Eleven Warriors

First posted at Inside The Shoe

After stating his desire to create a college football playoff system, Mark Cuban (current owner of the Dallas Mavericks) has started a company called Radical Football in an effort to expedite the process.  According to a story first published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, Cuban said that the company’s goal is “to impact college football so that the last two teams playing are the best two teams”.  Cuban referred to the BCS as “an inefficient business where there’s obviously a better way of doing it and added that Radical Football intends to “advance towards that goal”.

Cuban is unsure what the structure of the company will be or how many it may take to staff it although he already has one employee in Brett Morris.  “he is real engaged in this” said Morris who has experience at a national marketing agency along with holding the promotions coordinator title at Notre Dame.
Cuban’s basic idea is to keep the current system but make it more profitable for schools to attend his playoff bracket rather than participating in the current bowls saying “put $500 million in the bank and go to all the schools and pay them the money as an option.  Say, look, I’m going to give you X amount of dollars every five years.  In exchange, you agree to go if you’re picked for our playoff system”.

I don’t really agree with this ides as I love the history and pageantry of the bowl games.  However, if this is what it takes to get a real tournament and decide things on the field, it may be the only way to scare the BCS into action.  There will be other proposals as well.  College students from numerous universities made presentations to Mr. Morris for other viable playoff systems.  A team from Oxford University won the competition (really?  A team from ENGLAND beat out the other American schools?  Sigh…) and will present their plan to Cuban later this year.

Finally somebody with resources and a bad attitude has formed a plan, along with a company, in hopes of advancing towards a college football playoff on the FBS level.  Mark Cuban has always been a larger-than-life character in the sporting world which has turned many people off.  Publicity stunts at fast food restaurants, exchanging verbal punches with David Stern and exorbitant fines stemming from said punches (most in amounts that many of us would only dream of earning in a decade) are just some of this billionaire’s antics that have played out in the media over the years.

I usually can’t stand this type of brash character in the sports world but will make a HUGE exception on behalf of Mr. Cuban (I’m sure he was sweating that out).  Nobody outside the college football world, besides the White House, has had the stones to come out and openly challenge the BCS with a real plan with money to back it up.  Sure the blogosphere has been rife with playoff talk for years and legislation has been proposed by the jilted lovers.. err.. congressmen from the states of Utah and Idaho.  All of the noise has amounted to no more than a whisper as the BCS fat cats are more than happy to line their pockets with 6 figure salaries for a mere months work.  If it takes a madman (not far from the truth) to stir the pot and get this whole corrupt system on its’ way toward a playoff… let the madness begin!

My next post in a few days will focus on my personal thoughts for a playoff and why the current system is the most un-American, dare I say Communist, way to decide a champion of any major sport in this country… or anywhere for that matter.  I hope you come back for that!

The Lakewood St. Edward tackle, considered the best OL prospect in the '12 class, has long been a Buckeye commit, but this clearly shows Hoke isn't afraid to go into Ohio and challenge for these types of kids. Michigan is also going after a few of Kalis' teammates (TE Sam Grant, DT Greg Kuhar, and OL Tyler Orlosky all have offers from UM). When asked about the Michigan offer, Kalis had the following to say:

I was offered by Michigan yesterday. I'm pretty much set on Ohio State, but my mind is still open at this point. I talked to Coach Funk yesterday and he said they would have offered me when I was 15 if they were the coaches here. He said they really want me, they really need me, and how excited they are to get to know me. They want me to come up to see Michigan and get the blue carpet treatment.

And:

I might go up there with either Sam [Grant] or [Greg] Kuhar sometime. I think they like Michigan, and I know that [Tyler] Orlosky is definitely the most interested. Me and Orlosky are very close and we've always talked about playing together at the next level somewhere, so time will tell. I know Orlosky is a Michigan fan and excited to get up there to see what they're all about. I think I'll definitely give [Michigan] a chance to recruit me and I'll see where my teammates go.

