Depth Chartin’: Attention Deficit Week
For every Dexter from Des MoinesIn the wake of Ohio State’s Nittany Lion pride destroying 24-7 victory, all those with scarlet & gray blood pumping through their veins (of the non-hospital admitted variety) have basically been squealing like tweens at a Jonas Brothers concert for the better part of the last 3 days. With the basketball Bucks also opening their season in grandiose fashion, looking ahead to Saturday in many ways feels like an exercise futility at this moment in time.
As if that wasn’t enough, Iowa didn’t exactly live up to their part of the bargain last weekend – no thanks to Ricky Stanzi’s ankle ligament. In a span of 72 hours, we’ve gone from talking about Iowa as potentially the 4th horse in the national title race, to taking Stanzi back behind the stables to see him off to the big track in the sky (and don’t think for a moment it isn’t getting awfully crowded in horsey heaven).
Rest assured, Saturday’s contest is still very much a de facto Big Ten Championship Game with an accompanying Rose Bowl bid up for grabs. And while certainly The Vest has never lost to a Kirk Ferentz coached team in the Shoe, there couldn’t be a worse time to take a visiting opponent for granted. The Buckeyes’ have yet to smell the sweetness that is the Rose Bowl in the Tressel era, and handing Iowa their second loss in as many weeks would make this a reality. Without further adieu, shifting Iowa week from 2nd gear on up to 3rd, we eyeball and discuss Ohio State’s projected starters for the contest.
In week’s past when joking about the relative uniformity of the purported depth charts to those from previous week’s, no matter what, there’d always be at least a single change or two of consequence/note. The Iowa depth chart wins the season award, depending on how you look at it, as either Jim Tressel’s most tactful, or his laziest of the ‘09 season. There’s not a SINGLE change in the November 9th depth chart from that of November 2nd. Not one. Given the way performance in Happy Valley, I’m not entirely complaining, but… Given the lack of material to work with, let’s at the very least put forth a little educated guess work towards what to expect from each of the units.
Against the Nittany Lions, the Monday depth chart would have us to expect Jim Cordle manning the left tackle, though after J.B. Shugarts went down, we saw an awful lot of Cordle on the right side with Andrew Miller back in at left tackle. None the less, given the depth chart, it’s expected Cordle will remain the guy as against the Hawkeyes. Even with Shugarts’ listing as starter seeming to ease some reservations about the health of his ankle, seeing some Miller and Marcus Hall in the mix too isn’t out of the question at all. The Ohio State o-line had arguably their best, most consistent performance of the season against PSU, even as the aforementioned injuries necessitated some on the fly shifting. Should the Bucks get 50% of the effort and execution they did from this group Saturday, Terrelle Pryor should have plenty of times to arm punt his way into DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher’s waiting arms repeatedly. And certainly one notable offensive lineman seems to have his head in the right place going into this one.
Behind that steadfast line, the Ohio State running game quietly shredded a previously held in high regards defense to tune of 4.7 yards a carry (admittedly with a half dozen Pryor scrambles and wide out end arounds in the mix). Boom and Zoom were both solid but unspectacular, while Jordan Hall made his case on limited carries. The one really enjoyable stat from Saturday to keep in mind going into this weekend: every Buckeye that received the ball on a hand off or lateral had a minimum longest gain on the afternoon of 12 yards or longer, sans Dane Sanzenbacher. With Saine, Herron, and Hall all having the full confidence of the staff, expect them to get their fair share of touches against Iowa. Though it probably bears keeping a close eye on things given the sudden unpredictability of the offensive staff towards getting others in the mix, Ray Small or Flash Thomas seeing their names called on end arounds is probably well within the realm of possibilities as well.
With no Jewel Hampton and no reliable signal caller under center, Ohio State’s vaunted defensive line has to be licking their chops, even with a worthy advisory just on the horizon. Iowa’s offensive line of Bryan Bulaga, Riley Reiff, Rafael Eubanks, Julian Vandervelde, and Kyle Calloway will be the best the Bucks have encountered since the SC game. Though on the flip side, it’s equally likely that this will be the most talented (and deepest) d-line that unit will have run into all season. After playing but a flew fleeting snaps as he continued recovering from injury against the Nittany Lions (and not being listed on last week’s depth chart either), it seems probable that Dexter Larimore will continue to be ushered along slowly with a potential target on the Michigan game for a full return to action.
