Before we even get started…
To the football…
The Buckeyes wrapped up another win on Saturday at Ohio Stadium against San Diego State to run their nations best streak to 14 games and 2-0 on the 2013 season. However, despite the relative ease on the scoreboard it was not without some tense moments and left plenty for us to talk about. It’s Wednesday, let’s rumble!
Not where we want to see #5
Braxton down
With complete certainty I can say that the most talked about thing to happen in the San Diego State game was when Braxton Miller went down early in the first quarter with a knee injury. Urban Meyer said that Miller is day to day in evaluation as to if he will play out in Berkeley this weekend against California. The dept chart released on Tuesday lists Miller as the starter.
In total honesty, that was a scary injury. It didn’t look as brutal as the slam to the turf against Purdue last year, but on replay it looked as though he could have sustained any of a multitude of injuries from knee problems to neck or head injuries.We all love that Braxton Miller plays the game fearless, but is it time for him to start thinking of the greater good and maybe trying to stay out of these particularly tight situations? Of course, the player is going to react and do what comes naturally. Is it imperative that the coaching staff, at least in these next two weeks leading into the Big Ten opener at home against Wisconsin, take it upon themselves to keep their star out of harms way?
I want to know what you think. In the comments section below, tell me if you think Urban and company should limit Braxton Miller’s potential for contact or if they should keep things as they are and let the kid play how he plays? Read More
Play-maker in the clutch
In today’s edition, we celebrate number 53, specifically Ohio State’s thrilling 28-25 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions in Beaver Stadium on October 7th, 1995. Ohio State had some late game heroics the previous week to beat Lou Holtz’s Notre Dame team.
Late in the 4th quarter, the Buckeyes trailed 25-21. At this point, I turn the narrative over to the team at The Buckeye 50 Yard line for their very descriptive account of the game, particularly the game-winning drive;
With 2:57 left on the clock, Hoying dropped back, got good protection and saw that Rickey Dudley had sped past linebacker Gerald Filardi again down the middle. Hoying pumped as if he was going to throw which drew the attention of safeties Clint Holes and Kim Herring to Dudley. Hoying finally let fly and Dudley went up after the ball. With Herring barreling towards him, Rickey collared the pass while getting blasted from behind by Holes. The big tight end, who had been criticized as a receiver for bad hands at times, held on to the catch of his career and the Buckeyes had a first down at the Penn State 13. Hoying would finish the day with 354 yards passing, but these 33 would be the most important. Now it was bread-and-butter time- Eddie George over Orlando Pace on the left side. Eddie bolted for 7, giving him 99 yards for the game. On the next play, Nicky Sualua and Eddie set up in an offset-I to the left. Rickey Dudley came in motion from right to left to add even more beef. Orlando Pace pancaked his man, Sualua absolutely buried Kim Herring, and Eddie breezed right by linebacker Jim Nelson and went into the endzone untouched, putting the Bucks back into the lead. Josh Jackson tacked on a significant point-after and OSU led 25-21 with 1:42 to play.
So, there you have it; big-time players such as Hoying, Dudley, George, Saluua and Pace making big-time plays when needed.
With 71 days left until the season, it’s time to celebrate a 71 point game. I wonder which we should choose…
Well duh.
By the 1980′s Ohio State and Notre Dame, two of the best historical football programs in the country, had only faced off twice in history. Both of those games, played in 1935 and 1936, went the wrong way in close epic battles. The schools decided in the late 80′s that it was time to play another series. The first game was to be played on September 30th, 1995 in Ohio Stadium, and was eagerly anticipated for years.
The Buckeyes started slowly in front of a record setting crowd of 95,537. Their first three drives stalled and allowed Notre Dame to take a 10-0 lead. Eventually, the Bucks started to gain some traction in the first half and scored on their last two full drives of the half, closing the score to 17-14.
Ohio State took their first lead of the game in the second half on a Rickey Dudley catch following a muffed punt. Coach Cooper then proceeded to feed the Notre Dame defense a steady diet of Eddie George until the final whistle blew on a 45-26 victory.
We again finish off today with one of Vico’s classic Drive Throughs. Enjoy!
Get it??
Interesting Tuesday in college sports, to say the least. We’ll get to all the movers and shakers, but first a little traveling music.
Buckeye 411
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 (but not great) numbers, and the great “story” that his season has been- both for him and as a heart of the awakened echoes of the Irish program. Tony Gerdeman from the OZone compared Te’o to AJ Hawk, the last linebacker to be seriously considered for the Heisman, and found that Hawk’s numbers eclipsed the Irish’ star. He, along with the guys at Land Grant Holy Land (check out the infographic) continue to compare his numbers to Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier- Gerd points out that, in the last three games of the season, Shazier outplayed Te’o and almost doubled his statistics, minus the interceptions. Given that Te’o plays in a variation of the Tampa 2 defense which requires more coverage, this might make sense- different roles for both players. But it does highlight the fact that Te’o is a debatable finalist… and as such, might have just as well been left home with Miller and Marquis Lee (who I believe is the best player in the country this season).
With no hope of a national championship, the Buckeyes saw excellence as its own reward—and achieved it. What better example of pure sportsmanship could there be? Next year, Ohio State will once again be jockeying for a high-profile bowl berth and all the cash that flows from it. This year’s team, by contrast, will stand forever as the one that played not for money but for pride.
No "#Swoon" Hashtag?
As usual, friend of tBBC Josh Winslow was in The Horseshoe Saturday night to bring us some outstanding photos of the game. Here are some of our favorites, and make sure to check out the rest at his site.
It was a big night for recruiting, and Canton GlenOak RB Brionte Dunn was one of many recruits in attendance.
Click here for many more pictures from the game.
Tuesday’s update from the Ohio State press conference and the rest of college football news…
Don't Need No Stinking Badgers
Buckeye 411
Yeah, I think we did. We got a lot of work done. Our guys did a heck of a job on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. You look back in the years past, ask around how people handled their bye week, you still have to look at your team and figure out what you guys need as opposed to how everybody else does it. I think we did a very good job with the attitudes and getting the work done we needed to get done.
Whoopsie
A quick update of sorts: Sorry for the sketchy coverage over the past few days; we’re having an ongoing debate with the owners of the intertubes.
Actually, we’ve got a couple of big things we’re working on that should make your Buckeye experience a lot more enjoyable. Thanks for being patient with us…
Here’s the first announcement- tBBC is growing yet again, with another great member of the team. Wrapping up our “all J starting lineup” for this year’s Buckeye hoops tournament, we welcome Joe Dexter to the squadron. Formerly lead editor for Scarlet and Game, Joe brings a background in journalism that will certainly be welcomed here amongst us amateurs. Check the rest of his info in the “About Us” section, and look for an article from him tomorrow (if the server gods deem it so).
Other News
Subject of one of the greatest Beastie Boys lyrics ever
Couple of “in house” notes today-