Tressel doesn't lose many commits -- especially guys from Ohio, but Hoke clearly plans to make JT earn his classes. And with offers out to every kid in America, Hoke is casting a wide net with the goal of returning the Wolverines to glory as soon as possible.

After some potential legal troubles, Cleveland JFK OL Chris Carter has finally signed his NLOI with Ohio State. Below is a press release from the school:

Carter Signs With Ohio State Football
Cleveland native 24th to join Buckeye recruiting class

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Chris Carter, an offensive lineman from John F. Kennedy High School in Cleveland, Ohio, has signed a national letter-of-intent to attend The Ohio State University.

A 6-6, 350-lb. offensive guard who led Cleveland’s Kennedy High into the Division II playoffs, he was selected as the Senate League’s Most Valuable Player while playing for Coach Scott Wodtly.  A first team all-Senate League, all-region, and second team all-Ohio honoree, he was named to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s  Top 20. Carter was also a letterman in weightlifting and track and field.

The student government president at Kennedy, and a member of the Army JROTC, peer tutoring program, 100 Kennedy Men, and Students of Promise, he is the son of Christopher and Arnetress Carter.

“We are excited Chris will be a Buckeye,” says Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel. “He has had a great support system at home, as well as at his high school with the likes of his principal Maryum Sims, his athletic director Velma Pettiegrew, and his coach Scott Wodtly. They truly believe that Chris will have great success on and off the field at Ohio State.”

The Buckeyes begin spring practice March 31. The football spring game is April 23 at Ohio Stadium. For updated information on Ohio State football, go to www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.

You probably noticed a new "Donate" button on the sidebar today and I wanted to take a minute to explain its presence.

For the longest time, the revenue brought in from Google ads and the random t-shirt sale here and there suited our needs just fine. We were able to cover all of our hosting and related costs with a little coin left over to throw a party.

As we've grown, however, we've taken on coverage of more live events. Whether it's been home football or basketball games, we're blessed to have a press pass and have done our best to bring you as much of the games as possible. But, we have our sights set higher and are planning on sending two guys to cover the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, among other things in the near future. As such, we have begun accepting donations to help offset some of the travel costs for this event and others like it going forward.

So, if you feel like we add even the slightest bit of information or amusement to your life, please consider donating. The money will go towards live event coverage, tech improvements and whatever else we can do to make this the best possible Buckeye experience on the web.

If you can't or don't want to, it's all good as well. One of the goals of this site is to prove that the non-subscription model can work and we'll continue doing just that.

This is a couple days old, but I didn't see this posted anywhere on here. Who knew he was a cookie dough fiend?

10 Questions with Thad Matta

1. What's the best thing about coaching at Ohio State?
Being a Buckeye, I think, just the power and the feeling you get anytime you are involved with Ohio State and how much these people love the Buckeyes. The No. 1 thing for me is just being a part of something that is so special.

2. What kind of pressure does being No. 1 bring?
It is funny because I don't feel the pressure of being No. 1.  I feel more the pressure of trying to get our team to play the best basketball they can. I do not look to far outside of the box, it is more of what we have to do and I think there is more talk on the outside than there is on the inside of being No. 1.

3.  What do you like most about your current team?
I think who they are as kids and the camaraderie that they have and without question the work ethic they have every day they come into the Schottenstein Center.

4.  You played collegiately at Butler. Best game memory?
We were down six points at Dayton my sophomore year with 1:50 to go in the game and I ended up scoring the last eight points (including) a last-second shot and we won the game.  I think I finished with 8 points for the game.

5.  Who's your hero?
I would have to say my father and the reason, growing up he was an educator and I felt like both he and my mother sacrificed a lot to give the kids in the family just a lot of opportunities and they definitely put us before them. I know this I would not be sitting in the situation I am without the guidance of my father and my mother.

6.   What's your idea of a dream vacation?
On a beach with nobody around.

7.  If you weren't coaching basketball, you'd be doing what?
I would say if I wasn't coaching basketball I would probably be in education. I would be a teacher.  That was what my degree was in. That's what I always wanted to do was teach.

