Bye Week A Possible Boon For Buckeyes

Who does not enjoy the occasional day off from work? I am not talking about a day off when you are sick. I am talking about a scheduled day off from work, where you can relax, and do whatever you want to do. Essentially, that is what the players get with the scheduled bye week for October 31st.

That is not to say or suggest that the coaches have the same luxury. Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer has been using the bye week for promoting his new book, making the various media rounds. More importantly, the coaching staff have been on the road, visiting prospective recruits at various locations around the country.

Getting back to the players, this bye week is coming at an opportune time. Not surprisingly, Ohio State has had its roster depleted due to injury, with varying degrees of severity. Players such as Joshua Perry, Darron Lee, and Parris Campbell have battled injuries this season. It may be presumptuous of me to make this statement, but a week off from pounding for Ezekiel Elliott before the November slate of games is not a bad thing, in my estimation. Look at this linked article, courtesy of elevenwarriors.com, and tell me how a week off may do wonders for this team, heading into November.

In the shameless self-promotion department, please listen to this week’s Men of the Scarlet and Gray Podcast. Shannon Sommers was able to assemble an all-star ensemble to have a roundtable consisting of Joe Dexter (@BuckeyeRadio) of ScriptOhio, Derrek Coss (@BuckeyeBrothers) of The Buckeye Brothers, and Tony Gerdeman (@GerdOZone) of theozone.net. We discussed some of the surprises as they relate to the current freshman class, challenges, and even dabbled in some forecasting for the remainder of the 2015 Ohio State football schedule. As a teaser, we even worked in a Voltron reference into the show…

Continuing on the shameless self-promotion tour, I wrote about Ohio State at the midseason point previously for athlonsports.com. This article was written before J.T. Barrett was named the full-time starter at quarterback, but several of the points and concerns I have for Ohio State are still valid. To read my analysis, please click here.

My bye week plans? The lovely Mrs. Minnich and I plan on carving pumpkins with our three children, hoping to avoid any mishaps with the carving knives. Getting our kids ready for an evening of Trick Or Treat, hoping none of our children suffer the same fate as this poor young man. Lastly, I plan on turning on the TV at 8pm, to watch a few of our future opponents, to get some advance scouting on both of them. I would be remiss if I didn’t say I am also hoping to see this tweet continue to be referenced by the college football world…

Hoping everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

Buckeyes “Ramble On” To Rumble At Rutgers

“Leaves are falling all around, It’s time I was on my way.
Thanks to you, I’m much obliged for such a pleasant stay.
But now it’s time for me to go. The autumn moon lights my way.
For now I smell the rain, and with it pain, and it’s headed my way.
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I’ve got one thing I got to do…
Ramble On,
And now’s the time, the time is now…”

No, Led Zeppelin was not singing about the upcoming Ohio State at Rutgers game, as much as I would like to believe so. Undefeated Ohio State travels to Piscataway, New Jersey, for a conference clash with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Rutgers enters the contest at 3-3, fresh off a monstrous comeback victory over Indiana.

While playing Rutgers is a relatively new concept for Ohio State, the idea of traveling to New Jersey in search of high school football talent is not. In the past, Buckeye greats such as Jack Tatum and Alonzo Spellman starred for the Buckeyes. Present players on the team from New Jersey include freshman offensive tackle Kevin Feder, redshirt sophomore cornerback Eli Apple, senior placekicker Jack Willoughby, sophomore wide receiver Noah Brown, and redshirt freshman defensive end Darius Slade. As Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer stated, New Jersey is home to outstanding high school football, among other things…

Rutgers has had its share of controversies this season. Wide receiver Leonte Carroo was suspended earlier this season, and will be a game time decision for the Scarlet Knights. If Carroo can go, the Ohio State secondary will be put to the test, as Carroo is one of the most dynamic wide receivers in The B1G.