On the subject of returns, despite dropping two from memory probable INTs, Anderson Russell put together a praiseworthy afternoon of football, while Jermale Hines continued to see plenty of action anyways back in the “Star” linebacker/d-back combination position he’d operated in primarily prior to jumping Anderson in the pecking chart. Having both playing good football this time of the year is about as much as one could act for his team’s free safeties. Extra credit goes to Chimdi Chekwa as well, for a gritty, physical performance against the Lions all afternoon. It felt like Chekwa was all over on both sides of the field all day, and even in instances where his man got the better of him, #5 managed to show great off the ball recovery speed and often found himself in on the tackle or in the mix for a potential hit.
Last but not least, Devin Barclay managed to fill the Aaron Pettrey gap in the best humanly way possible: by making us all not even particularly notice the difference at all. Barclay was true from 37 on his only field goal attempt of the afternoon, and also netted 3 extra points and several respectable kickoffs during the course of the game. Jon Thoma was steady, though far from stellar yet again. I can’t say I’ve felt as though Ohio State’s significantly suffered from Thoma’s work all season, though a sub-38 yard per kick average is definitely not what we’d become accustomed to with A.J. Trapasso and Kyle Turano prior. Thoma has two more regular season games as a Buckeye; here’s hoping he makes them count.
interesting stat on thoma: 19 of his 41 attempts (46.3%) this season have been downed inside the 20. yes, some of those were absolutely horrible pooch punts that probably should have been inside the 10, but it does negatively impact his average (currently 37.6 yds per attempt).
for comparison’s sake, below are trapasso’s career stats for % for punts downed inside the 20:
2008 – 21/58 (36.2%)
2007 – 21/53 (39.6%)
2006 – 17/49 (34.7%)
2005 – 19/43 (44.2%)
now trepasso’s yds/attempt in each of those years:
2008 – 41.2
2007 – 41.5
2006 – 40.6
2005 – 40.4
there is somewhat of a correlation there.
also, don’t forget thoma did unleash that nice 55 yarder on his first attempt last week after a quick 3 and out, which flipped the field position immediately & ensures small’s first return puts us deep in psu territory rather than somewhere around midfield.
I don’t remember hearing about punts inside the 20 until this year. I know the big stat is downed inside the 10, but this if the first year I’ve heard so much emphasis on punts downed inside the 20.
well, you figure that just so long as the punt is downed inside the 20, it’s already better than a touchback. i’m with you: a good pooch punt should get downed inside the 10, but the stat has always been inside the 20.
Nice Guy…. no wonder he and DickRod got along so well…..
http://www.buckeyextra.com/live/content/sports/stories/2009/11/10/1110michad.html?sid=101
lol nice, push a female student for doing her job. What a man.
PSU, Iowa, USC, Florida can do anything they want.
Talk any shit they want.
Beat us many times as they can.
But I will NEVER, NEVER hate any team or school more than I hate TSUN!
Not even close!
Totally agree with you. I was thinking yesterday when I read the link to MGO Blue and the guy was defending Dick Rod to no end, this is kind of nice, they are saying and acting just like Notre Dame fans did when Charlie Weiss failed every year. We could be in for 4 o 5 terrible years of Michigan football.
On the poll, I selected after the bowl game, but my answer really is after the Michigan game. Even some of the coaches feel that way, I saw an interview with Roy Williams where he suggested moving the start of practice to November 1 and the first game to the weekend after Thanksgiving. Sounds good to me. College Basketball will still be going on almost 5 months from now. There is no need to have early November games
I agree. 2.5 weeks until I start following buckeye hoops.
I was at the game last night. I can’t get enough basketball or football. I have room in my life for both. Don’t get me wrong, I care about the football more, but there is a special place in my heart for basketball. Just don’t ever play the games on the same days and I’ll be alright.
