Much More Successful Than This

As we get closer to Kickoff Week, here’s some quick notes from Ohio State and beyond. Don’t forget to sign up for this year’s “Pick-em” contest!

Buckeye 411

• Injury Report- It’s no surprise to anyone who’s played or followed college football that this time of year is when people start getting dinged up. The body, no matter how well tuned, is not built for two a days and the amount of stress that those can bring- especially with the philosophy of “Make practice so hard that the games are easy”. As such, the Buckeye Walking Wounded are a significant number, but there are no serious injuries. John Simon missed today’s practice, but only as precautionary measures.  Kyle Dodson, Ryan Shazier, and Michael Bennett were all limited today as well, while Zach Domicone continues to heal from his knee scope.
• That Being Said- Jordan Hall was running today, and said the boot comes off tomorrow. Jacoby Boren is back at practice, and is the second string center at this point.
• Snappy- As a former longsnapper, we loves us some Bryce Haynes here at tBBC. So, reports that his already fast delivery has improved the punt timing by around .2 of a second was yet another reason to consume a celebratory cupcake here in the office. To be fair, though… not much of an excuse was needed.
• Weighty Matters- Adolphus Washington has moved inside to tackle, and is having a great camp- Hankins talks about how his presence will definitely improve the pass rush this season.
• Star Light? The team is still trying to find who will fill the “Star” role in nickle defense- Christian Bryant may move down, although Corey Brown is also getting a look.
• Stripes Stripped- Walkon linebacker Joe Burger lost his today, as did QB Cardale Jones.
• Candles- Happy Belated Birthday to Archie Griffin. Read More

Tags: Adolphus Washington, Appalachian State, Bryce Haynes, Cardale Jones, Cleveland Browns, Fall Practice, Iowa, Jacoby Boren, Joe Burger, John Simon, Jordan Hall, Kyle Dodson, Michael Bennett, Ryan Shazier, Southern Cal, Zach Domicone
Categories: College Football, Michigan Football, Ohio State Football

Two Time Captain John Simon

… John Simon, Zach Boren, Etienne Sabino, Garrett Goebel, and Jordan Hall

After a 2011 season of “rotating captains” and other nonsense, coupled with a spring and fall camp that focused on competition and excellence, it’s great to see that the Buckeyes have chosen five of their team who have emerged as leaders for this coming season.

The official press release:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five senior leaders have been chosen by their peers on the Ohio State University football team to be team captains in 2012. Coach Urban Meyer announced the captains at a team meeting Sunday night.

“Announcing who are team captains is one of the great honors I get to do as head coach,” Meyer said. “We had a number of guys get votes. This is a really good group of seniors who I am very proud to have leading this team.”

Representing four different states, they are:

§  Defensive lineman John Simon, from Youngstown, Ohio, and Cardinal Mooney High School;

§  Fullback Zach Boren, from Pickerington, Ohio, and Pickerington Central High School;

§  Linebacker Etienne Sabino, from North Miami Beach, Fla., and Dr. Krop High School;

§  Defensive linemen Garrett Goebel, from Villa Park, Ill., and Montini High School; and

§  Running back Jordan Hall, from Jeannette, Pa., and Jeannette High School.

The five have combined for 185 games played and 74 starts, with four having played in 39 career games apiece, respectively, and a fifth – Jordan Hall – a veteran of 29 games. Boren leads the group with 27 starts with Simon at 26 and Goebel (13), Sabino and Hall (five each) following.

Some thoughts from each:

Boren: “It is a dream come true and a huge honor to be named a captain at The Ohio State University. I am appreciative and thankful, and I look forward to being a leader on this team this season.”

Goebel: “I’m excited. It is an honor that your teammates think that highly of you to name you a captain. I’m going to put everything I have into this responsibility.”

Hall: “This is a dream come true. I was hoping to be named a captain but I was also a little surprised when it happened. I can’t thank my teammates enough for selecting me for this honor.”

Sabino: “I’m really excited. This is such an honor…to get voted by your teammates to be their captain. I am just really honored to be named a captain.”

Simon: “Being named captain means a lot. I appreciate the votes of the players. This is one of the biggest honors a player can receive and I’ll be proud to lead this team along with four other great guys. We’ll have a really good season if we all lead well.”

Simon becomes just the seventh two-time captain in school history and the first since James Laurinaitis was named captain in 2007 and again in 2008.

