Wolverines to be Good [Guest Post]

OSU Football(This is a guest post by Shannon S, one of many applicants for the recently open positions on the MotSaG staff.)

Can’t believe I actually just wrote that but its true. Recently, Devin Gardner was quoted as saying:

“We always have room for improvement, but this is definitely a championship-caliber football team that will win in the Big House against Ohio State,” Gardner said. “We don’t feel we’re inferior to anyone in the country, and we’re going to give it our all.”

Yes, this is good bulletin board material for the Buckeyes (not that they need much for The Game). Both teams’ players and coaching staffs get the importance of the best rivalry in college football.

A little while ago, I came across an article written by Lisa Horne on Bleacher Report talking about the Buckeyes weak 2013 schedule. I agree with her point that Ohio State does have a weak schedule. However, I will have to disagree with her thought there is only one tough game for the Buckeyes:

“The most dangerous team on Ohio State’s schedule is Northwestern. The Wildcats return 17 starters after posting a 10-3 record that included a 34-20 Gator Bowl victory over Mississippi State.”

Northwestern had a great year last season but this year’s schedule isn’t going to be so friendly. They start the B1G off at home against the Buckeyes (after an off week) and then have to travel to Wisconsin, who is a question mark with a new coach. The Wildcats will have another tough stretch playing at Nebraska, followed by two home games versus Michigan and Michigan St. Last season the two losses Northwestern had was against Nebraska and Michigan. Northwestern didn’t play Ohio State.

I contest that Michigan will be Ohio State’s most dangerous team to face in 2013. I agree that Northwestern will be a tough game for the Buckeyes but I envision Michigan winning the Legends Division, thus helping Ohio State reach the National Championship game by having to play the Buckeyes two weeks in a row. Michigan has a decent schedule. They play Notre Dame, who played in National Championship game in 2012, at home. Michigan’s toughest B1G road game is against Northwestern and have to play host to Nebraska and Ohio State. There is a real possibility of Ohio State and Michigan meeting this year both being undefeated for their match in The Big House. That would set up a rematch the following week in the B1G championship game. This is what the B1G wanted and possibly will get in the final season of the Legends and Leaders division before the realignment takes effect in 2014.

I am hoping for the Buckeye’s sake that Michigan is a championship caliber team. Everyone says the B1G is weak. It’s getting cliche at this point. After seeing these two team with Top 5 recruiting classes this past year, I am excited that this rivalry has the potential to get to where it was once before. As hard as it is for a team to go undefeated one year, let alone back to back years, this Ohio State team has the best shot to do it. Urban Meyer is a great head coach and knows how to get the best out of his players and he has a ton of talent on this team. Wins against Michigan in the Big House and on a neutral field will definitely propel the Buckeyes and will end the discussion if they belong or not.

Monday Musings are sad

FootballOSU FootballThe Buckeyes aren’t in the tournament? That makes MM muy sad.

But that’s just the tip of the old iceberg. What else is happening in the world of sports in the Ohio?

Anything you can do, we can do better: There’s a brief article in the FreeP about Ohio State (and Minnesota) sending some of its defensive position coaches down to South Florida to get some pointers on stopping the Rodriguez Spread Express. The USF Bulls shut it down two years in a row, they must be doing something right. Unfortunately, it looks like they’re rather tight-lipped:

Burnham said, though, “There are a few subtle things I keep to myself. We don’t give away all our secrets.”

Punks.

Terrel Pryor watch: The blogs were abuzz late last week with the announcement that Pryor would be making his decision this week, as he had narrowed his choices down to two schools. I think there’s a 98.43% chance he’s a Buckeye. 11W are a little concerned about him throwing around the word “just” as in “I may just play basketball” as in “I may just go to Memphis.”

Nah, that ain’t happening.

I’m majoring in Quarterbacking: I mentioned yesterday about the academic shenanigans going on up north. Part two of the story is up.

Roll the Bones: Don’t forget about joining us in our Yahoo Tournament Pick’em.

New blogs: Jim Tressel’s Head (They’re on top of the preemptive smack talk going down at USC) and Cleveland Frowns, who gets a big old tip-of-the-hat for a most excellent blog name.

And finally, because it’s been a while, it’s your Vernon Gholston shot for the week:

Vernon Gholston