8.  Favorite movie?
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

9.  Best late night snack?
I hate to say this but its cookie dough, but don't tell my wife because she is always wondering where it goes in the middle of the night but that is definitely me with a cold glass of milk.

10.  In high school, you played for the Hoopeston-East Lynn Cornjerkers. What is a Cornjerker?
A Cornjerker is a very powerful warrior type person who back in the days before they had combines and things, kids would walk the fields and jerk the corn off the stalks and throw it into a trailer so therefore it became the Cornjerkers.

First posted at Inside The Shoe

The majority of people I have spoken to and heard on various sports shows seem to agree that losing at least one game during the regular season helps a team in the long run.  They don't have to deal with any questions about an undefeated season and can just focus on the game at hand.  I do not buy into this philosophy, for several reasons.  Ask any of the players on the team that question, if they think they need to lose a game in order to win the championship.  

I would expect every single one of them to confidently respond "No".  David Lighty, William Buford, Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale; they all know what it is like to lose regular season and  tournament games.  Jared Sullinger's Columbus Northland team lost in the State Championship last season after winning it the year before.  Aaron Craft and Deshaun Thomas each lost games throughout their high school careers.  My point is it's not like none of the players know what it is like to lose.  All of the guys on this team know what it is like to win championships (be it state high school titles or Big Ten or high school conference championships) and know what it is like to lose in tournament games.  

The Buckeyes have also had plenty of nail-biters this year.  The last game against Northwestern, at Iowa, at Illinois, and at Michigan, as well as home games against Minnesota and Penn State.  All of these games were decided by 5 points or less and went down to the last possession or two.  So it's not like the Buckeyes haven't been tested all year.  They went on the road and beat two very good teams in Florida and Florida State before conference play even started.  In their biggest game of the year, they beat #10 Purdue at home by 23, and the game was never in doubt.  If your team has more talent, better coaching, and is just plain better than every other team (and all these may be true about the Buckeyes), then there really is no reason for that team lose.

Now, while I don't think the Buckeyes need to lose a game before March, I do think it is very possible they will drop at least one contest.  With a home and home against Wisconsin, rematches with Minnesota, Purdue and Illinois, a home game against Michigan State, and then the Big Ten Tournament, it would be easy for Ohio State to slip up once or twice.  Ohio State has had off games this year and still prevailed because they are the most complete team in the country.  If they are having a cold shooting night, they can go inside to Sullinger.  If teams crowd the paint, they can drain open jumpers.  If a team tries to slow the game down to limit Ohio State's offensive possessions (see: Northwestern), they can fall back on their superb defense.

Only 7 teams have gone undefeated and won the NCAA National Championship since 1900.  It isn't easy to do.  No team has done so since Indiana in 1976.  Ten teams have had undefeated regular seasons and lost in the post-season tournament (including the 1961 Buckeyes, who were 27-0 before losing to Cincinnati in the Championship game...).  Numerous others lost in conference tournaments.  If Ohio State loses before the NCAA Tourney, it's not the end of the world.  But I won't be panicking if this team is undefeated heading into March, because they very well could be the 8th team to run the table for the entire year, and that is what every fan should be hoping for.

In Part 2 of the 3 part series, I will be taking a look at and predicting where Aundrey Walker, Ejuan Price, and Cardale Jones will land. You can see Part 1 here.

These next 3 recruits are pretty important to grab. Ejuan Price committed to Ohio State, but could be having second thoughts after his visit with Pitt. It's possible to change his mind.

Aundrey Walker is down to his final three: USC, Ohio State, and Michigan State. This will come down to the last day, without a doubt in my mind.

Cardale Jones is like a lesser version of Braxton Miller. He would be a nice addition to the class, but this man is not a need as it stands.

On to the recruits, broken down:

Aundrey Walker, Offensive Lineman, Status: Uncommitted


The Info


Walker is a big fella, as you may have noticed in the picture. His size is really what allows him to be good at what he does. Walker is likely best suited for the interior line. Fires off the ball surprisingly well, considering how big he is. Doesn't play with a lot of strength and leverage, but with his quickness off the ball and momentum, he's able to steer smaller defensive linemen. 