Ohio State enters into this game with tremendous anticipation to see how the offense will respond under the quarterback play of J.T. Barrett. With Barrett starting at the onset of the game, Ohio State fans believe the offense will finally emerge into the explosive unit that has been anticipated all season.

Besides controlling Leonte Carroo as a receiving threat for Rutgers, Ohio State must confront the challenges of a strong Rutgers running game. Ohio State’s rush defense has given up significant yardage on the ground in consecutive weeks, in wins over Maryland and Penn State. Ohio State enters into the game without the services of senior defensive lineman Tommy Schutt. To compensate for the loss of Schutt, Ohio State will rotate defensive linemen Michael Hill, Joel Hale, and true freshman Robert Landers.

Prediction: The Rutgers fan base will be out in full force for this one, as this game will be the first time Ohio State plays in High Point Solutions Stadium. After a full day of tailgating, look and listen for a raucous Rutgers crowd.

Look for Ohio State to come out fast, to try and silence the crowd. Rutgers has the talent to keep it interesting during the first half, but Ohio State has too much talent and speed for Rutgers to keep pace. I have it Ohio State 49, Rutgers 21.

Buckeyes Look To “Black Out” Penn State

Ohio State defeated Maryland 49-28 in what was arguably the best offensive performance by the Buckeyes in the 2015 season. Using a two quarterback system, Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett led Ohio State to a combined five touchdowns; the other two touchdowns were scored on the ground by Ezekiel Elliott. Ohio State was able to mix its traditionally strong running game, with play action passing to Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall. The common football maxim is that if you are playing two quarterbacks, you may not have one – no matter how you feel about it, Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer may have unlocked the secret to a productive Ohio State offense for the remainder of this season.

Next up in Ohio Stadium are the Penn State Nittany Lions. Ohio State fans can recall how the Buckeyes needed to rally at Beaver Stadium in double overtime last season, until Joey Bosa sacked Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg by pushing Nittany Lions running back Akeem Lynch into Hackenberg’s leg. Ohio State fans will fondly hope that this game against Penn State will closely resemble more of what happened the last time Penn State visited in 2013, when Ohio State cruised to a 63-14 rout.

Ohio State will unveil a special black uniform for the night game against Penn State. If going to the game, be sure to wear black, or be prepared to face the wrath of Shelley Meyer…

Black uniforms can be debated positively or negatively from now until the conclusion of the Penn State game. In my estimation, Penn State is the best team that Ohio State has faced so far this 2015 season.

Here are three things I will be keeping an eye upon when the game kicks off at 8pm EST on ABC…

1. Penn State’s offensive line versus Ohio State’s defensive line ~ Penn State has given up 19 sacks through the first six games of the season, with ten sacks in the opening game loss to Temple. Ohio State’s defensive line, led by Bosa and Adolphus Washington, will pin their collective ears back on passing downs. Will Penn State be able to protect Hackenberg? Will Penn State use screens or other quick passing plays to try and negate the Ohio State pass rush?

2. Penn State’s Opportunistic Defense ~ On the latest Men of the Scarlet and Gray podcast, our guest Kevin McGuire noted how Penn State’s defense has been capitalizing upon turnovers in their five victories. With the exception of Ohio State’s win over Maryland, the Buckeyes have turned the ball over at an alarming rate. Will Ohio State revert back to its bad habits against the Nittany Lions?

3. Ohio State In The Red Zone ~ Using Barrett opened up the offense in a positive way against Maryland. Will Ohio State be able to build upon the momentum moving forward against Penn State?

Prediction: New uniforms and a night game are tremendous energy builders, but any game comes down to the team that is able to consistently block and tackle their opponent. Penn State is closing the gap talent-wise with Ohio State, but is not there yet with the Buckeyes. Look for Ohio State to pull away in the second half, behind the strong Buckeye offensive line and the running of Ezekiel Elliott. I have it Ohio State 35, Penn State 21.

