The Buckeye Battle Cry: FanPosts

Sad news from Columbus

2010-03-09T17:15:47Z

Not sports related-

Our hearts go out to the families and others impacted by this morning's shooting at Ohio State.

The Dispatch has great coverage, as always.

As someone who works in higher education, I know firsthand the impact that these types of situations have on campus communities. During a time when students, faculty, and staff should be celebrating Player and Coach of the Year awards as they go about the business of teaching and learning, the ripples from this event are immeasurable. Even if a campus member might be distanced from the specifics of the situation, the disharmony and fear that often results from these things impact the entirety of the institution's mission.

Please keep all the Buckeyes on campus in your thoughts and prayers over the coming days.

Women's Basketball - Big Ten Tournament Champions!

2010-03-08T06:49:25Z

[Note by MaliBuckeye at the BBC, 03/07/10 3:12 AM PST ] - CK's coverage from Indianapolis continues

A basketball game is 40 minutes long and tonight Ohio State showed why you have to play all 40 of them if you want to win. For the second straight year Ohio State was in the Big Ten Tournament Title game and for the second straight year we were treated to a thriller. This year’s opponent was Iowa and they got off to a hot start. The Hawkeyes moved the ball well and found holes in the OSU defense, shooting 43% in the first half. Ohio State managed to shoot 40% but turnovers and foul trouble hampered them at every turn. Jantel Lavender, Brittany Johnson, and Samantha Prahalis each earned two fouls and Andrea Walker earned three. Prahalis should have been given a technical when she reacted embarrassingly to her second foul.

The second half of the game did not start off well for the Buckeyes as the Hawkeyes stretched their lead to 16. At this point however something clicked for the Buckeyes and things turned around. The Buckeye defense stepped up and suddenly Iowa’s inside shots were not falling, the Hawkeyes still shot extremely well from beyond the arc. On offense Ohio State cut down on the turnovers, hit the boards harder and slowly started to chip away at the lead. The Buckeyes tied the game at 60 with 5 minutes to go and from there the game became a frantic, back and forth battle to the end, when Lavender stepped to the line and hit the game winning free throws with 1.9 seconds left on the clock. After watching a last desperate heave by the Hawkeyes miss, the celebration was on for Ohio State and its fans.

The win gave Ohio State it’s second straight Big Ten Tournament title and made them only the second non-Purdue team to win back-to-back tournaments, the other being Penn State in 1995 and 1996. Jantel Lavender became the second player ever to win two Most Outstanding Player awards and was named to the All-Tournament team along with Prahalis. Lavender scored a season high 35 points and became just the third OSU player to have 2000 points for her career.

With Purdue having made an early exit from what is normally the Purdue Invitational, Ohio State had the largest fan base at the game. This was needed as Iowa and the remaining fans from the other Big Ten teams united against the Buckeyes. The entire weekend sent a clear message that Ohio State is the most hated team in the Big Ten and that Prahalis and coach Jim Foster are the most hated people. While the Buckeye fans didn’t have much to cheer about for most of the game, they came alive in the last 10 minutes and it was easy to see that the team really got into the energy from the fans. It was also nice to see that Evan Turner, Dallas Lauderdale, and P.J. Hill made the trip from Columbus to help cheer on their female counterparts; it was also cool that I got to sit in front of them.

There is a week until the women’s NCAA bracket is announced and almost two weeks until the Buckeyes will play their next game and while the team should definitely celebrate and enjoy this victory, there is much room for improvement. The Big Ten Tournament showed that the Buckeyes need to work on focus and intensity. While there were sparks of brilliance, the Buckeyes looked slow and lost for much of the weekend. On the defensive side of the ball, the team needs to work on getting off screens and not allowing teams to have open shots off ball reversals. This weekend also showed that for the first time in a long while, the Buckeyes have the grit and determination necessary to come from behind even when they are not playing their best basketball. This team clearly has the pieces needed to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament but they need to get those pieces to all function together as one efficient machine.

Women's Basketball - Buckeyes Survive Wisconsin to Advance to Title Game

2010-03-07T06:06:09Z

[Note by Jeff at the BBC, 03/07/10 1:12 AM EST ] - Promoted to the front page. More excellent work on the Lady Buckeyes!

The motto for teams in the month of March is ‘survive and advance’ and there is no better way to sum up the semifinal match between Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Buckeyes had looked sluggish in their first game against Illinois and they didn’t look much better against Wisconsin. The Badgers jumped out to an early lead and led the entire first half, thanks to shooting a blistering 55% while the Buckeyes shot 41%. Ohio State had to play the last 7 minutes of the first half without center Jantel Lavender after she picked up her second foul. Overall the first half was a tight; back and forth battle with Ohio State never able to take the lead and Wisconsin never able to really pull away.

Wisconsin opened the second half strong, extending their lead to 7 points. Ohio State battled back and the second half became a seesaw battle just like the first had been. The Buckeyes took their first lead of the game at 62-60 with approximately 9 minutes to go in the game. From that point on the teams exchanged leads before the Buckeyes were finally able to pull away at the free throw line in the last 2 minutes of the game to notch an 82-73 win.

While the Buckeyes were able to get the win, the only positive thing that can be said about the game is that the Buckeyes showed poise late, despite trailing for the majority of the game. Wisconsin moved the ball extremely well on offense and we able to find a lot of open shots against the Buckeye defense. Even when Ohio State had a hand in the shooter’s face, Wisconsin still was able to hit shots. Just like in their previous game, the Buckeyes showed poor ball movement on offense and while the Buckeyes won the rebounding battle, they did seem like they were putting a lot of effort into going after rebounds.