Sheer mass allows him to be a decent pass blocker on the interior line, because he takes up so much space. He can really try to improve his strength and balance, and that will make him a top pick up for OSU.


The real competition for Ohio State is Michigan State, as they've been recruiting him for as long as the Bucks have and their program contains the same structure and value system of Ohio State's. I really have to worry about USC, but I can't see him ending up their with their violations in place. I think he's between MSU and OSU.


Who does he choose?


The big man from Glenville will stay at home with Ohio State. It will come close, but I can't see him ending up anywhere else. 


Ejuan Price, Linebacker, Status: Committed To Ohio State


The Info


You may be wondering why I have Price on here. Earlier last month (yes, it's really February now.) we reported the Ejuan had committed to Ohio State over Iowa. Now it seems Pitt is in the mix. After an official visit, new head coach Todd Graham, have made Price a top priority as signing day looms, and it appears that the hometown team is on the verge of flipping Price away from Ohio State only a few weeks after he made his original commitment.


"Complicating matters, Price's best friend, cornerback Lafayette Pitts, has been reoffered by the new Pittsburgh staff. Pitts was originally a commitment to Pittsburgh under previous head coach Dave Wanstedt, but switched over to Rutgers on the 21st after receiving minimal attention from Todd Graham's regime. On the surface, at least, it appears that Graham is willing to accept a commitment from Pitts as long as he brings Ejuan Price with him." - ATO


This may just turn out badly for Ohio State, especially since he assured Buckeye nation that he wouldn't visit again with Pitt before signing day. Well, he did.


Who does he choose?


I think he sticks out with Ohio State. It's too hard not to at this point, and Price has said that he loves Ohio State.

Cardale Jones, Quarterback, Status: Uncommitted


The Info


Cardale Jones will struggle in a camp setting because his mechanics are sub-par, but once the game starts, he has excellent field vision and throws with better accuracy when he's able to move around in the pocket and pick his spots. Arm strength to throw the ball 60 yards down field, Jones needs to shorten his release and be more consistent, but he has a lot of tools and a good feel for game


He is considering a greyshirt option to Ohio State, which means he would delay enrollment for the Fall Quarter but arrive in time for 2012 Spring Practice. He would not be a member of the 2011 Buckeyes and would essentially be a member of the 2012 recruiting class. This would put an extra year between him and Braxton Miller and would remove pressure on Ohio State to find a star quarterback in the 2012 recruiting cycle.


He is being recruited by other schools, but he is considering prep school. It would waste a year of eligibility at a the school, but he would retain the option of redshirting to put distance between himself and Braxton Miller. If Jones does end up choosing this option, Ohio State would probably need to still recruit another quarterback in the 2012 class, as they cannot be held to the mercy of one player's grades.


Who does he choose?


He's going to Prep School. Eventually he will come back to Ohio State, but for right now, this is the best option he can have in my opinion, and Coach Tressel and company have talked to him about it, without a doubt.

First posted at Inside The Shoe.

Wednesday may mark a big day for Ohio State. As you know, 2 days from now, is the National Signing Day this year. This means all the big recruit names that haven't committed anywhere have to make their decision.


The Buckeye's have their eyes on a couple of star studded individuals that would really put the cherry on top for the 2011 Recruiting class. We've gone over a couple, including Doran Grant, Jajuan Story, Curtis Grant, and Ejuan Price. Here they are, and the rest of our predictions as to who is going to be a Buckeye in 2011.


Curtis Grant, Linebacker. Status: Uncommitted


The Info


This is the guy Ohio State really wants. The linebacker out of Virgina and The #2 ranked recruit on Rivals.com, Curtis Grant is universally regarded as one of the top prospects in the country. All year long Ohio State has been vying for his services, but Florida and Alabama, as well as Virginia, all were said to be in the drivers seat on this particular recruit at one point. Now, with his excellent performance in the '11 U.S. Army Game, the 6''3 and 222 pounder will have to decide between UNC, Florida, Virginia and Ohio State, with OSU and Florida being the top 2 he's looking at.