Buckeyes Look To Sprint Past The Maryland Terrapins

Ohio State is favored by 33 points over Maryland in the Buckeyes’ homecoming game that kicks off at 12pm EST on The Big Ten Network. While Ohio State fans are hoping for the Buckeyes to come out with an impressive performance against the Maryland Terrapins, Maryland fans are wondering if this will be the final coaching appearance by Randy Edsall. Edsall is rumored to be on the firing line, according to social media…

While Randy Edsall has been rumored to be on the hot seat, I must confess that I believed Maryland would not fire him until January 2017. My reasoning is that Edsall signed a contract extension that would obligate Maryland to pay Edsall millions if terminated before January 2017. Maryland also made the move to The B1G in an effort to improve its financial standing; this move would certainly put a crimp on those financial plans. (My podcasting partner Shannon Sommers did ask our guest Daniel Gallen (@danieljtgallen) about Edsall’s job security on the latest Men of the Scarlet and Gray podcast, by the way.)

Instead of dwelling on ‘what if’s’ and ‘what might be’s’ that may happen as they relate to Maryland’s coaching situation, here are three areas that I will be focusing upon during the actual game between Ohio State and Maryland in Ohio Stadium…

1. Ohio State Establishing An Offensive Identity ~ Run the ball with Ezekiel Elliott. Hit Michael Thomas for easy short gains along the sideline. Throw deep to keep Maryland from putting eight or nine in the box. Once these elements have been established, then the lateral plays involving Braxton Miller or Jalin Marshall can be incorporated.

2. Avoiding Turnovers ~ Easier written than done for this Ohio State team. Ohio State has been far too generous with the ball. It is time for Ohio State to not only demonstrate true ball security, but also punish players with loss of playing time if the transgressions continue.

3. Red Zone Efficiency ~ Field goals are nice, but touchdowns are what put a smile on the face of Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer. Once within the red zone, figure out the easiest and most efficient way to get the ball into the end zone for six points.

Maryland was facing an uphill battle coming into this game, and the Randy Edsall rumors are only pouring gasoline onto the fire. Coach Meyer can use this game to get ready for the big November stretch run. I have it Ohio State 42, Maryland 7.

Buckeyes Back On Road To Battle Hoosiers

4-0 Ohio State at 4-0 Indiana. How many of you thought it was going to be like this, back when thinking about this game as it related to the schedule?

You can put your hand down, Kyle Swick of The Crimson Quarry. By the way, thank you again for appearing on The Men of the Scarlet and Gray podcast with Shannon Sommers and me to preview this game.

Back to business. Ohio State took a step in the right direction offensively against Western Michigan, running a faster tempo offense behind the quarterback play of Cardale Jones. While Jones played better than in previous contests versus Hawaii and Northern Illinois, Jones also left points on the field by being late with deep passes; one of the three was intercepted, and two of the passes were almost intercepted. Jones also had some time management issues at the end of the first half, taking a costly intentional grounding call that led to the clock running out on the Buckeyes, missing an opportunity for a field goal.

All of what I wrote up above are fixable, and probably will be addressed going forward, especially the deep passing fundamentals that are crucial for the offense to succeed. Below are three areas that I will be focusing upon when Ohio State and Indiana get going in Bloomington at 3:30pm EST on ABC/ESPN2.

1. Ohio State’s Run Defense Versus The Indiana Running Game ~ Ohio State gave up 169 yards last week to Western Michigan, prompting concern from the Ohio State fan base, as well as Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer. Indiana is led by UAB transfer Jordan Howard. Howard has already rushed for 675 yards this season, and is coming off an impressive 168 yard game at Wake Forest. The interior defensive line, led by seniors Adolphus Washington and Tommy Schutt, need to rebound against Indiana as B1G play begins.

2. Ohio State’s Turnover Problems ~ A problem area from the end of last season, Ohio State has been entirely too generous with the football. Interceptions and fumbles are becoming far too commonplace this season for Coach Meyer to feel comfortable.