The biggest complaint about this game has to go to the officials. This game should have gone down as a classic but instead it was marred by officiating that got steadily worse as the game wore on. This culminated in a final five minutes of the game that essentially saw a whistle and a trip to the free throw line on every possession for each team.

With their win, Ohio State advances to the Big Ten Title game to face Iowa. The third seeded Hawkeyes upset second seeded Michigan State 59-54. Iowa is perhaps the hottest team in the Big Ten at the moment, winning 8 of their last 9 games. The Hawkeyes feature a talented set of guards that like to run and can slash to the basket as well as shoot the three. In fact it seems like the entire Iowa team can shoot the three.

If the Buckeyes want to win their second straight tournament title, their defense is going to have to step up. The Badgers were able to find holes in the Buckeye defense and Iowa is capable of doing the same thing. In postgame comments coach Jim Foster said that the Buckeyes would not be playing zone against Iowa. This is a smart move as Iowa moves the ball too well and is very capable of breaking down a zone. On the offensive side of the ball, Ohio State just needs to play their game and push tempo. While Iowa is great on offense, their defense hasn’t been anything special.

This should be another close, exciting game and it will come down to just how well the Ohio State defense plays. If the defense plays the same way that it did against Wisconsin, Iowa will get a comfortable win. If the defense steps up, the Buckeyes will be coming home with another trophy for their already impressive collection

Women's Basketball - Ohio State wins 66-55 in Big Ten Tournament

2010-03-06T06:26:30Z

[Note by MaliBuckeye at the BBC, 03/06/10 9:00 AM PST ] CK, keeping us in touch with the Big T1e1n Champions...

Ohio State faced Illinois in the second round of the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament for the third straight year and while the Buckeye’s led most of the game, it was hard for Buckeye fans to ever have an easy feeling. Ohio State built an early 17-7 lead but Illinois kept making runs to cut into the lead. Illinois benefited from an off shooting night from the Buckeyes, who only shot 40% for the game, though it is nice when 40% is an off night. Junior center Jantel Lavender struggled early in the game, missing several shots from close range, but improved as the game went on. It looked like Lavender’s improved shooting had put the Buckeyes comfortably in control when they built a 55-39 lead with just under 9 minutes to go. However Illinois again rallied and cut the lead to 57-51 with approximately two minutes to go. Fortunately the Buckeyes hit their shot and free throws down the stretch to win 66-55.

While the Buckeyes managed to win the game, their play could hardly be described as comforting to fans who have sort of become accustomed to the team underperforming in the Big Ten tournament. Instead of coming out fired up, Ohio State looked like they were just going through the motions against Illinois. Passing was sloppy many times and there was a distinct lack of intensity, especially on the defensive end and when it came to going after rebounds. The Buckeyes also failed to put away the Illini, forcing them to play their starters in the closing minutes when you would prefer to be going to your bench in order to rest your starters for the next day’s game.

Ohio State will play in the second game on Saturday, at approximately 7:30 on the Big Ten Network, against the fourth seeded Wisconsin Badgers who shocked Conseco Fieldhouse by destroying fifth seeded Purdue 73-51. The Badgers played impressive team basketball. Their tight man-to-man defense frustrated the Boilermakers, holding Purdue to 34% shooting. On the offensive side, the Badgers had very good ball movement which kept finding them holes in the Purdue defense, which the Badgers exploited to shoot 50% from the field.

On paper the Buckeyes have more talent than the Badgers but they will need to play a much better game than they did today if they want to advance to Sunday’s championship game. Ohio State likes to employ a swarming defense that often forces turnovers but also gives up open shots against teams that can move the ball quickly. Wisconsin plays very disciplined team-ball so the Buckeyes will need to be careful to make sure that they always have someone in position to keep Wisconsin from having uncontested shots. The Badgers went deep into their bench today, meaning that they may be less fatigued than the Buckeyes as the game goes on. A lot of pressure will be on center Lavender as the Badgers like to slash and drive to the basket, even their post players can do this, which force Lavender to have to make the appropriate adjustments in order to be in position to challenge inside shots.

If the Buckeyes play like they did today the Badgers will win comfortably. However if the Buckeyes come out and push tempo and play with fire, then they should be able to easily advance to Sunday’s title game.

Saturday’s first game, at 5:00 pm on BTN, will feature 2nd seeded Michigan State against 3rd seeded Iowa. Michigan State won a battle against arch-rival Michigan 61-50 while Iowa was on fire from beyond the arc as they beat Penn State 82-75. I expect Iowa’s speed and hot three-point shooting to carry them to Sunday’s title game.

Women's Big Ten Tournament - Day One and OSU vs Illinois Preview

2010-03-05T05:04:20Z

[Note by MaliBuckeye at the BBC, 03/04/10 9:50 PM PST ] - More good work from CK...

Thursday marked the start of the Women’s Big Ten Tournament but thanks to their first round bye, Ohio State got to relax today while other teams fought for their tournament life. Coach Jim Foster however was in attendance as he scouted the game between 8th seeded Indiana and 9th seeded Illinois, the winner of which would face the Buckeyes on Friday. After a quick start the game quickly degenerated into a sloppy defensive struggle. Both the Hoosiers and the Illini played good defensive, especially on the interior but the joy of a good defensive struggle was somewhat damped by the sloppy nature of the offenses. The first half was a back and forth battle, ending with the Illini up 26-25. Illinois built a nine point lead early in the second half and kept it there for most of the half before a late Indiana run cut it to two with under a minute to go. Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, they could not come up with the necessary shots in the closing seconds and the Illini escaped with a 59-53 victory. For the game, the Illini shot 37.5% and committed 24 turnovers while coming up with 9 blocks and 11 steals.