BBall is a great sport. I know football is king, but anyone not into bball is really missing something.
Speaking of missing something, man this team could use a center. Not real impressed with Madsen. But once Zisis gets into the flow, he could be decent. he already has stronger hands than BlowJob.
This navy team that gave us a scare is a good football team.
I am glad no one in the media gives them or us credit.
Not like we played a sorry (little east team) or (mac school)
7-3 with losses to #11 tOSU, #12 Pitt, and Temple 7-2.
agreed… They are good and Dobbs is the real deal. Nice to see them beat Notre Lame 2 years in a Row… those back to back losses may cost Cheeseburger Charlie his Job!
Pitt will beat Notre Dame too. I’m so glad they won’t qualify for a BCS bowl yet again. now if Michigan doesn’t pull any surprises to have a 2nd year with no bowl. That would make my season.
….Brian it would make mine also…. Michigan Fans were thumping their chest when they were beating Directional Michigan Schools–now they have won only 1 conference game and may not get invited to even a shitty bowl game–that is great!!!!!!!! I want the team to put 50 on them in Ann Arbor and do it Old School… 7 rushing TD’s!!
Little man Taint! God I can’t wait for IronHead Jr. to get ahold of that little shit!
If Pitt beats ND, Cheeseburger can kiss the baby!
But it really makes no sense to fire him, ND fans are dilusional.
God I love life at the top of the food chain!
not only do the have 1 conference win, that one was a nail biter to the Hoosiers. A cript couldn’t have been written any better!
and Don’t forget they beat Notre Lame–tells you just how bad that sorry team from South Bendover really is.
Don’t forget they have the USC QB injury/doesn’t really count excuse for the Temple loss
Well, if the lines play like they did against USC and Penn State no one should be able to beat tOSU the rest of the way, regardless of who they play in the bowl game.
11W mentioned in Freep, re: throwbacks:
http://www.freep.com/article/20091110/SPORTS06/911100401/1354/
Goodness. The end may be coming a whole lot sooner than 2012 after all.
Hey Jason, you better not be working those guys more than the 20 hours!
Pat Angerer is awesome:
“I put a lot of trust in Vandenberg, he’s a good guy,” Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer said. “I’ve beat the hell out of him a bunch of times and he’s kept fighting, and he’s going to continue to fight.”
Somebody then asked Angerer if he was referring to preseason camp.
“Every time he comes over to my house he’s always running his mouth,” Angerer said. “I’ve literally choked him unconscious before and he’s gotten up talking trash. We’re going to be OK.”
ha, i can’t decide if i like more vandenberg or angerer.
Seems a little naive of Iowa to think James Van Der Beek can actually play quarterback. He only played one in a movie.
+10
Tebow gets -1000 for using his line during his ‘dramatic’ halftime speach….
Best Line in article….Best Advice !!!!!!
“The Vest has never lost to a Kirk Ferentz coached team in the Shoe, there couldn’t be a worse time to take a visiting opponent for granted”.
Hopefully we expose this team as we did Penn State…..Plus.. WE ARE HOME !
I’m not they are a shoe in for the win, but if they lose this game it won’t be because they are taking the team for granted. Don’t you think they know this is basically a Big 10 Championship game? The players know the importance of this game, in my opinion, you’ll see a team come out more composed and fired up than you did last week. That stadium is going to be electric too. In all honesty, this is the biggest home game in Columbus for quite some time. I know USC was a big deal, but this game actually means something. If there’s a game I worry about it’s next week in Michigan. 2 huge emotional games in a row against great teams. Then next week, even though it’s the Michigan game, doesn’t really mean a whole lot for the season and you’ll have a Michigan team that is not good, looking for something positive to end the year on.
I have posted this on 2 previous threads, but I don’t think they’ve had any comments since yesterday. I appreciate anyone who can give me some input. I’ve included my email address if any 11W staff know the answer as well.
