Buckeye Blogger NetworkIt’s that time of the year again… Football is back! On this week’s edition of The Buckeye Battle Cry Radio Hour, we’ve got plenty story lines, predictions and performances to talk about after Saturday’s annual Spring game, held at Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday for the first time in school history.
Helping us do so is the great Jeremy Birmingham of Eleven Warriors. Birm brings us his perspective from the game, as well as breaks down who he though had a solid showing in the game and what can be taken from the scrimmage.
He also breaks down his thoughts on Braxton Miller, Urban Meyer’s second year, and the depth surrounding this Buckeye team.
Then we go from the Gridiron, to the Hardwood. Former Buckeye Wide Receiver Roy Hall joins us, to talk about the Driven Foundation’s basketball game for charity coming up on Friday. The Driven Foundation president also talks about his relationships with fellow Buckeyes Maurice Clarett and Antonio Smith — as well as what his foundation has been able to accomplish over the last few years.
That’s all jam packed in another addition of tBBC Radio Hour! Enjoy!
In Process
Spring has finally arrived in Columbus, it seems- time to enjoy Oval Beach and discover all of the kids’ toys that were buried under the snow. Being Ohio, though, it only means that there’s another storm on the horizon… so, there’s but one choice for today’s soundtrack.
Buckeye 411
To get Buckeye Nation ready for the first Spring Game in Urban Meyer’s tenure at Ohio State, the Buckeye Bloggers Network wanted to take an in-depth look at each position following spring practice. Be sure to check out all of the coverage!
Thank you to all the writers who are participating in this, and a HUGE thank you to Grant from Buckeye House Call for creating our graphics!
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The easy comment on the offensive line, be it at Ohio State or nationwide, is that the season will hinge on their performance.
Again, that’s the standard answer, but I have to believe that this year it bodes more true than ever in Columbus. There are playmakers elsewhere on Offense, and the Defense (while thin in places) has the potential to be terrifying for opposing offensive coordinators.
But the Buckeye Offensive Line is a mystery at this point; which was evidenced merely looking at Coach Meyer’s emphases on the recruiting trail beginning last season. It’s not enough that they are replacing both tackles and their four year starter at center. It’s not enough that they are now “loaded” with talent amassed by James “Meh, one guard a year is all we need” Bollman, who annually defined the word “reach” with the recruiting offers he seemed to facilitate.
Nope, in addition to those obvious concerns comes this- the team’s offensive identity is taking a major shift. Gone are the days of “Dave, Dave, Draw, Punt”; we now have an offensive scheme that requires linemen to a) be in top cardiovascular shape and b) pass block as effectively as run block. In other words, there’s some coachin’ to do.
So, if you’re like me (my condolences), you’re incredibly interested in seeing how the anchor of the team’s successes will look on Saturday. Will Braxton’s runs in the fall be designed or out of necessity? Will long runs be due to Jordan and Carlos and Rod and Brionte’s talent, or due to the gaping holes that are waiting for them? Will my summer be spent in quiet confidence or wondering instead how what the record for most “three and outs” by a Buckeye team might be?
Saturday gives us our first clue. Onward.
What will be most different this year than last?
We’ve talked about the tempo and scheme being gently called “the polar opposite of Tresselball”, let’s take a look at the new faces in the new places. First, the team lineups: Read More
Tell me if you have heard this one before: it will be a huge recruiting weekend in Columbus.
Although some recruiting excitement has trickled in over the past several weeks, most observers expect the floodgates to really open this weekend at Ohio State.
That flood may have started a day or two early with OH DL Tracy Sprinkle and TX QB J.T. Barrett becoming commitments 9 and 10 for the 2013 recruiting class over the past two days.
I don’t expect the number to hold at 10 for much longer.
Dozens of recruits will be visiting Columbus to take in the Spring Game this weekend (thus the title)- with the headliners being PA LB Alex Anzalone and FL DL Joey Bosa.
Anzalone was once rumored to be a Florida lean, but that seems to have turned towards Ohio State- the same can be said for Bosa, who reportedly had Alabama out in front until the Buckeyes made a recent push.
The fact that both will be attending the Spring Game on Saturday speaks volumes.
I’m not sure if weekend commitments can be expected from either player, but at this point I don’t think anything would be surprising with the way Meyer is recruiting.
While those two have the most buzz surrounding them, they are far from the only recruits making the trip.
Here is a look at some of the other players visiting this weekend.
They won't have the fancy lids, and Herron won't be running the football. Otherwise, it'll be exactly like this.
Basketball season may be over unfortunately, but there’s at least one more thing to look forward to before the long, arduous, dry-spell of summer finally takes hold. The annual OSU intrasquad scrimmage known to us fondly as the Spring Game.
While the game has about as much meaning as your fat Uncle Milton’s promise to stop drinking (“Just this one last night and then I’ll quit…”), its arrival supplies just enough moisture to sooth your parched throat – for about a week. Enjoy it while it’s here folks, because I bet this summer will be harder to suffer through than most.
This year’s version of the spring game promises to be one of the most interesting yet. While it’s hard to take anything from a game between squads that have faced off with each other repeatedly over the last few weeks, it’s at least saved by spreading the talent out among two halves. This is the chance for the lesser-known names to shine, and you can bet there will be some serious football about to be played. Urban Meyer desperately wants to see what these kids can do, and it sounds like they’re going to give their all for him.
There are a couple of things I’m most anxious to see this Saturday, in no particular order.
Read More
The future is bright for the defense. The now is a little shaky on depth.
Ohio State’s defense has been one of the most consistently excellent units in college football over the last decade.
Sadly, the 2011 season was a major bump in the road for the defense and the team. Needless to say, the Silver Bullets will be looking to get back on track in Urban Meyer’s first year as head coach.
There are some new faces on the defensive coaching staff to help out in that regard, but some familiar ones as well.
Luke Fickell is the primary holdover from the previous staff. He was the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under Tressel. He will basically be assuming the same roll under Meyer- with perhaps a bit more emphasis on being the primary coordinator.
The best case scenario will be if Fickell can continue to implement the defensive system that has worked so well over the past decade and combine that with some fresh ideas from the new staff to take the defense to an even higher level of excellence.
The talent is in place to do that this season, but depth is a major concern everywhere outside of the trenches. Additionally, the transition to new position coaches could create some unexpected problems in the first year.
Here is a look at some of the things to watch for at each position as the spring game approaches and the depth chart is sorted out.
Get ready for the Braxton Miller show in Columbus.
Ohio State starts spring practice today, and with it comes a new era in Ohio State football led by head coach Urban Meyer and his staff.
Most fans, including myself, are expecting many new and exciting changes this spring- especially on offense.
It goes without saying that these changes are a source of great anticipation and excitement in Buckeye Nation.
Spring practice will culminate in the spring game on April 21st, and I wouldn’t be surprised if attendance pushed 100,000 (pending the weather) given the buzz.
Media access to spring practice is another big question that will be answered in the coming days and weeks.
Under new management, it is possible that we could see unprecedented access to practice, which means unprecedented updates.
We will have to wait and see how that pans out (edit: the media will be able to observe practice once a week on Wednesdays), but increased practice reports is yet another reason for the excitement in the air.
Based on three practice reports or three dozen, here are some things to look for this spring.
It’s hump day, which means the mid-week linkage and notes from around the world of college sports.
Flying High, As Always
Buckeye 411