So what does this game mean for the Buckeyes, well, this will be the third straight year where the top seeded Buckeyes will face the ninth seeded Illini. The Illini came up with the win in the 2008 tournament and Ohio State avenged that with a dominating victory last season. Illinois played a very sloppy game today and if they commit 24 turnovers against the Buckeyes, they will pay dearly as Ohio State loves to pressure teams into turnovers and turn those turnovers into quick points in transition. The close nature of today’s game was also good news for the Buckeyes as 4 of the Illinois starters played more than 30 minutes and two of them played the full 40 minutes. The large amount of playing time for the Illini starters means that fatigue could be a factor tomorrow, something which works well with Ohio State’s tendency to push the pace.

Ohio State does need to pay attention to Illinois’s defense which was impressive today, especially in shutting down the inside game for the Hoosiers. This could make life difficult for the Buckeyes who like to get the ball inside to 3 time Big Ten Player of the Year Jantel Lavender. Look for the Buckeyes to try to get something going early from behind the 3-point arc in order to stretch the Illini defense and open things up inside for Lavender. Of course if the Buckeyes can get out in transition they can negate the Illinois defense by not giving it time to get set up.

This game will come down to focus and intensity on Ohio State’s part. If the Buckeyes come out focused and play with fire, then they should be able to beat an Illinois team that is outmatched on paper. However, the Illini are very capable of pulling off the upset if Ohio State does not come focused and intent on playing their game.

Ohio State will face Illinois at 6pm on Friday, in the first game of the day’s second session. Friday begins with 2nd seeded Michigan State taking on 7th seeded rival Michigan, who beat Northwestern in the opening round. In the second game of the early session 3rd seeded Iowa plays 6th seed Penn State, who beat Minnesota on Thursday. In the game following the Buckeyes, 4th seeded Wisconsin faces 5th seeded Purdue. I expect Michigan State to beat Michigan, something that we can all be happy with, and Iowa to beat Penn State. Purdue always seems to have some magic in the tournament, regardless of their season, so I see them using what is essentially a home crowd, anyone who says that Indy is a neutral site is an idiot, to pull out a victory over the Badgers.

Hoot & Holler LIVE! NFL combine and Spring football

2010-03-04T23:30:29Z

In this edition of Hoot & Holler LIVE! we're throwing in a little extra dose of southern flavor as Rob Harley and Michael Felder are joined by Felder's fellow Tar Heel Nick Starcevic, not the one from Big Brother 8.

Things on the menu:

NFL combine recaps
NFL draft predictions
Favorite combine drills
Inside Spring football

To listen to the show live just click here

If you've got questions be sure to email them in to harleyinthehuddle (at) hotmail (dot) com

Or tweet in your comments and questions to us here @robharley34!

Women's Basketball - Big Ten Awards and Big Ten Tournament Preview

2010-03-03T23:40:42Z

[Note by Jeff at the BBC, 03/04/10 1:50 AM EST ] - Promoted to the front page. Go Lady Buckeyes!

The Ohio State women’s basketball team got Big Ten Tournament week off to a successful start during the Big Ten awards announcements. Junior center Jantel Lavender was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the third straight year, joining former Buckeye Jessica Davenport as the only three time receivers of the award. Lavender was named to the first team All-Big Ten team by both the coaches and the media along with sophomore guard Samantha Prahalis. Lavender and Prahalis were the only unanimous first team selections in both lists. Junior guard Brittany Johnson was named honorable mention All-Big Ten by the media and for the third straight senior guard Shavelle Little was named to the all-defensive team.

Ohio State hopes their success continues this weekend as they head to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament where they will be the number 1 seed for the sixth straight year. During that run the Buckeyes have advanced to the title game three times, facing Purdue each time, and winning the title two times. This year’s tournament looks to be one of the widest open ever. While Ohio State will be favored to repeat as tournament champions, 2nd seeded Michigan State and 3rd seeded Iowa enter the tournament as the two hottest teams in the conference, the Spartans winning 10 of their last 11 and the Hawkeyes winning 6 of their last 7. Wisconsin is a surprise at the 4th seed after struggling for most of the decade and could prove to be dangerous. Traditional conference power Purdue had a highly disappointing season but still managed to claim the number 5 seed and always seem to have some sort of dark magic in the tournament, this is in large part due to the fact that the tournament being Indianapolis makes it a defacto-home game for the Boilermakers.

The top five seeds all receive a first round bye, so the Buckeyes will not play until 6:00pm Friday when they will face the winner of Thursday’s game between 8th seeded Indiana and 9th seeded Illinois. The Buckeyes swept the Illini this season but split the season series with Indiana, each team winning at home.

The Hoosiers beat the Illini twice this season but lost 5 of their last 6 games. The Illini enter the tournament only doing a little better, losing 4 of their last 7. This game looks to be a toss-up, as the 8 vs 9 game should be, but in the end the partisan crowd will lift the Hoosiers to victory.

The other first round games feature 7th seeded Michigan taking on 10th seeded Northwestern and 6th seeded Penn State taking on 11th seeded Minnesota.

Tonight I’ll have the results of the first day’s games and a preview of Ohio State’s game on Friday.

