With less than 40 days until
the bible drops, Phil Steele has slowed from his pace of dropping statistical breakdowns on the masses to concentrate on getting the thing out the door. Though the pace has slowed a bit, the quality has not suffered as one of his more recent posts takes a look at teams'
returning offensive firepower.
| Rank |
Team |
Conf |
Yards Ret |
| 1 |
Boise State |
WAC |
99.25% |
| 2 |
Washington |
Pac-10 |
99.13% |
| 3 |
North Carolina |
ACC |
98.41% |
| 4 |
Virginia Tech |
ACC |
98.38% |
| 5 |
Air Force |
MW |
98.21% |
| 6 |
Texas Tech |
Big 12 |
96.53% |
| 7 |
Ohio State |
Big Ten |
95.17% |
| 8 |
Nebraska |
Big 12 |
94.90% |
| 9 |
North Texas |
SUN |
94.12% |
| 10 |
Tulsa |
CUSA |
93.29% |
The Buckeyes check in 7th as you would expect from a team returning everyone save for Ray Small and Jake Ballard among those that contributed at least 100 yards of total offense in 2009. From a fan perspective, that is exciting stuff. It's hard not to let the mind wander to the fireworks a mature Pryor will help create, surrounded by capable and experienced teammates.
But then you remember 2008, when the offense was returning a staggering 98% of its total yards from the previous season (Rob Schoenhoft being responsible for the bulk of that 2%). That unit, of course, got off to a rough start when star running back Beanie Wells went down with an injury in the opener. Two weeks later there was a new freshman quarterback, operating with just 60% of the playbook and the Buckeyes offense would take turns shining and sputtering the rest of the year.
As that season so clearly shows, anything can happen, but the 99.25% of returning yards are a big reason why so many are high on Boise State heading into this fall. The Broncos lose only the services of TE/FB Richie Brockel and his 75 receiving yards from 2009 and will likely make a preseason appearance in the top three of both polls.
Other notables from a Buckeye perspective:
- #14 Indiana - 92.30%
- #20 Wisconsin - 90.43%
- #23 Alabama - 89.59% (It's not too early to look ahead is it?)
- #25 Iowa - 88.13%
- #38 Michigan State - 83.35%
- #50 Michigan - 76.28%
- #85 Penn State - 54.15%
- #113 Florida - 34.17% /Nelson Muntz'd
Steele also recently took a look at
opponent winning percentages from 2009 in trying to illustrate what goes into crafting strength of schedule rankings. The Buckeyes check in 57th in this metric, with their 2010 opponents finishing .526 last season. The Wolverines are 27th, but benefit from most teams on their schedule earning automatics against them, so that's pretty much a six game swing or so.
The Pups are Gone
Though the 2010 NFL draft wasn't a typical Ohio State affair with no players taken before the fourth round and only four selected overall, that group as well as the sizable contingent that signed signed contracts with clubs is starting to get to know their new towns.
In Philadelphia, most everyone is thinking Kurt Coleman will have to
make an impact on special teams before he can try to earn time in the secondary. He did
get a number -- 42 -- that would please Douglas Adams, so there's that.
Thad Gibson is earning the canned kindness that coaches generally shower on new draft picks, but
this Post Gazette article is worth linking if only to reprint the beautiful (and mostly accurate) opener:
Linebacker U? Penn State deservedly holds the title. The Steelers issue post-graduate degrees, and three more will enroll this weekend.
We'll give the Steelers theirs, but I think the Linebacker U part is still up for debate.
Comments
2 predictions:
1. USC and Florida will lose 2+ games.
2. VaTech will be vastly ridiculously laughingly overrated again this year. Plus get their ass stomped by Boise meaning that Boise St., yes Boise St. will be playing for tha MNC.
... against OSU
amiright?
I don't know that the voters/computers would ever let Boise St in over a 1-loss-or-better 'Bama team.
