Good morning, welcome and congratulations on getting through what should be the last day of the Jerry Sandusky trial. After the defense trotted out three days of witnesses in response to the prosecution's repulsively graphic but likely effective case, the jury is expected to be handed the keys to Sandusky's future.
As you read the prosecution's "highlights" against the small wins the defense has claimed, I can't see how Sandusky, up on 51 counts of being one of the worst human beings of all-time, ever sees the light of day again. Too bad he'll get off that easy.
And here's to hoping Dickie V is now smart enough to keep his tweets focused on the usual self-promotion, hyperbole and how great Duke is at everything.
GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS? Throughout June, the BTN's Brent Yarina and Tom Dienhart offered predictions on which players would lead the conference in the major statistical categories. With that series in the books, they also solicited votes from fans and with virtually all the polls closed, Ohio State is absent from nearly all categories.
I guess that shouldn't be a surpise considering the team was 6-7 last year behind an offensive machine that functioned at a Yugo-esque level and a defense that struggled to make big plays especially the linebacker spots.
Still, a bunch of young kids saw a lot of playing time and with a legit coaching staff now in the fold along and some key veterans on defense, the hope is that the 2012 Buckeyes will be a more aggressive and efficient unit on offense and a more stout group defensively.
A quick glance at the voting shows:
- Montee Ball is the obvious choice to lead the conference in scoring with 46% of the vote. (If you ask the ladies, I bet Brax will do just fine in this category as well.)
- James Vandenberg is the overwhelming choice to lead the league in passing yards. Funny how perennial Coach of the Year Hayden Ferentz III will still manage to drop four games.
- Vandenberg is also the runaway choice to lead in Passing TDs at 42% of the votes while Braxton is 4th at almost 10%. I'll take Braxton to finish 2nd in this category come season's end.
- It looks like Ball, Rex Burkhead and Le'Veon Bell are projected to stage a three-way for the lead in rushing yards, all claiming 23-25% of the vote.
- In between dining on nails and washing them down with kerosene, John Simon is projected to rank 2nd in sacks behind Sparty's Mr. Clean, William Gholston. I'd expect Gholston to run away with top sacks honors mostly because the Buckeye defensive line will spread around the pain thanks to an abundance of DL talent.
- The fact that no less than nine non-Buckeyes are listed as vote getters to lead the conference in tackles tells you all you need to know about the question marks at linebacker. Is there elite talent? I want to think so. Is it proven? Absolutely not.
But hey, what do fans know anyway? I'm pretty sure I thought OSU could pull off 10 wins last year. Yikes.
KNOW YOUR NON-CONFERENCE FOES - EVEN IF THEY'RE PRETTY JANKY. Steve Helwegen took a look at Ohio State's four out of conference opponents for the upcoming season and it ain't pretty. Already on a Meyer high, the Buckeyes should demolish this flawed foursome even as they work out kinks associated with installing a new offense and tweaks to the defense.
- MIAMI, OH - The Buckeyes open against a Miami squad ranked 99th and 104th respectively in two preseason publications and expected to finish anywhere from 1st to 4th in the MAC East. Coming off a 4-8 record a season ago, the Redhawks or whatever they're called these days return 17 starters and will feature the passing game behind QB Zac Dysert (3,513 yards, 23 TD in '11). Helwegen says a 41-14 score is reasonable - and fitting.
- CENTRAL FLORIDA - Expected to be the toughest non-conf opponent, George O'Leary's squad returns just three offensive starters and ranks 38th by Lindy's and 66th by Athlon Sports. Interestingly, the venerable Phil Steele is bullish on the Knights, slotting them 15th. Despite a decent defense, it's hard to not see the Buckeyes winning this one comfortably. I know a few of you out there are marginally worried about UCF even if you won't admit it. Don't be.
- CALIFORNIA - OSU is 5-1 all-time against the hippies from Berkeley though the teams haven't played since 1972. Jeff Tedford's group is coming off a 7-6 season capped by a loss to a bad Texas team in the Holiday Bowl. Sound familiar? They are also just 12-13 over the last two years. The preseason mags have the Bears slotted around 38th-50th. The top-rated D from a season ago returns just three starters. Helwegen has Cal moving the ball a bit but falling by around 20 points.
- UAB - The Blazers are really bad. The mags have them outside the top 100, they have a 1st year coach and are coming off a 3-9 season. They will feature an up-tempo offense that leans on quick passes which will probably frustrate the Buckeyes for a mini-drive before adjustments are made and a beatdown commences. Helwegen likes the Bucks by about 40. Should be a nice tuneup ahead of the following week's trip to East Lansing when stuff gets real.
Even in the off-season, Craft is thinkin' hoops. (BIO)SENSOR(Y) OVERLOAD. Ohio State announced recently that some incoming freshman football players will take part in a sports-medicine research project intended to reduce injuries and boost performance. The project calls for the players to be outfitted with biosensors that record data on all their forward, backward and lateral movements. Additionally, the sensors will allow 3-D analysis and allow for the research team to do things like examine how much force is placed on muscles and joints.
Parterning with the Mayo Clinic, further analysis will observe and measure player's lean density, body mass, body fat and joint/muscle strength.
According to the Clinic's Kenton Kaufman, the data collected by sensors, matched up against a player's physical attributes, will help determine which movements put a specific athlete at risk of injury.
Basically, I'm super-confused due to my own mental limitatations but this at least sounds pretty impressive.
BCS COMMISSIONERS ARE UNIFIED ON PLAYOFF. Late last night (for those of you with kids), multiple media outlets reported the BCS commissioners came to an agreement on a four team playoff in which the Final Four would be determined by an undetermined selection committee. It sounds as if conference champions will get a gold star but not automatic selection into the playoff.
The endorsement still requires the approval of the BCS presidential oversight committee which meets next week and other details must be worked out but a four team playoff starting in 2014 is all but certain.
The two semifinal games would rotate amongst the Rose, Orange, Sugar and Fiesta Bowls while the title game would be served up the city with the biggest checkbook.
Emperor Delaney is confident the four team scenario is in place:
"We're very unified. There are issues that have yet to be finalized. There's always devil in the detail, from the model to the selection process, but clearly we've made a lot of progress."
SEC commish Mike Slive also feels the plan is in the homestretch offering:
"My hope is we've done 26 [miles]. My hope is we have .2 to go."
Clearly, there will be more pissing contests to come but the largest hurdle appears to be in the rear view mirror.
LINK-OLN LOGS WERE RAD. Pro-Combat arrives in Ames and it's hungry for a Quarter Pounder... Epic Shake Weight Prank in Columbus... Petrino takes it on the chin again... Another reason to be glad you aren't a Terrapins fan... Hide yo kids, Spellman's a free man... If I had a kid, he'd sport this... Beavis & Butthead in real life... How to read a book.