Women's Basketball - End of the Regular Season

2010-02-27T22:27:26Z

After their blowout, turned close game, turned blowout win over Northwestern on Thursday night, the Ohio State women’s basketball team gets to enjoy the weekend off while the rest of the Big Ten battles it out on Sunday in perhaps the most jumbled Big Ten race ever. Back on February 11th the Buckeyes clinched their 6th straight Big Ten title, a record for both men’s and women’s basketball. Even though the Buckeyes clinched the conference title earlier than anyone ever had, they did not get a chance to celebrate that title until they were presented with the trophy and cut down the nets on Thursday night. While the Buckeyes have known that they would be the number one seed in the Big Ten tournament for over two weeks, the rest of the conference has been scrambling in a race that sees seeds 2 through 11 still up for grabs heading into the last day of Big Ten play.

Thursday night’s win over Northwestern was a perfect display of the bi-polar nature of Ohio State this season. The first half saw the Buckeyes playing lazy, uninspired basketball that let the Wildcats dictate tempo and crawl back from an early whole. The Wildcats forced the Buckeyes into a half court game and the Buckeye offense did a poor job of moving the ball, finding open shots, and rebounding as the half wound down. The second half couldn’t have been more different as Ohio State got out in transition, forced a faster tempo, reversed the ball and showed just how explosive they could be offensively as they turned a 5 point half time lead into a 31 point victory. All season Ohio State has shown that when the push tempo and move the ball on offense, they are nearly impossible to stop as they can score from all five positions. Unfortunately, too often as the season went on, the Buckeyes seemed to forget about their potential, forgetting how to reverse the ball, letting the other team set tempo, and being drawn into tight games against teams that they should have been beating comfortably. Having the final weekend of the regular season off will let the team have a chance to rest, to heal the nagging aches and pains that come over the course of the season, and hopefully reflect on their potential and head into next week’s Big Ten tournament healthy and with the same competitive fire that they showed in last year’s Big Ten tournament, where the Buckeyes destroyed Illinois and Iowa before narrowly edging Purdue in a title game that was an instant classic.

In addition to setting the record for most consecutive Big Ten titles, the Buckeyes have set several other records this season and head into the tournament with several other records within reach. The Buckeyes set a school record for most three-pointers in a season with 205 and the senior class of Shavelle Little, Andrea Walker, Maria Moeller, and Cherise Daniel has 106 wins, three shy of the program record held by the 2008 senior class. Sophomore point guard Samantha Prahalis has 251 assists on the season, 6 shy of Jamie Lewis’s single season Ohio State record and 32 shy of the Big Ten record. Earlier in the season, Prahalis set the OSU record for most consecutive free throws made with 48. Junior center Jantel Lavender is running the for Big Ten player of the year, winning the award would be her third and would tie the Big Ten record, though she faces still competition from teammate Prahalis.

The Villain and the Sports Guy

2010-02-26T21:45:30Z

If you missed it, Bill Simmons did a chat today over on tWWL. Turns out he loves him some Evan Turner:

The top-2 picks are John Wall and Evan Turner in some order. Wall has the inside track, but Turner is gaining on him and could make it a 50/50 thing with a monster March Madness (I think he's the next Wade, personally).

Check out Turner's game log - http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/gamelog?playerId=36135 The injury obviously didn't help matters, but this guy can play either guard spot and he's averaging 9.2 RPG in COLLEGE. It's ridiculous. The only downer for him is 3-point shooting. I am a huge huge huge fan. For him to come back from that back injury and play like he has was the most underrated college story. Huge heart. Plus, he knows Mark Titus.

More about Trillion:

That reminds me, my friend Kimmel wanted to have Titus on his show and NCAA rules prevented it. Does anything suck more than the NCAA? Coaches can recruit players, then ditch a school for another team and leave those recruits happening and it's fine... a funny benchwarmer on a Big 10 team wants to go on a talk show and he can't. Thanks for redefining the word "suck" NCAA.

Continuation of the fun in Eugene

2010-02-25T16:58:35Z

Everyday Should Be Saturday linked to it first, but the hilarity is too good to pass up. An individual on a radio program on 95.5 "The Game" out of Portland, Oregon (it sounds like John Canzano, a writer for the Oregonian) gets into a verbal...altercation....with Oregon coach Chip Kelly about everything going on with the Oregon program.

I find the whole conversation amusing. Chip Kelly defends his position admirably and clearly sounds like the more rational individual through the whole thing. He also manages to make Canzano sound like a blithering idiot in the middle of the whole thing.

Judge for yourself!

The audio file is about 20 minutes long and full of jaw gnashing goodness.

Women's Basketball Seniors

2010-02-25T04:47:15Z

Thursday’s women’s basketball game against Northwestern will be senior night for Ohio State. Senior night is always a special and emotional night but this night will be a little bit different from most. Normally senior night sees the departure of some of the bigger names on the team but senior class features four players, none of whom have been starters this season and only one was a starter last season. That doesn’t mean that this class of Shavelle Little, Andrea Walker, Maria Moeller, and Cherise Daniel haven’t played an important role during their time in the scarlet and gray, though it is easier to overlook their contributions as they are not the players who have been grabbing the headlines this year.