3. Braxton Miller’s Status In The Offense ~ It has become more and more evident that the coaching staff is trying to incorporate Miller into the offense, and more and more evident that the offense bogs down whenever this takes place. Yes, Braxton Miller is a dynamic player, but is it so important to get Miller the ball that the entire offense stalls out? Keep an eye out to see if the coaching staff lets the game flow better, before getting Miller the ball in situations that seem or feel forced.

Prediction: Ohio State is the best team Indiana has faced so far this season. While Indiana has talent across the board offensively, the Indiana defense has been giving up an average of 32 points a game, ranking them 97th defensively in this category. Indiana did not improve its team outlook by suspending DL Darius Latham prior to this contest. Look for Ohio State to use this game to continue to fine tune and improve upon its offense, while also working to shore up its run defense. I have it Ohio State 42, Indiana 21.

Northern Illinois Poses A ‘Husky’ Challenge For Ohio State

The words of caution and concern have been raised by me in the past, in case you forgot. Northern Illinois, the team that has defeated other B1G programs such as Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, and Purdue, will be entering Ohio Stadium to face the top-ranked Buckeyes in week three of the 2015 season. This game will mark the first time Ohio State and Northern Illinois have played since the 2006 season opener, when Ohio State won 35-12 over Northern Illinois.

Almost lost in the focus of this game is that former Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel, as well as former Buckeye football players Joey Galloway and Tim Anderson, will be honored with inductions into the Ohio State Hall Of Fame. Congratulations to these individuals, as well as all of the former Buckeye athletes who are immortalized with this tremendous honor.

Courtesy of buckeyegrove.com, below is a video clip of Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer describing what lies ahead for Ohio State with a talented Northern Illinois team…

Below are three areas I will be keeping a close eye on during the game…

1. Will Ohio State “Feed The Zeke” Against The Huskies? ~ Ohio State is 2-0 to start the 2015 season, but the offensive attack has been somewhat inconsistent and lacking the identity of the traditional power running game associated with Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes. With four of five offensive linemen returning, are the challenges simply a reflection of early season chemistry issues? If Ohio State can establish its traditional running game by running the ball well up the middle with Ezekiel Elliott, look for the rest of the offense to fall into place.

2. Can Ohio State Shut Down Northern Illinois’ Running Game? ~ If Ohio State can shut down Northern Illinois’ running game, with RB Joel Bouagnon as the key player, it will allow Ohio State to unleash its pass rush against Huskies QB Drew Hare. Hare is a steady quarterback who rarely makes mistakes; Hare has not thrown an interception yet this season. If Ohio State can keep the Huskies in third and long situations, the opportunity to wear the Huskies down with the Ohio State running game (see item # 1 in my preview) is that much more likely.

3. Has Ohio State Figured Out Its Quarterback Issues? ~ Nobody wants a quarterback controversy. All a quarterback controversy will do is divide, and possibly fracture, the locker room. Cardale Jones, off to a slow start, needs to play a smart game – instead of trying to force a big play, making a smart play is the way to approach this game. While J.T. Barrett should get playing time, introducing Barrett into the game too early can only fan the flames of a possible quarterback controversy.

Earlier this week, on The Men of the Scarlet and Gray Podcast, Shannon Sommers and I discussed this game in greater detail. While I respect Northern Illinois, I believe Ohio State will benefit from a full week of preparation, coming out with more energy and better focus. The Huskies will keep it interesting for the first half, but I see Ohio State slowly but surely pulling away in the second half to make it Ohio State 42, Northern Illinois 17.

Will The Warriors Want To ‘Come Out And Play’ Ohio State?

Congratulations to Ohio State on the impressive 42-24 opening victory on the road at Virginia Tech. Ohio State not only was able to avenge its lone loss in 2014 by defeating the Hokies, but the game marked the dynamic return of Braxton Miller for the first time since The 2014 Orange Bowl.