Hey, this is totally off subject but I have 2 tickets to the game this Saturday, The guy I bought them from told me he would upgrade them for me as they were his student seats I guess. Can you tell me if there is a way for me to look at the tickets and tell if they are upgraded? They say ticket cost 63 and a service charge of 15 bucks. Am I safe? I would hate to get there and not be able to get in because I don’t have a BuckID
You are allowed to go to the ticket office yourself and find out on the day of the game. You could also call them and see if they can help you over the phone.
ok, thanks, I’m just parnoid about it I guess, I’m driving from Northern Kentucky and don’t want to drive all the way up there to get a bomb like that dropped on me lol.
Yeah, it only takes 2-2.5 hours to get to Columbus from there, so just leave an hour or two earlier than you were planning and you should be fine. Make sure you know where the ticket office is…I think it’s in the Schott.
Yeah it only takes me about 2 hours, we were planning on coming up early to tailgate and hang out anyway. I’ll make sure to call. thanks for the help!
I thought the office was in Cooper or the field house?
I called the ticket office, they told me how to identify if they’ve been upgraded or not. She said they would say I need a buckID or that the tickets would be marked Fac/staff.
Try athletic.tix@osu.edu
Michigan has given up 30 or more points to every conference opponent this season except for Michigan State (who only scored 26 against them).
Get ready for 5 0
Does it make sense to already be looking past Iowa to scUM?
I circle the Michigan game every year. The team should not look past Iowa, but the Michigan game is for the fans.
I served in the military during the Cooper years. I had numerous obnoxious Michigan fans in my unit. Life was miserable for me every year. Those losses stung all year.
That being said, I am all about paybacks. I still send e-mails to my former Michigan coworkers. Usually i just type 42-7 or I send them a youtube video of a selected Buckeye victory.
Like I said, I hope the team does not look past Iowa, but I am.
Ive been known to send weekly updates of how many days its been since scUM beat us to any/all scUM fans in my life…which I try to weed out if at all possible….
i grew up in columbus during the cooper years when it wasn’t cool to be to be an OSU fan and most of your 7th and 8th grade friends were scUM “fans”, it was a dark period in my life.
i think this is the reason i want to see them lose every game they play and i don’t give a fuck about the “conference needs them” angle if i am honest with myself. nothing makes me smile more than an ohio state win and a scUM loss.
+1
I don’t think anyone is looking past Iowa too Michigan. Sure we are talking about Michigan but it’s 2 weeks away, we talk about THE GAME all year round. The Iowa game is the most important game we will have played this year. Win this one and we’ve got another BCS bowl wrapped up. I think they beat Iowa, but I am concerned about Michigan. The only thing about that game is, it doesn’t matter if we win or lose to Michigan this year becaue it won’t spoil anything for us and won’t gain any ground for the BCS championship. This year’s Michigan game could potentially be meaningless, other than the fact that it’s THE GAME and you always want to win every one of them. It would be nice if Wisconsin spanks that ass and then they have to beat the Bucks to got a bowl game.
i don’t think the buckeyes need more motivation to beat scUM. That may have been the deal back in the cooper days when it seemed we had things wrapped up, but I don’t see it as a problem anymore.
besides, Taint Forcier has biceps the size of my wrist. Thad and Cam are gonna make him wish he stayed in san diego.
bravo Ski!!!!!!!!! and Bravo South Bay!!!!!!
I’ve been waiting all year to see Sabino take over for Spitler. He just must not be showing up in practice. Did anyone notice the atrocious angle Spitler took to get to that thing psu calls a Graham Zug on the screen pass that went for like 30? Slow linebackers like that could kill us in our bowl game.
I think Spitler has played well this season. Granted, that angle on that play was awful, but overall he has played great. He looked dead on against UW, and quite frankly, he has shown no reason to yank him from any game thus far. He has paid his dues, behind JL his whole career……
I do, however, agree that slow LB’s COULD kill us come bowl time, but that will all depend on who we play. I’m just happy to actually see some new life in the Offense, I mean, they threw to the fullback on Saturday…twice!
