Eleven Warriors

OK, So I posted this as a comment, but I figured it deserved its own blog post because I think it is a good discussion topic, and I would love to hear others' thoughts and critiques:

After watching today, I think that an amazing offensive and solid defensive lineup that should be on the floor a minimum of 20 minutes per game for quick scoring and offensive runs is as follows:

1- Aaron Craft

2- Shannon Scott (splitting PG duties) or Lenzelle Smith Jr.

3- Sam Thompson

4- LaQuinton Ross

5- Deshaun Thomas

That obviously isn't the biggest lineup,  but it is the type of group that could go on a 15-0 scoring run at any moment.  Even if Deshaun is off and Craft plays like he has been recently on offense, the other three guys can light it up from the outside, not to mention attack the rim (as witnessed by Thompson's aeuronautical theatrics on the alley-oop tonight, I mean DAMN) and get easy points while getting fouled.

A more realistic starting 5 that could legitimately play most of a game if on top of everything:

1- Craft (offense has been shabby but his D is the truth and he should play because of it no matter what- the fast break opportunities he creates are astounding)

2- Smith Jr.

3- Quint Ross

4- Thomas

5- Evan Ravenel (maybe Amir Williams by March, but Ravenel simply brings more offensive at the moment)

For this starting 5, the two deep- who should get plenty of PT- would be:

1- Scott

2/3- Thompson (should get at LEAST 20 min a game somehow)

2/3- Della Valle (good for 5-7 min a game and 6-9 pts once he is a 35% 3 point shooter, so maybe by Jan.)

4/5- Amir Williams

Having played basketball for my entire life until a few years ago, I can honestly say that this team has too many weapons for all the playing time to go around.  They are young, but if they improve on a linear (or hopefully exponential) curve as they should, they WILL be the best team in the country come March.  Craft will eventually hit an offensive flow as he did near the end of last year.  This offense will be absolutely lethal.  Teams will be double teaming Deshaun, but by the end of the season everybody else will be a damn good threat.  So, the double teams will grow less frequent, and The Microwave will start putting in 30-35 points a game.  That, or Ross, Thompson and Scott will have wide open looks that they have proven they can hit and they will make up for the points that Deshaun Thomas isn't producing. 

I know tonight was LBSU, but they are most likely a tourney team- think an 8-12 seed.  They will win their conference, and we made them look J freakin V this evening.  I am so excited to see this group in a couple months.  If we were to play Duke again in say the Elite 8, I think we might beat them by 15 or 20 points since we have so so so much higher of a ceiling than the Blue Devils, who are currently #2.  Indiana is the biggest threat, and those will be a couple GREAT games.  Indy might take game 1, but by game 2 we should have them.  Then, of course, the rematch will be in the Big Ten tourney championship, then maybe again in the Final 4.  I am very up on this team right now.  They put on a show tonight. 

OH-IO baby!

I almost forgot to mention, the Big Ten schedule will be frickin BRUTAL.  But, it will ge this team ready for March like no other.  Indiana, MSU, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, even Penn State and Nebraska are all tourney teams, or at least possible tourney teams.  If OSU makes it through that schedule with only a couple losses, they will be ready for anybody in the country.  Honestly, I think their only competition for a national championship comes from the Big Ten itself at this point.  The conference is downright scary.

Yes, today's win against Michigan was something to not be ignored.  I feel amazing, and what a way to cap off a perfect season for the team, the seniors, and we the fans.  However I, like many of you, can't wait until next season with Urban Meyer having a full offseason to continue to implement his schemes and position his players in the best places possible.