The 1979 movie “The Warriors” is a personal favorite. It is well worth the rental if you have never seen it; scrounge some change from your car or couch, and I am guessing you will be able to have enough for the rental. Anyway, below is one of the classic clips that I felt I had to include in my preview, as Hawaii’s team name are the Rainbow Warriors. Wouldn’t it be tremendous if the Ohio State P.A. announcer included this on Saturday, with Urban Meyer’s face superimposed on the screen of the Rogues’ leader? (I would tell you more, but I truly don’t want to spoil the movie for those of you who have not seen it.)

Earlier this week, Shannon Sommers and I previewed the home opener for Ohio State, as the Buckeyes will welcome in the University of Hawaii for a 3:30pm EST kickoff that will be televised on The Big Ten Network. This game will mark the first time that Ohio State and Hawaii have met on the gridiron. Ohio State comes into this game on only four days of rest, while Hawaii is coming off ten days of rest; Hawaii played Colorado on 09/03/2015. As I stated on this week’s Men of the Scarlet and Gray podcast, traveling to/from Hawaii is a physically exhausting experience, as the trip to/from Ohio will take about nine hours of total flight time.

Here are three quick items to keep an eye out for with Hawaii at Ohio State…

1. Cardale Jones Is The Starting Quarterback, But… ~ Look for J.T. Barrett to get substantially more playing time than what happened against Virginia Tech. It would not be surprising to see Barrett enter the Hawaii game while the contest is still in doubt, as Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer may want to keep Barrett fresh. Ohio State fans certainly remember how the 2014 team was forced to play three quarterbacks during the course of the season; why would the coaching staff not have the same pressing concerns? Here is something to contemplate – if this game gets out of hand, and Ohio State builds a truly substantial lead, will redshirt freshman Stephen Collier earn his first playing time as a Buckeye?

2. How Soon Will The Suspended Players Return To The Lineup? ~ Ohio State welcomes back defensive end Joey Bosa and wide receivers Dontre Wilson, Corey Smith, and Jalin Marshall. All are talented players, and can only help the team in a variety of ways going forward. Will Coach Meyer play them in the second or third series, as a manner of continued discipline? On The Urban Meyer Call-In Show on 09/10/2015, Meyer stated that Parris Campbell is a starter, as well as that Curtis Samuel and Braxton Miller will play at H-Back, the same position that Wilson and Marshall have also played.

3. Youth Can, And Should Be Served ~ Jones, Knox, Taylor, Lisle, and Prince. Sounds like a prestigious law firm, and maybe it will be someday in the future. (Jamarco) Jones, (Demetrius) Knox, (Brady) Taylor, (Evan) Lisle, and (Isaiah) Prince represent the listed second team offensive line, from left to right. With Taylor Decker, Jacoby Boren, and Chase Farris all seniors, plus Pat Elflein a redshirt junior who could leave after this season for the 2016 NFL Draft, Ohio State may be in the exact same predicament that the program had in 2014, with four players to replace along the offensive line. Why not play the inexperienced backups, to gain that necessary experience? Ezekiel Elliott will probably rush for over 100 yards by the half; what is there to gain by tiring Elliott out against Hawaii, when players such as Bri’onte Dunn or Warren Ball can take some carries, keeping Elliott fresh for the important stretch run that will begin in November?

Prediction: Hawaii enters this game with a victory over Colorado, but traveling across the mainland into Ohio Stadium is a very tall order. Hawaii has a talented quarterback in Max Wittek, and will throw a 3-4 defensive scheme against Ohio State that the Buckeyes do not routinely encounter. The talent, depth, and experience across the board will just be too much for Hawaii to keep pace.

Earlier this spring, I ranked the opponents on Ohio State’s 2015 schedule, and I ranked Hawaii last. Even the Hawaii correspondent we e-mailed, @dontwarriorboutit, predicted this to be a rout for Ohio State, with a 61-17 prediction. I have it 63-10, as Ohio State will try to keep it from getting out of hand, but it may be difficult with so many talented players, eager to impress the coaching staff, in the hope that impressive plays may garner them more playing time.