Point guards Shavelle Little and Maria Moeller have seen their fates go down similar paths over the years, which isn’t surprising for two people at the same position who entered the program together. Moeller started all 32 games at point her freshman year while Little came off the bench for significant minutes. The positions were reversed their sophomore years, with Little starting 29 of 33 games and Moeller primarily coming off the bench. Both guards saw their minutes decrease their junior year with the arrival of Samantha Prahalis, but both have continued to play pivotal roles. While never a consistent scorer, Moeller has scored crucial points in several games over the last two seasons while coming off the bench. Shavelle Little has found even more success thanks to her defensive prowess. Little was named Big Ten Defensive player of the year in her sophomore season and won the award again the following year, despite only averaging 17 minutes per game. Little currently ranks 5th in most career steals at Ohio State.

Center Andrea Walker has served as the backup to two of the best centers in Ohio State women’s basketball history, backing up Jessica Davenport her freshman year and Jantel Lavender the past three seasons. Despite coming off the bench, Walker has seen significant playing time this season, averaging 15 minutes per game and is second on the team in blocks and third in rebounds. Walker’s most notable performance may have been earlier this season against Mississippi as she helped lead the Buckeyes on a 12-point rally in the closing minutes of the game with starting center Lavender on the bench. Walker started what turned into the game winning run with a basket and then hit two free throws to put the Buckeyes up for good 78-77, the Buckeyes would end up winning 79-77.

Guard Cherise Daniel is probably the most overlooked member of this senior class. While never seeing time as a starter or playing a large number of minutes, she has come off the bench when needed and produced when called upon. She has helped to provide steady, experienced leadership to a fairly young Buckeye team.

All four of these seniors have seen themselves moved farther and farther from the spotlight over their careers with the addition of younger players. This can be a difficult transition for players who were used to starting and being the stars in high school, but this senior class has shown that they truly understand what it means to be a part of a team, performing in new roles when called upon. All four could have transferred to smaller schools and been starters but they chose to stay at Ohio State and be part of what could be the winningest four years in program history. These four players are truly Buckeyes and the deserve the chance to finally have the spotlight shined on them during senior night.

Big Ten Power Rankings: The Top 10 Wide Receivers To Watch For In 2010

2010-02-24T00:22:18Z

Last year was supposed to be the year of the wide receiver in the Big Ten, with stars like Illinois' Arrelious Benn and Minnesota's Eric Decker returning.

While some stars emerged from other teams, other stars failed to deliver. Benn turned into an average wide receiver and Decker got hurt halfway through the season, ending his year.

This year's crop of receivers looks just as promising and is much deeper, with a few possible All-Americans in the mix.

No. 10—Graham Zug—Penn State

Zug was the leader of Penn State's young receiving corps last season. The senior will be counted on more than ever in 2010 to lead a passing offense that could struggle with the departure of quarterback Darryl Clark.

At 6'2'', 178 pounds, Zug is relatively small for a receiver, but still accumulated 46 receptions, 600 yards, and seven touchdowns in 2009. He was the Nittany Lions' second-leading receiver behind Derek Moye. Expect him to improve in his senior season.

However, his stats may take a hit due to the quarterback change. With very little experience at that position, expect coach Joe Paterno to run the ball early and often, as running back Evan Royster returns for his senior season. JoePa will need to phase the new quarterback (likely sophomore Kevin Newsome) in very slowly, especially with an early game looming in Tuscaloosa against the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide.

So while Zug may improve in 2010, his stats may not be as impressive as 2009's due to youth in the passing game and a focus on the run game.

No. 9—B.J. Cunningham—Michigan State

Cunningham was the leader of Michigan State's surprisingly effective receiving corps in 2009. He accumulated 48 receptions, 641 receiving yards, and four touchdowns for the Spartans and helped quarterback Kirk Cousins find a rhythm early in the season.

But Cunningham's status with the team is still yet to be determined. He was suspended for the Alamo Bowl after his role in a campus fight in November, and later pled guilty to misdemeanor assault and battery charges.

Coach Mark Dantonio said that Cunningham's status with the team will be evaluated at a later date. The same applies for wide receiver Mark Dell, MSU's second leading receiver, who pled guilty to the same charges.

But don't expect too much of a penalty, especially because Cunningham already missed the bowl game. A one game suspension seems the most likely at this point, and it shouldn't have much of an effect on his season.

No. 8—Derrell Johnson-Koulianos—Iowa

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos's (DJK to Iowans) rank within the Hawkeye wide receiver hierarchy has been difficult for Hawkeye fans to understand ever since he arrived in Iowa City.

On one hand, he will likely break Iowa's career receiving record in 2010, but he has dropped on the depth chart numerous times during his career.

Normally, that tactic is just used by coach Kirk Ferentz to motivate DJK, whose lack of work ethic has sometimes been a cause for concern. But over the last two seasons, DJK has stayed mainly on Ferentz's good side and has been a key contributor to Iowa's passing game, accumulating 45 receptions, 750 yards, and two touchdowns in 2009.

Expect DJK to improve his stats even more in 2010, as he has improved greatly from year to year. The return of starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi will help his numbers as well.

No. 7—Demarlo Belcher—Indiana

At most Big Ten schools, Belcher would get a lot of attention. But remember, this is Indiana. It also doesn't help that he is the number two receiver for the Hoosiers, behind Tandon Doss.

But Belcher is a very talented receiver in a passing offense that's quite talented itself. He had 61 receptions for 770 and five touchdowns in 2009. Expect those numbers to improve in 2010 with the return of quarterback Ben Chappell.

Belcher will likely be overshadowed by Doss once again, but he will be a key contributor to Indiana's pass offense, which will be better than most expect next season.

No. 6—Derek Moye—Penn State

After a breakout sophomore season, Derek Moye will help lead Penn State in a rebuilding season that features a new quarterback.