Anyone else see the other Nike Pro Combat Uniforms? (The ones the buckeyes will be wearing as “throwbacks”)
Va. Tech’s: http://www.gobblercountry.com/2009/11/9/1122990/virginia-tech-hokies-unveil-nike
TCU’s: http://www.examiner.com/x-24598-TCU-Horned-Frogs-Examiner~y2009m11d9-TCU-football-will-unveil-new-Nike-Pro-Combat-uniforms-vs-Utah
Any opinions on what the hell would be on our necks? I can’t really make out anything but RAD on the pic from 11w.
There’s a list of teams somewhere that are getting them, I’ll need to find it when I get off work. Although TCU’s is pretty out there, I think Va Tech’s is the worst of the bunch.
Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, TCU, Va Tech, Missouri, Miami, and Florida State
Here are the glove designs for most of the teams:
OU: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/4088857415_f3c895baed.jpg
FLA & TCU: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2766/4089617472_2425d12b28_o.png
VaTech & Miami: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2514/4089617274_3b16c89bce_o.png
Texas & LSU: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2538/4088857041_51b25b535c_o.png
Another look at TCU’s uni: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_HR8yunA_vT8/SvdV8kPogHI/AAAAAAAAAjk/-MR8jiVmtUs/s1600/photo.jpg
Va Tech uni (barf): http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2676/4090514742_1317214ee2.jpg
Miami uni: http://i37.tinypic.com/6tdyth.jpg
Florida: http://i36.tinypic.com/33bzg61.jpg
Mizzou: http://i37.tinypic.com/zwdndk.jpg
OU: http://i37.tinypic.com/sza1b4.jpg
LSU: http://i35.tinypic.com/2d9ps00.jpg
All of the slogans:
VT = Good Guys Wear White
TCU = Never Back Down
Ohio State = Earned
Florida State = Fear The Spear
Oklahoma = Stake Our Claim
Florida = Finish The Mission
Texas = It Only Takes Eleven
LSU = Cochon De Lait
Mizzou = Beast Mode
Miami = The U Knows
TCU is borrowing their pants from brett michaels.
and what’s up with all whites?
looks like oklahoma got our jerseys if you ask me…
Rock of Loves Sores
TCU is just trying to get more stripper pu$$y, just saying. all they need now is team bandanas
Purple and black bandanas w/ horns?
you heard it here first. also, straw cowboy hats.
Black Eyeliner optional
I don’t know, I think Oklahoma’s unis look more like Nebraska’s. Should be really popular in Norman.
TCU takes the crown for highest use of snake/lizard skin fabric that nike had laying around in a remote warehouse.
even the helmets are the same pattern.
football on the moon, it’s coming. I blame JFK
I’m passing the buck on Gerald Ford….he played for scUM
JFK had the whole moon thing though. without JFK there is no NASA, without NASA there are no butt fugly unis.
TCU : Dont Back Down
Va Tech: Beamer Ball
those Va. Tech uniforms are hideous…. that fade job on the numbers and pants stripes are gross.
space football, here we come!
Mizzou’s gloves say “beast mode”!? WTF!!!
http://www.nike.com/nikeos/p/usnikefootball/en_US/rivalries09?school=vt&tab=uniform
check out the “speed-inspired design” for a good laugh
With that material, Speed isnt just limited to the SEC anymore!!!!
two words: rocket pants
http://www.uniwatchblog.com/2009/11/06/funny-i-thought-rivalries-were-about-tradition/
uni-watch is dead on.
I guess the schools don’t get a say on what they wear. I haven’t seen one of these “throwback” or Rivalry uniforms that look good. I like the color on the buckeye pants but that’s pretty much it. Florida State doesn’t even have gold as a main color on their uniform. It’s all a markety scheme for Nike to sell new apparell.
Guarnetee the “U” will wear those gloves forever.
Anyone else agree that the time and place for new uni’s is at home, and not vs. the skunk bears? Break them out vs. Iowa, NMS, anyone but the turds in the ugly helmets.
Although I have changed shirts / seating positions during games to ‘help’ the team. So maybe I have some issues…..