3 Thoughts From The Mind Of Minnich ~ Hokies Will Come ‘Loaded For Bear’ Against OSU

“Loaded For Bear” is an old expression, meaning someone or several people are ready for a difficult challenge. You could make the argument that although Virginia Tech effectively disrupted and dismantled Ohio State’s offense in 2014 using the Bear Front Cover 0 scheme, it will be the Buckeyes who are truly ‘loaded for bear’ as they begin the 2015 season in Blacksburg at 8pm EST on 09/07/2015.

Three Quick Things I will be keeping an eye out for during the game:

1. The Bear Front Cover 0 Scheme: How quickly will Virginia Tech use it against Ohio State, and how effectively will Ohio State be able to neutralize it? As stated up above, and as any Ohio State fan remembers from 2014, Virginia Tech used the Bear Front Cover 0 to its maximum effectiveness last year in Columbus. Why would Virginia Tech possibly deviate from something that worked so well? All offseason, Ohio State has practiced on how to defeat the scheme. The chess match between Virginia Tech’s Bud Foster and Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer and Ed Warriner will be fascinating.

2. Special Teams Truly Need To Be Special: Besides a stifling defense, Virginia Tech has made a sterling reputation off its special teams units, often blocking punts that swung the momentum in their favor against their opponent. Cameron Johnston is a tremendous punter, but needs to be prepared for the possibility of the Hokies going all out with a punt block scheme.

3. It Truly Is ‘Miller Time’: Braxton Miller returns to the field of play for the first time since January 2014. How much of a factor will Miller be as an H-Back, or as a listed punt returner? The aforementioned Foster will be on high alert any and all times Miller steps on the field for the Buckeyes.

I believe this game is going to be a tougher game than many Ohio State fans want to acknowledge. Blacksburg is going to be loud, raucous, and well-liquidated after a whole day in preparation for this game. Virginia Tech will not only run the Bear Front Cover 0 scheme, but look for various blitzes and stunts that will test Ohio State’s offensive line and the starting quarterback; for the record, I believe that will be J.T. Barrett, but I anticipate Cardale Jones getting playing time as well. Both Chris Spielman and Joey Galloway believe this will be a close one; who am I to argue with Buckeye legends? I have it being close until the fourth quarter, with Ohio State pulling away, to make it Ohio State 28, Virginia Tech 17.

Looking Back At Ohio State’s 2012 Recruiting Class (Part Two)

Back in 2012, Urban Meyer’s first recruiting class as head coach of Ohio State consisted of 25 players. As has already been discussed in length in part one, 11 players are no longer with the program. This 44 percent departure rate is higher than “The Rule of Thirds,” which is generally applied to recruiting classes when it comes to retention.

Even with an unusual number of departures, that still leaves 14 players who have remained a part of the Buckeyes program. Of this group, five are expected to contribute this season and possibly 2016, while nine are projected starters. Here are those players listed in order of when they verbally committed to Ohio State.

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Looking Back At Ohio State’s 2012 Recruiting Class (Part One)

The 2012 Ohio State football recruiting class is technically the first of head coach Urban Meyer’s players that were signed and brought to Columbus. I write the phrase “technically” because there are many extenuating factors that need to be remembered and contemplated when looking back at the 25 players who signed on the dotted line in February 2012 and became Buckeyes.

First and foremost, I have been reviewing Ohio State recruiting classes over the years. I have looked back at the recruiting classes going back to 2005, which included players such as James Laurinaitis, Brian Hartline and Malcolm Jenkins. The 2005 class was relatively small with 18 players signed, and was not highly rated by the recruiting analysts, but the Buckeyes only lost three from that class to transfer or academic issues, resulting in 15 who either started or contributed to Ohio State during their careers. This 83 percent success rate ranks that group highly in the unofficial “Rule of Thirds” concept that is applied to recruiting classes.

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