Moye hauled in 48 receptions for 785 yards and six touchdowns last season for the Nittany Lions, but, like Zug, likely won't be able to continue that level of success into 2010.

As new starting quarterback Kevin Newsome is integrated into the system in State College, the Nittany Lions will likely lean on senior tailback Evan Royster and the run game, meaning Moye won't get as many receptions as last season. Nevertheless, he will still be a key asset to the Penn State passing game in 2010.

No. 5—Nick Toon—Wisconsin

With the departure of tight end Garrett Graham, Toon will be Wisconsin's top receiver in 2010. He led the revived Badgers passing game with 54 receptions for 805 yards and four touchdowns in 2009, and will likely improve in 2010.

With the exception of Graham, the entire Wisconsin receiving corps returns next season, as does quarterback Scott Tolzien. The running game will be very good and running back John Clay may contend for the Heisman Trophy. But expect a balanced attack in Madison, meaning Toon will have a chance for a very strong season in 2010.

No. 4—Marvin McNutt—Iowa

At this time last year, Marvin McNutt was a quarterback buried deep in Iowa's depth chart. But coach Kirk Ferentz refused to let this remarkable young talent go to waste, and McNutt made the move to wide receiver.

McNutt's 674 receiving yards are second on the team to DJK, but his many of his eight touchdowns were some of the most important in Iowa's season.

He made an outstanding grab against Ohio State to send the game to overtime, caught the winning touchdown against Michigan State as time expired, and had a 92-yard touchdown reception against Indiana to give momentum back to the Hawkeyes.

McNutt has a chance to be a star next season, and he and DJK will give Iowa its best receiving tandem since 2004.

No. 3—Keith Smith—Purdue

The only receiver to have more than 1,000 yards in 2009, Keith Smith could easily be an All-American candidate at the end of the season.

But, like Belcher, his team could hold him back. Purdue isn't exactly a football powerhouse, and while it has improved, Smith would be better off playing somewhere else.

Another obstacle that could hold Smith back is the departure of quarterback Joey Elliot. Like the Penn State receivers, Smith's stats could end up worse next year because of the quarterback transition.

No. 2—Tandon Doss—Indiana

Doss was the third leading receiver in the Big Ten last year with 77 receptions, 962 yards, and five touchdowns, and was the leader for one of the best receiving corps in the Big Ten.

A rising junior, Doss has become a force to be reckoned with in his conference and may end up as an All-American within the next two years.

With senior quarterback Ben Chappell returning, look for Doss to improve his stats even more. He's likely to pass the 1,000 yard mark. He and Belcher should form the Big Ten's best receiving duo in 2010.

No. 1—DeVier Posey—Ohio State

Of course no top 10, Big Ten preseason wide receiver list is complete without an Ohio State player, and this particular player has the chance to be the conference's top receiver in his junior season of 2010.

Overall in 2009, DeVier Posey was was pretty good, but not always great—Although he had some great moments at times last season.

But now, he has a chance to be a star with the improvement of Terrelle Pryor's passing game.

Last year, Posey accumulated 60 receptions for 828 yards and eight touchdowns for the Buckeyes. You can expect a breakout year this coming season, as Ohio State is expected to pass the ball a lot more.

Posey was outstanding during the Rose Bowl, with 101 receiving yards and a touchdown, helping his Buckeyes break their recent bowl game curse.

Expect many more games like the Rose Bowl in 2010 from Posey, and from the Buckeyes as they pursue their sixth straight Big Ten title, their fourth trip to the BCS title game in the last nine seasons, and their record ninth trip overall to a BCS bowl game since the inception of the BCS back in 1998.

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Happy Birthday To Me!!!

2010-02-20T00:56:24Z

Hey there gang...

Today is my birthday.

I hate to admit it but sadly, it was 36 long years ago today that I came into this world of ours...

God do I feel really old.......

But on a positive note, at least I was wearing a Buckeye onesie just a few minutes after my first breath, so there's that!

Thank goodness for Ohio State Football to help ease my old age pains today...

LOL, GO BUCKS!

We're going streaking!!!

2010-02-19T20:04:18Z

Well, only if by "we" you mean "former Mich1gAAn basketball player".

The man who swam naked across Lake Merritt on Wednesday afternoon after stealing from two women in downtown Oakland is a former basketball player at the University of Michigan and the University of San Francisco, police confirmed today.

From the good folks at Deadspin:

If you've turned invisible to evade police, obviously it's not going to work on your clothes. You've got to take everything off to be completely undetectable.

Hoot & Holler LIVE! Arrests In College Football

2010-02-18T23:01:14Z

Another episode of Hoot & Holler LIVE! will take your two hosts, Rob Harley and Michael Felder, into the "dark side" of college football.

We're following the trend of the college football offseason and talking about guys getting into trouble away from the football field.

Hoot & Holler LIVE! is bringing the heat, it's time to get physical:

Here's what's on the menu:

Arrests at Oregon
Michigan State and Penn State fight club
26 Florida football players arrested during Meyer's tenure.
What the heck players were thinking when they committed crimes
What makes for a proper punishment
How much blame should be shouldered by a football coach.

To download the show click here folks. You can also subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, just search "In The Bleachers" or subscribe to the Feedburner.

Send your questions into harleyinthehuddle @ hotmail DOT Com

Be sure to tweet questions to @robharley34 as well!

Duck and Cover

2010-02-17T17:36:45Z

First Masoli (maybe), now LeMichael James?