Ohio State is ranked 18th in the initial Associated Press Top 25 poll, marking the 24th consecutive season and the longest current streak in the country, to be ranked in the AP preseason poll. The team opens its 2012 season Sept. 1 vs. Miami (Ohio).

Tags: 2012 Season, 2012 Team Captains, Etienne Sabino, Fall Camp, Fall Practice, Garrett Goebel, John Borton, John Simon, Urban Meyer, Zach Boren
Categories: Ohio State Football

Well... uh....

So here’s the thing.

The story of the day yesterday was the first episode of All Access, a behind the scenes look at the Buckeye program under the new regime.

The problem? It was on one of the ESPN channels… and you know how we feel about those fine individuals.

But… in a moment of weakness, I DVR’d it And watched it.

And loved ever second.

How can you hate quotes like “Abso-smurfly”, “Bozo the freakin’ clown”, “I’m glad you’re a Buckeye, bro…”, “I like coaching you…” and other admonitions to play “hungry” and “angry”.

And the precision of the offensive staff’s work, the pride that Coach Mariotti puts into his time with the team, and the focus and plan that Coach Meyer is instilling into the team… it’s a really good piece. If you missed it and don’t mind the spoilers, the gang at LGHL have a really good review with picture pages and everything.

I’d be really excited about this, to be honest, if all things were equal. Given the bad PR that my favorite program received over the past few years for numerous self inflicted wounds, it’s great to get excited about OSU football again- and to see a national response (including Southern Cal and Clemson recruits commenting on it) that was pretty positive.

But, I’ll be honest- It’s still hard for me to not be wary about this series. You kick a dog and reach to pet him, he’ll wince and cower even if he lets you stroke his head again. Given what we know about ESPN’s agenda (Entertainment Sports Programming Network), it safe to see that they are interested in a narrative of redemption up until the point that they bang the drums marking a fall from grace.

Just watch the history- 2002 upset their narrative, and then the 2003 Clarett story was a bottom. The 2006 season’s coverage was the apex of good vibes, and then this past year seems to be yet another trough in their coverage- again, a story that Ohio State wrote for itself, but one that got presented over and over and over again on the largest stage while others were way way off Broadway in Coral Gables and Columbia and Chapel Hill.

So- we’ll watch (yup) and see. And, if nothing else, this will give us the chance to celebrate the splendor and power of an Ohio State team on a very particular mission.  Buckle Buckeye up.

Buckeye 411

• Earning Your Stripes- Or, more correctly, earning their removal. Today Tommy Schutt became the next defensive player to have his rite of passage and his “newbie stripe” taken off his helmet by his big brother. He joined Noah Spence and De’Van Bogard as the first three who were “welcomed” to Buckeye football. This afternoon, their numbers grew as Taylor Decker was the next first offensive rookie to cross the line into “Buckeye manhood”.  Really excited about this process, and it sounds like it’s something that everyone has really bought into. Read More

Tags: 2012 Season, Academics, Alabama, Auburn, B1G, Brady Hoke, Cheerleading, Costumes, De'Van Bogard, ESPN, Fall Camp, Fall Practice, Fitzgerald Toussaint, Frank Clark, Jerry Sandusky, Julius Peppers, Mark Emmert, Michigan, NCAA, Noah Spence, North Carolina, Oregon, Penn State, Punting, San Diego State, SBP, Scandal, Taylor Decker, Tommy Schutt, UCLA, Urban Meyer, Virgina Tech
Categories: College Football, Humor, Michigan Football, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Football

Another quick update on the state of Ohio State football, following media access on Monday. Huge thanks to our friend Josh Winslow for the photos!

• Injury Updates- Jacoby Boren practiced today, but no contact. Jordan Hall and Nate Williams were also present, but doing work on the side of the field. Coach Meyer commented that they were right on schedule in terms of rehab. Josh Perry tweaked a hamstring and spent time with the medical staff

• Doghouse Update- Brionte Dunn practiced, and Coach Meyer said that they were waiting to see how the legal process concluded before making final decisions regarding any punishment. Also, Jake Stoneburner and Jack Mewhort went with the #1 team- Meyer characterized them as “good kids, but stupid.” They will be on scholarship beginning fall semester.
• MIA- Curtis Grant missed practice, as did Verlon Reed and Pat Elflein. Grant was home in Virginia with his grandfather, who has been ill. No notes on Reed or Ellfein at this time, although Patrick had a cyst removed recently Read More