FYI:
30 Miami (Fla) ACC 86.85%
I'm not convinced there will be a 1 loss SEC team this year. I know everyone is very high on Bamba, but they lose some key defensive players. LSU will be about what they have been the last 2 years. Florida will have trouble not finding 2 losses on their schedule. Boise State is getting the hype, and I think they may sneak in if they beat Va Tech and go undefeated. I can honestly see, Miami Florida only losing one game, and having a rematch with them in the National Championship. That's just my 2 cents.
RE: Good Shizzy Oregon DC on the Rose Bowl. Can you say sour grapes? Pryor > Masoli and OSU > Oregon. Get over it and worry about competing in the PAC 10 with 1/3 of your offense suspended.
No kidding, I love how their fans still say we stole their offensive signals haha.
and even IF we did....... doesn't that make their coaching staff a bunch of amateurs. If you can watch film and pick up on someone's signals, that is not exactly the makings of an elite staff.
I once had to sub in to coach for Mark Snyder when he fell ill during a game as our defensive coordinator. I later learned that the opposing coaches had tried to pick up on my signals and that I utterly confused them. More than anything else, they couldn't decipher my nose-picking signal. Joke's on them, though: that signal meant nothing, as I just really enjoy picking my nose.
Some key defenders? How about all of them. I don't understand why everyone is so high on Bama. Their offense is mediocre, JP Wilson...errr whatever the new guy is (I'm not convinced that it actually isn't JPW still there) is mediocre AT BEST, and they lose 9 starters on D (maybe 8? I'm not sure if that number represents Hightower coming back from injury or not).
Oh and no way Miami gets out of this year with only 1 loss. At OSU, at GT, plus UNC, Va Tech, and FSU. UNC could run through the ACC this year if they have any semblance of an offense.
Well ESPN now has Boise somehow jumping OSU in the preseason rankings:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/...
Considering that we put up 24 and 27 against Penn State and Iowa respectively, and the fact that those defenses are head and shoulders above anyone in the Pac-10 has me feeling that Aliotti believing he could have held the Buckeyes to 13 points is incredibly naive. Our lowest output of the season was 15 points against USC when we were still working out all the kinks in our offensive scheme. The last
OH MY GOD SOMEONE KIDNAPPED BRETT WHILE HE WAS TYPING
to whoever took Brett:
I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let Brett go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.
I was going to make a point about the last few games of the season where we averaged 31 points per game in the last 5 games before the Rose Bowl, but most of those games were against defenses that were rather suspect. I guess I forgot to delete the first two words of that sentence. haha
The only thing that worries me is that I said the same thing about Alabama last year thinking they would have a rough time losing so much talent off the offensive line. We know how that worked out.
I hear that about UNC alot. This year they could be the sleeper. I'm just trying to reach and find who the 2nd BCS championship team would be, if OSU made it. It's too early and there are always surprises, but who could it be? Oklahoma maybe? Is the Pac 10 going to give anyone. Oregon's team will be in prison and USC may be on probation by the time it gets to that point. The SEC looks pretty vulnerable from their usual suspects. There's no one in the Big East that has a shot in my opinion. So seems to me like the best team left would be Boise State. As I said, there's always surprises down the road, but the point is still valid.
I think you're right about the 1-loss Bama. It would be a true testament to Saban's coaching ability if he were to go back to back undefeated seasons.
To buckinnc:
Good Luck.
Unrelated....WHY THE F does Oregon keep hating on us?? Jock elsewhere CHIP!
yeah right, "brett"
Masoli, "Bitch set me up." The little running back I can't remember his name, "Bitch had it coming"
I'm not a bold statement kind of guy, but I predict Ohio State going undefeated in 2010. Miami will prove surprisingly easy; Iowa and Wisconsin will be battles. Penn State will be demoralized by the Buckeyes.
LaMichael James?
Agreed... I think we roll Miami, and Iowa, Wisky and PSU will be classic, "How did we only win by 6, when we should/could have won by 20... ?!?!" 13-7ish, 14-10ish, nail-biting battles. And, of course, the national media will talk about how over-rated we are and how Boise State just beat Montana State 89-6 and is the "real #2." I am already throwing up in my mouth a little.
Hey Brian,
if the Buckeyes and Sooners ever played each other I'm sure the South would spontaneously combast and there would weeping and gnashing of teeth.