University of Oregon Running Back LaMichael James has been arrested for domestic violence by Springfield Police. He was booked at the Lane County Jail just before three o'clock Wednesday morning

Man, what in the world is going on in Oregon?

UPDATE - James was charged with strangulation, assault, and menacing. Dude.....

James Louis: "Around The Block" With The 2010 Buckeye WR Recruit

2010-02-17T12:15:11Z

Most Buckeye fans that follow recruiting closely know that WR James Louis is one of the top prospects in the Ohio State 2010 class based on rankings from sites like Rivals and Scout.

But we here at Block-O-Nation thought you might like to know a little more about James in his own words (and other players coming soon).

We were fortunate enough to catch up with James recently, and assumed that Buckeye fans would be interested in what he had to say about his path to Columbus, among other things.

Q:    James, thanks for taking the time to do this for the site. You originally verbally committed to Florida, then changed your verbal to Ohio State. There were some rumors as NSD neared that UF or Minnesota could still be options, but in the end you signed your LOI with Ohio State, and we are THANKFUL! So, what made Ohio State the right choice for you in the end?

A:    Yes, at one point I was very interested in Minnesota and Florida. Both were in my top. But Florida was always my number one. It was just that I really didn't want to be far away from home, but I came to realize leaving the state would be best thing for me and my family. So I stuck with Ohio State and I really loved the atmosphere over there and the coaching staff and the players are all great.

Q:    What coach, or coaches were most involved in recruiting you? Did you get an in-home visit and if so, with which coach or coaches?

A:    The coaches the were really involved in recruiting me were coach Hazell from Ohio State and coach Hightower from Minnesota.

Q:    Were any of your new teammates trying to recruit or sway you to pick Ohio State, and if so, care to name a name or two?

A:    No, not really. I am really good friends with Duron Carter, but he never really told me to come and he never told me not to. He just said that it's a great place and that I would love it and that they would be happy to have me.

Q:    It looks as though the Bucks will have some decent depth at WR, so do you have any sense yet as to whether or not you will redshirt or play in 2010?

A:    As of right now, I am looking forward to heading to Columbus to play as a true freshman. Redshirting isn't on my mind. I think I have a chance to make a difference in the offense and to help out with an undefeated 2010 season.

Q:    The Miami Hurricanes come to Columbus this year and it could very well be a game where both teams are ranked in the top 10. Being from Florida, do you have any inside scoop on how good they will be, and do you personally know some of the guys on their team?

A:    That's actually one of the games I'm looking forward to next season because I have a lot of family members who grew up Miami Hurricane fans so I'm excited. I have one good friend from that team and his name is Orlando Franklin. He plays on the O-Line.

Q:    Do you have a favorite Buckeye player of all-time?

A:    Cris Carter is my favorite all-time Buckeye, but I compare my game right now to Santonio Holmes, another former Buckeye favorite.

Q:    Who's your favorite NFL team?

A:    My favorite NFL team is the Cincinnati Bengals because Chad Johnson is my favorite WR in the NFL right now.

Q:    Do you have a favorite NFL player of all-time?

A:    My favorite NFL player of all-time has to be Jerry Rice.

Q:    What is your favorite kind of music? Who is your favorite artist or group?

A:    Rap, and my favorite artist has to be Gucci Mane.

Q:    Have you, or do you ever visit any Ohio State blogs or message boards online to see what Ohio State fans are saying?

A:    No, I really don't. Not really sure what websites to check out.

Q:    Are you in any videos on YouTube that you know of?

A:    I have one video on YouTube that I know of. It's my junior season highlight tape.

Q:    Any favorite TV shows you like to watch?

A:    Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Q:    What were you thinking the first time you were in Ohio Stadium, aka the Horseshoe?

A:    I couldn't believe it... It was so packed in the Horseshoe and the fans were crazy. I had never been in an environment like that before.

Again, we want to thank James for his time.

I think I speak for all Buckeye fans when I say welcome into the Buckeye Family James.

We can't wait to see you on the field!

In case you don't follow recruiting or don't/didn't know much about him before now, James is a very talented WR and addition to our team.

Here's that YouTube video from his junior season that he referred to in case you haven't seen his on-the-field skills.

Bookmark us, and/or check back soon.
We have more player interviews coming soon!

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Ohio State's Big Problem At Running Back Heading Into 2010

2010-02-16T03:00:06Z

Anyone not living in a cave that follows college football knows who Terrelle Pryor is.

For those who may have lived in a cave, he was the top recruit in the nation in 2008, and is the starting QB for THE Ohio State Buckeyes.

Clearly, he is the most known and recognizable player in the OSU backfield, but he's not the only guy who can carry the rock.

In years past, USC has had what some referred to as a "stable" of stud running backs. Most recently, notables include CJ Gable, Joe McKnight, and Stafon Johnson. Florida's Emmanuel Moody began his career at USC and was the Pac-10 freshmen of the year in 2006 before leaving SoCal for the Gators.

Before that, there was Reggie Bush and LenDale White who split time and both ended up in the NFL. But enough about USC.

The talent that Ohio State will field at RB this coming season will rival, and very well could/should surpass any stable Slippery Pete ever assembled in his tenure in LA (2001-2009) before he scrambled out of town, just before the NCAA likely slams the sanctions hammer down on the Trojans.

SIX NAMES TO KNOW

1—Brandon Saine

"Zoom" was finally healthy for the majority of a season in 2009 and he was able to show off the ability and speed that made him a two-sport star for Piqua (Ohio) High School in track and football.