Tags: 2012 Season, Brionte Dunn, Curtis Grant, Devin Smith, Evan Spencer, Fall Practice, Garrett Goebel, Jack Mewhort, Jacoby Boren, Jake Stoneburner, John Simon, Jonathan Hankins, Jordan Hall, Josh Winslow, Marcus Baugh, Mark Mangino, Michael Bennett, Nathan Williams, Patrick Elflein, SBP, Urban Meyer, Verlon Reed
Categories: College Football, Ohio State Football

The Sandman And Friends

With today starting the 2012 Ohio State football season, we’re going to be hitting you with odds and ins during our regularly schedule inanity.  Here goes-

• Ch-ch-ch-changes: With the move to semesters, the practice schedule is a bit different than it was in the past. Today, for instance, there are two practices (veterans first, rookies this afternoon), but true “two a days” won’t start until next week to accommodate the conclusion of the summer semester’s classes.
• Uncovering the truth: Because of the above, most of the players moved onto campus over the past few days, depriving us of the glorious “guys carrying luggage” photos. While that’s the rationale that SID Jerry Emig is telling everyone, our research shows a deeper, more sinister reason for this change- Cameras are afraid of John Simon.
• Feed The Beast- Thursday night was the “Champion’s Dinner” for those who excelled during the off-season’s training, and also as a “last meal” in prep for the work ahead. As we get updates on who was honored during this, we’ll add them to this post.
• All About Timing- Some pre-camp testing 40 times are coming in: B. Roby ran a 4.39 (twice), and Carlos Hyde ran a 4.35.
• Buckeye dilemma: Yesterday, we were informed that the Four Letter Network has been granted access to the Buckeye training camp for a special series of telecasts on ESPNU/and the main channel (Ball State will be on The Ocho, if you’re interested). Times and dates are at the link above.  We had this discussion on the ol’ twitter yesterday- does this mean that OSU and ESPN have kissed and made up? I think that it’s a mutually beneficial relationship between the two- OSU gets great PR and exposure, and starts to re-set the narrative. ESPN does what ESPN does, find a way to get viewers and sell product.  I still believe that the network is less than enthusiastic about the BTN “snub”, but with the ESPN/B1G contract coming up for renewal in the near future (as well as the economics of the new playoff), perhaps they’ve decided to shift their coverage. We’ll see… unless you’re still boycotting, which I totally support.
• On the other hand- ESPN’s access means that local coverage will be significantly reduced this season. So, the people who know the program the best and cover it the closest have been pushed aside for the new hotness from Bristol. Yup.
• It begins- It’s not RobbyD (you’ll see his work here soon), but the guys at MotSaG (BBN brother from another mother) posted a great pre-season video:

• And finally- Ten years ago today my household went from pure scarlet and gray to including a little bit of red and white. The first words I remember hearing her say at the party where we met? “Yeah, but they don’t play defense on the west coast”. Thanks for putting up with my stupidity passion for this long, dear…  you’re welcome for Coach Pelini, and get ready for October 6.

Tags: 2012 Season, ESPN, Fall Practice, John Simon, Men Of the Scarlet and Gray, SBP
Categories: Ohio State Football

Third String Left Tackle Erik Kramer

Eric, Jim and Joe are back with another preseason look at the 2011 Ohio State Buckeyes!  Jim has attended all of the open practices so far this year and has a lot to say about the make-up of the depth chart to date.  In particular we discuss the offensive line – primarily it’s youth and in experience behind the starters – along with the shrinking of the QB competition.  Current injuries are also touched on briefly, along with the names who we will likely be seeing out wide to start the season.

The three of us also spend some time discussing recent College Football news, including the recent Yahoo! Sports revelation of the Miami University (FL) scandal, and the recent spat of conference expansion news.

All this and more on this week’s BBC Radio Hour!

The Radio Hour is also available via iTunes subscription! Go to iTunes and search for “The Buckeye Battle Cry Radio Hour” at the iTunes store! Subscription is free, and you can take us with you wherever you go on your iPod, iPhone, iPad, or iWhatever!

Tags: Aggies, Andrew Norwell, Braxton Miller, buckeyes, Conference Expansion, Corey "Philly" Brown, DeVier Posey, Fall Practice, Hurricanes, Joe Bauserman, Kenny Guiton, Miami, Mike Adams, Mike Brewster, Mike Vrabel, Nathan Williams, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State, Stan Drayton, Texas A&M, Travis Howard, Tyler Moeller, Verlon Reed
Categories: Analysis, Buckeye Battle Cry Radio Hour, College Football, Conference Expansion, Football Analysis, NCAA Investigations, Ohio State Football