Here we are, another week. Grab your coffee and let’s get right to it.

Football

A bit of a slow week, but not entirely dormant for Buckeye fans. Obviously, I’m referring to Jim Bollman being hired as OC by Michigan State after a quite brief stint as offensive line coach at Purdue. Evidently, Jim thought that he only needed a month or so to get the Purdue offensive line to the standards that we experienced in Columbus during his tenure.  Since this chain of events involved Bollman, Mark Dantonio and Darrell Hazell, the Jim Tressel Coaching Tree is in full leaf.

Men’s Basketball

Entering the week, the Buckeyes came off an impressive display of basketball, gouging the Gophers 71-45 in Columbus. Then Ohio State had a truly inspired effort to beat a tough, especially this time of year, Michigan State team, 68-60 on Sunday. On Wednesday OSU had an all … [Read More]

No. 1? Not in Columbus

Smack dab in the middle of the NFL divisional playoff weekend was a college hoops showdown at the Schottenstein Center between our beloved Ohio State Buckeyes and their arch nemesis, that team up north. The Fighting Stink Rats came into the game at 16-0 and ranked number 2 in the country. After the top ranked Duke Blue Devils fell to North Carolina State on Saturday, TTUN was poised to step into the number one spot when Monday’s polls were released. All they had to do was win in Columbus.

Admittedly, I wasn’t too sure our guys could beat them. After coming from ahead … [Read More]

Buckeye 411

• Out In The Cold- Monday’s Heisman announcement that Braxton Miller would not be getting an invite to the Downtown Athletic Club in New York spurred a mixed bag of emotions for Ohio State fans. On the one hand, if it’s unlikely that he’ll be in the top three, it makes sense to not include him- Football is not about “participation” trophies. On the other hand, though, many Buckeyes saw this as another slight at the program and a way for “the media” to disregard the hard work that Miller and his teammates accomplished this season.

Most of the frustration was aimed at the inclusion of Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o, who we’ve argued here before is only a finalist due to his team’s success, solid … [Read More]

Robert Frost once said, “Nothing Gold can stay”; and so, another leaf turns and this college football season comes to a close. Before we jump into Championship Weekend, let me take a second to say “Thank You” to a great Ohio State blog and BBN member who hung up their keyboards this week- Dave and Drew, Godspeed on the next adventure.

Well, the crapocalypse is surely upon us- we’ve now got the choice to pull for Notre Dame or for Alabama in the Mythical National Title game come January; although I’m still holding out hope that the Mayans were right.

Alabama punched their ticket to yet another dance via a dominant second half performance against a very … [Read More]

Now, let’s talk about the future of the head football coaching position at The Ohio State University. Clearly, we have to look at it from the administration and the athletic director’s viewpoint – whoever that may be in seven months, (because an argument can be made that A.D. Gene Smith, and Pres. E. Gordon Gee may not last another three months at Ohio State).

Regardless, the 2012 A.D. and OSU brass will likely be looking for three main criteria-

1. Somebody who has an impressive record of head coaching experience.
2. A candidate with a proven record not only on the field, but a record of a clean, drama-free program.
3. Someone with a disciplinarian personality, who can endure the pressures of  the NCAA microscope while executing his duties as CEO of one
… [Read More]

Ohio State has announced today that Luke Fickell has been promoted to Assistant Head Coach, effective immediately.

AD Gene Smith, in the announcement, had this to say-

Luke Fickell is a Buckeye to the core. He has earned this promotion to assistant head coach through his hard work, dedication and performance. We have great trust and belief in Luke’s ability to work with our entire coaching staff to lead our young men through the first five games this fall. I have confidence our entire football family will work together to maintain our standard of excellence.

These responsibilities will include serving as head coach during Coach Jim Tressel’s suspension in the 2011 season, which is currently set for five games. The NCAA investigation, as you know, is ongoing.

Coach Fickell is a Columbus native Ohio State graduate, and was named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2010. Currently, … [Read More]

Hazell has been at Ohio State since 2005 when he came in as the WR’s coach.  He has made a splash in the recruiting circles as well as helping in the offensive game plan,  so much so that his name was thrown around some as the one that was actually calling plays, (we all know those are closer to the Vest).

This is a good step for Hazell as being the man in charge.  I look for Kent State to turn it up in the recruiting circles within the MAC and become a team that makes some nice strides toward perennial MAC champions.

It will be interesting to see where Ohio … [Read More]