Ohio State has been extremely fortunate this off-season as far as recruiting goes, thanks to Urban Meyer stepping down. Will Muschamp has really botched a lot of chances with recruits for Florida, and many have switched to different schools. This is why Ohio State may have an edge. One of the main recruiters for Florida was named Stan Drayton. You may have heard of him. This has to help the chances in nabbing Grant.
 

Who does he choose?


Curtis Grant will choose Ohio State. Grant's built a great relationship with Jim Tressel in a short amount of time, and he looks like someone that would fit really well into this defensive system. 


JuJuan Story, Wide Receiver. Status: Verbal To Florida.


The Info


One of the toughest decisions for Story are ahead, as he is truly split between Florida and Ohio State. At one point, Florida seemed to lock him up, but as of late, Ohio State has sneaked in there and has a serious shot at landing him. Much thanks to Ryan Shazier, who switched his commitment from Florida to OSU and is now recruiting Story to come to OSU as well.


Story also set up an official visit to Ohio State, one where he reportedly loved. This is very good, but after OSU visited himin his school, later that night he went to hang out with a Florida recruiter at a gymnastics meet and was in Gainesville the whole night. Not good.


Who does he choose?


This is one of the most difficult decisions for a recruit from the Buckeyes. My head says OSU, but that meeting with the recruiter, and then going to Gainesville has me worried. I'm very glad we picked up Drayton, but I'm not sure if they had a good relationship or not. I think he ends up with Ohio State, but it could very easily be Florida in the end.


Part 2 will include Cardale Jones and Aundrey Walker

If you had a chance to catch the 2011 Senior Bowl, you would know that Dane Sanzebacher was about the only bright spot for the North team on offense (Ross Homan recorded a few tackles on defense). He had 5 receptions for 62 yards. That was the most yards receiving for the North. I don't think the North had a first down in the first half. When he finally got in in the second half, his first catch was for 23 yards, his longest catch.

He should have started, and then maybe the North wouldn't have fallen behind 17-0(the South ended up winning 24-10, even though the North supposedly had more top NFL prospects). I think he's going to be just fine in the NFL. Although, the commentators mentioned that one of the coaches said to him, "you better get some body armor" son. LOL. We know what that means.

Great job in representing Ohio State Dane!

First Posted at Inside The Shoe

(Assuming Braxton Miller starts) What happens if he has led the Buckeye’s to a 5-0 record next season when Pryor and the rest of the Tat5 are ready to rejoin the team?

This is a tough scenario to envision right now but I think it is entirely possible that OSU can handle their business without Pryor and company. The first five games of the 2011 campaign (Akron, Toledo, Miami, Colorado, Michigan St.) are winnable no matter who the Buckeye’s throw out there. Lucky for us, we have the #1 or #2 quarterback recruit in the country (depending on what scouting service you adhere to) with a full spring, summer and fall to learn the playbook and develop some chemistry with his teammates.

I watched 3 games, including the state title game, with Braxton at the helm and came away very impressed with the kid’s talent and heart.

I am very excited for the Buckeye’s to hand over the keys to Mr. Miller. There are some out there that think Taylor Graham or Kenny Guiton may get the opportunity to run things while Pryor is away but I believe Braxton will get every opportunity to show his stuff early in the season. Miller has a better throwing arm than Pryor and though he isn’t quite the physical specimen that Pryor is with his feet, he is more than capable of getting the scrambling yards. The thought of having a QB that can make the intermediate and longer throws is intoxicating to me. It is well known that Pryor has trouble with those types of passes and I think Miller may be the next great thing in Columbus. Am I setting myself up for disappointment? Maybe, but I have great confidence in Braxton after watching him bring his team an eyelash away from a state title this season. High School football is a far cry from the Big Ten but all the intangibles are there for success. 

Is Rod Smith ready to take over the starting role in the backfield as a redshirt freshman? 