I think we could take 'em though.
*combust
I'd actually rather see them 'combast'.
We play Oklahoma in a home-home series in 2016 and 2017. Still a ways off, I know.
Thank you, I couldn't remember his name for the life of me.
What would the name of an Oklahoma and Ohio State championship be? The two with a ton of BCS experience, both have a BCS championship, and both are seen to be kind of failures on the big stage. I can kind of see it happening though. Texas will be vulnerable, I'm not saying Oklahoma goes undefeated, but I can see an undefeated OSU and one loss Oklahoma play in the game over a 2 loss SEC champ.
I would normally agree on the never taking Boise over a 1 loss, but given their track record ... if there was going to be any school like that, that would get the chance - Boise St.
Miami may be a cake walk, but don't believe we will explode in the beginning of the season just because of last year. Sometimes we do and sometimes not. Almost always have either a hiccup or a scare in the beginning. Wouldn't be Tressel coaching if we didn't! I could see Miami proving to be one of 'em.
Sincerely,
Cinci 23-19
San Diego St 16-13
Marshall 24-21
Texas 22-25 (L)
Ohio 26-14
USC 3-35 (L)
Navy 31-27
USC 15-18 (L)
I think our team has the play style to compete against Alabama. Their quarterback, G. McElroy, is fortunate to have played on teams with talent since he has been in the eighth grade, to go undefeated all of this time. Julio Jones looked like crap in the spring game, catching passes like T.Wash in regular season. Their running back situation is superior to ours by a long shot. T.Richardson is better than Ingram in my opinion. Their back up, McCarron, is a very good quarterback. (He reminds me of Vandenberg vs. OSU) I watched his fundamentals and the touch he puts on the ball. He will be dangerous in the future. Their Offensive line looked a little shaky in the spring game or their defensive line looked very good. Marcell Dareus looks to be the real deal at DE. Their freshman cornerbacks appear to be talented as well. Their linebacker play on the other hand was very quiet amongst all of the hype that Hightower was getting. They played 1st string vs. 1st string defense, 2nd vs. 2nd. That is my 2c on Alabama. I live here, unfortunately, and watched the spring game. 2003 was great, but I heard two things constantly, phantom flag=jaded victory and it wasn't a real championship win because it wasn't against an SEC team. To further solidify their point we have 2006 and 2007, ugghh. I really hope it is Bama because I see us matching up very good against their style of play. The only thing we have to worry about is being over aggressive on their talented running backs and getting beat on TE and RB screens and dump passes. I hope there are some sympathizers out there somewhere?
Furthermore, the announcer for ESPN James, stated in words to this affect, " Penn State is going to come to Alabama, take their whoopin' and go home. This is good for both teams...Bama will get to fine tune their offense...PSU will get to play the toughest team they will face all year and learn something about themselves...at least the rest of their schedule will slow down for them after this game." -end summary quote. If this ball of crap was in front of me right now, I would punch him in his throat and worry not one bit about the consequences. I hope Penn State hands it to Bama. They have very comparable teams but Bama has the distinct edge on Offense.
I really think that VT-Boise St-Oklahoma are the front runners. Maybe, Alabama or Florida, as I see the SEC being under strength this year. The first three not necessarily because of how good they are but because of the conference they are in. VT really only has Miami, and as the previous poster stated, UNC is good defensively but you never know if Jekyl or Hyde will show up. Boise St has an easy road discounting VT. Oklahoma will have a tough task of beating Texas and an impressively improving Nebraska team but their returning firepower is notable.
Va Tech gets so much love because they are the best team in the worst conference. Miami has a shot to be good, but OSU should handle them easily. As long as Tressel doesn't play so conservatively.
Stealing signals is a part of the game. Just like baseball. Thats why you have decoys and numerous signals and wipeoffs. The only difference is in baseball the pitcher has the option to throw at your head.
They are just a bunch of babies looking for any excuses.
Oregon fans just need to accept the fact that Masoli is better running with Playstation's and HDTV's in his hands rather than footballs.