According to Scout.com, he was a 4-star recruit as a member of Ohio State's 2007 recruiting class.

Even though he wasn't the full-time featured back in 2009, Zoom still scored six total touchdowns, and managed to gain over 950 total yards, while averaging over five yards per carry.

A healthy senior season with more time as the featured back for him just might help lead the Buckeyes back to another BCS title game. Also, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could end up calling Saine's name on day one of the pro draft come April, 2011 if he and the team, each have a big year.

2—Daniel Herron

Like Saine, "Boom" was also a 4-star recruit for the Buckeyes in 2007. However, he was redshirted his freshmen season.

In 2008, with Beanie Wells missing four games after he was injured in the opening game of the year vs. Youngstown State, and with Saine out almost the entire season due to injury as well, Boom got his chance to show Ohio State did well in recruiting him.

In those four games, and some other spot duty in place of Wells, Herron gained 439 yards on the ground with an average of 4.9 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns.

In 2009, Herron was named the starter to begin the season. He himself missed some time due to injury which opened the door for the finally healthy Brandon Saine. Even so, Herron did rush for 600 yards and scored eight total touchdowns.

Dan should still be one of the main men for tOSU in 2010 seeing as how Coach Tressel tends to favor experienced upperclassmen, but we'll have to see just how much playing time the young guys might earn, and if that affects Boom in the coming months or not.

3—Jordan Hall

In a limited role for the Bucks last season, soon-to-be sophomore Jordan Hall showed some excellent potential heading into the future.

The 2009 3-star recruit played in six of the Buckeyes 13 games and although he didn't get a ton of carries, Terrelle Pryor's former high school teammate from Jeannette, PA made the most of his opportunities when both Boom and Zoom each were nursing injuries.

On 48 carries, Hall picked up 248 yards for a 5.2 ypc average, and scored one touchdown.

He's a bit on the small side height-wise, but he's also pretty fast and he hits the hole and gets through it when it opens. He could easily make a push for more playing time if there are injuries, if he impresses this Spring, or with plenty of hard work once Fall camp begins.

4—Jaamal Berry

Berry is somewhat of an unknown commodity at this point. He was considered the top prospect in the OSU 2009 recruiting class, but a leg injury forced him to redshirt and miss the entire season.

With Saine and Herron returning, and Hall impressing the coaches when he saw the field this past season, Berry, a four to 5-star rated prospect out of Miami (Florida) Palmetto HS may or may not have a shot to earn substantial playing time this coming season—if he can get, and remain 100% healthy that is.

This will be a classic wait-and-see situation, as far as how much Jaamal does or doesn't play in 2010.

5—Carlos Hyde

A year ago, Carlos just missed being eligible to enroll at Ohio State, literally by one point on his ACT.

So instead, the 4-star fullback out of Naples, Florida attended Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia before enrolling at tOSU this Winter. That particular route worked out quite well for another Buckeye RB back in the mid-1990's.

Eddie George attended Fork Union MA before coming to Columbus. Then he went on to win the 1995 Heisman Trophy, was named 1996 NFL Rookie of the Year, and played a total of nine seasons in the NFL (1996-2004).

Carlos (6-1, 225) is not quite as tall as George (6-3, 240), but he has been compared to him based on his build and ability.

As a senior for Naples in 2008, he gained 1653 yards on the ground and scored 16 touchdowns. He's one to watch if and when he gets a shot on the field.

He may be redshirted (if eligible), or that may happen to our last but not least player to watch, or it could even happen to both of them with this much depth.

6—Roderick Smith

Speaking of last but not least, and of a guy many have compared to Eddie George, Smith (6-3, 225) is that guy. He's also drawn comparisons to Beanie Wells. Those are some big footsteps to follow in, but not uncommon for a four to 5-star level player.

He is considered by many to be one of, if not the best DI football prospect ever to come out of Indiana, a state traditionally known for its' exploits on the hardwood rather than the gridiron.

As a four-year high school starter, Smith gained over 6,500 rushing yards and scored 66 career touchdowns—and to think, as of right now, he's No. 6 on the depth chart.

He's probably a year away with the others who are here and ahead of him in terms of knowing the system and playbook, but I for one cannot wait until he hits the field, whether it is 2010, or not until 2011.

The talent, specifically at running back, that the Buckeyes have been able to assemble over these past four recruiting years is flat-out sick.

The way things are looking for Ohio State in the near future, we'll all need to do what the song says.

Some might say this over-abundance of talent could lead to dissension in the locker room, or transfers down the line.

I suppose there might be some truth to that, but to be honest, it is certainly a "problem" I don't mind having.

I'd be much more concerned if we had one guy who was golden, and a cupboard full of backups that aren't worth a grain of sand combined...

(Hopefully, you all were able to detect the sarcasm I used in the title, at least after reading the article anyway!)

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Well, Gee

2010-02-15T16:20:32Z

Happy President's Day!

All Star Game Live Blog at ITS!

2010-02-14T23:41:45Z

Later tonight, at 8 PM eastern time, Inside The Shoe will be hosting a Live Blog for the 2010 All Star game. If you are intrested in joining, just go to http://www.insidetheshoe.com and you will see the Live Blog. All you have to do is put your cursor over the play button and wait for it to come up. When it does, put you name in the name box, and chat away! Invite all your friends as well, and we hope to see you there!

Poll

Are you going to attend the Live Blog?

Yes

1 votes

No

1 votes

Never heard of Inside The Shoe

0 votes

2 votes | Poll has closed