2013 SEASON PLAYERS AND TEAM

• Heisman and Maxwell winner Braxton Miller*
• Butkus winner Ryan Shazier (at a minimum 120 tackles, 10 for loss, 4 sacks, 2 INTs, a TD and 2 FFs)
• Bedanarik winner Bradley Roby**
• Arguabely the best RB in the country Carlos Hyde
• Slim, SLIM chance, but if we are lucky the best D-Lineman in the country Johnathan Hankins, who is actually Sasquatch
• Best back-up in the country Rod Smith
• Offensive depth and experience out the wazoo, young defensive talent with time to blossom to an elite level
• An average margin of victory of 1 million or so points, the schedule being Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State at home, Cal (ha not this time assholes) and Meeechagin on the road. So basically, it's a one game season, two if Wisco has a pulse........and last but not least:
• A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

       There is young talent galore as well, and the soft schedule will give them a chance to get some quality playing time late in blowouts and against the couple of cupcakes on the slate.  The wide receivers should be SIGNIFICANTLY (we hope) better after a year of coaching.  Now we just need Braxton to improve his ability to pass to them and his field awareness, but if we see this the coaches do too (no kidding haha) and it should be fixed and at least drastically improved.  I know the defensive front 7 loses some talent, but we will have a few sophomores just frothing at the mouth to get in the game and HIT somebody.  Don't forget about the recruiting class.  Today's game will bring in a few blue-chippers.

       The O-line I don't know too much about unfortunately, but we have such elite backfield talent that they will find their own lanes.  And if the line plays anything like this year, we are A-OK.  And we have the best line coach in the nation.

       Urban Meyer can get the best out of players, and he will have quite a bit of talent to motivate next year.  #8 and that other d-end recruit from last year ( in the excitement I forget who is Adolphus Washington and what the other one's name is lol!!!!!!! and I know these things usually) will wreak freaking havoc on opposing QBs under the tutelage of this staff.  I think the defensive coaches will all keep their jobs after the showing the last 5 or so games, especially today's 2nd half which was the best performance I have seen by the Silver Bullets since 2002.  The secondary will have experience and will be elite if Roby sticks around.  I'm talking <200 yards a game passing in every game.  And the schedule + the talent should mean a top-10 scoring defense.  The rush defense will certainly have a drop-off after this season but we aren't Iowa for God's sake, we can reload.  and the pre-conference schedule is set up for a huge amount of experience learning for the new front 7, with a great leader in Shazier holding it down during tough times.  He reminds me of Brian Rolle, just a lot better :)

      Tom Herman needs to help Braxton improve on the things he needs to improve on, plain and simple.  Once that happens, the offense will score so many points that the defense will have lots of time to improve to the point of excellence.  This Urban Meyer era will be one of excellence as a whole if this season is any indication, which it should be.  what a motivator!  I can't stress that enough!  I really don't think I am being a homer here, all of these things can happen!  But honestly Devin Smith, don't drop any more passes.....ok? Perfect.

      Once the special teams improves and we find a true punt returner, our special teams TDs and our guaranteed blocked punts will be huge game changers.  Kickoff coverage MUST tackle better though.

      Anyways, next year's talent, schedule and leadership should equate to another, and it should be a lot easier, perfect regular season.  The main question will be whether or not Meyer can use his 4 weeks of preparation to beat whatever SEC team is thrown at us in the MNC game.  From what I have seen and unfortunately experienced with the Buckeyes in ought-6, he damn well can.  So I hope these boys in the Scarlet and Gray go out there and beat some B1G and SEC ass!  Thank God for Urban Meyer.  And thank you Braxton and Ryan S for only being sophomores.

      It is gonna be SOOOOOO sweet to cap off our NC run with a win in the Big House.  and then a blowout against anybody but scUM in the B1g championship- the thought of a rematch makes me sick.  Today wouldn't have been nearly as great if we played them again next week....I'll take the Nebraska Kernelpoopers though.  If everything goes perfectly the next 2 weeks, it will be a repeat national championship for us after a split this year.

*Contingent upon the size of the media hard-on for Johnny Football by the end of next year

**We all know that this is likely going to be an impossibility, let's hope he decides another year of experience will improve his draft stock

Wait a sec, did I just read correctly that Roby is actually a Sophomore as well?  If so that's awesome but is he a RS or true?