I love running backs and what they can bring to the table for an offense. I have always gotten myself all worked up for Buckeye running back recruits in the past only to be let down more often than not. I spent all of last season clamoring for Jamaal Berry and Carlos Hyde to get more time before Boom Herron finally came into his own down the stretch. I still think that these two have a lot to offer the team and they will get their chance with Herron looking on from the sideline to open the year. However, there is a new kid in town that has teammates and fans alike buzzing. 
 

Roderick Smith came into the program with a ton of hype out of Harding High School in Indiana. Some of his highlights on YouTube are nothing short of fantastic. With a crowded backfield in Columbus last year, the staff decided to redshirt him and save some eligibility for down the road. When finally given a chance to show his stuff in Sugar Bowl practices, Smith did not disappoint. Many of his fellow teammates raved at his explosiveness and nasty running style. Even Tressel was forced to address some questions about him leading up to the game because of all the buzz the kid had created. 
 

There are rumors out there that Smith may already have the inside track to the starting role for next season. If that is the case, I don’t see how we keep everybody in that backfield. Berry has hinted recently that he may transfer if not given a chance to start in the near future. I certainly don’t want that because the kid obviously has skills. He displayed great speed and elusiveness on the limited carriers he received last year and especially on kickoff return duties. However, it would be silly to think that all of these guys would stick around if Smith is given the starting role. It is a great problem to have and once again shows the recruiting power that OSU possesses. Hopefully the Bucks can figure out a way to spread out the touches to keep all of these guys on board but I’m not holding my breath. If Smith is as good as advertised, the collateral damage is unavoidable. 
 

How many more seasons can we expect from The Vest, and who might be a successor to him when he finally calls it quits? 
 

It has been a great decade with The Vest running the show in C-Bus. Tresselball can be aggravating and downright scary at times, but you can’t argue with results. The guy has singlehandedly eased the pain from the Cooper years and delivered a national title to the state. I seriously don’t know what kind of person I would be without that title. As a Browns and Indians fan, the Buckeyes are the only ones to reach the pinnacle of their respective sport. No time in my life has been sweeter than that cold January night back in 2003. I still watch the game from time to time to try and get that feeling running through my veins again. 
 

There has been speculation that Tressel may be on his last extension. I kind of find that hard to believe, but you never know. I recently saw images of Tressel in his first season with the Bucks and was astonished at how fast his hair has turned gray. Tressel gives off that cool and confident vibe but it is quite apparent that he feels the stress of his position just like any other coach out there. Even The Vest may be tired of living in the fish bowl that is Columbus, OH. So who may be in line to replace our beloved coach? 
 

I have heard a few names pop up. Bo Pelini has been a popular choice though his antics on the sideline this year may have turned some folks off. He is obviously a Buckeye at heart and has turned around the Cornhuskers this season. I wouldn’t have a problem with this as long as he keeps Nebraska in the title discussion until he would get to Columbus. 
 

Urban Meyer has also made the rounds on the message boards. It is well known that his dream jobs included Notre Dame and Ohio State. Some think that this latest hiatus from coaching was made to wait out Tressel at OSU. While he does have some health issues to deal with, I think that this conspiracy theory may not be too far from the truth. He is a Midwestern guy and I could see him donning the scarlet and gray someday. Obviously, Meyer has the credentials and experience to coach a program like OSU. Time will tell I suppose.

Luke Fickel also gets some love and I think he will be a great coach someday… after a couple stints at lower level schools. He is a great recruiter and valuable commodity to have on the Buckeye staff. Many, including me, believe that he must first earn his stripes in a lesser conference (MAC, Big East, WAC) before taking over an elite program. The thought does intrigue me though. 
 

This is all speculation of course and Tressel owns the key to the city. He can stay as long as he wants and deservedly so. The last decade has been arguably the most successful stretch in Buckeye history. The fence around Ohio talent has never been higher and we constantly steal the best talent out of rich recruiting grounds such as Western Pennsylvania (a small personal victory over those damn Steeler fans). Things have never been better in Buckeyeland so let’s sit back and enjoy the ride.