I know we are currently ranked 4th in the nation. However, I feel like our talent just isn't up to par with other teams across the nation. Besides Deshaun, we really don't have any proven scorers. Craft and Smith are great role players, but I feel like they will struggle a bit when forced with a more important role in terms of producing offense. What are your guys' initial predictions? I'm a pessimist, but I just don't believe we can make it to the Elite 8 without someone like Ross or Craft picking up their scoring.
PHONE'S RINGING -- IT'S URBAN ON THE LINE
•Football Schedule•Basketball Schedule•Forum•About•Contact
11W Poll
Buckshots
Buckshots Block
-
Sterling Jenkins Talks Buckeye Visit
One of the biggest offensive lineman in the 2015 class checked out Ohio State today.
-
Tom Herman talks newly-installed Diamond formation
"I have been studying it for a couple of years."
-
Gordon Gee's Retirement Life Comes into Focus
Meet the soon-to-be President Emeritus of The Ohio State University.
-
"The academic part, it's like you have to try to fail."
South Carolina's latest verbal commitment on his future academic track. He also loves his coaches.
-
Bielema Proposes Rule Change to Slow Down No-Huddle Offenses
"Woah, slow down, buddy. Let's savor that first down for a while."
-
Gene Smith Named to NCAA Council of Athletic Directors
Group will meet regularly with NCAA president Mark Emmert.
Recent Blog Posts
- The Time Traveler: Analysis of Anger
- Gee, by the numbers
- Heritage and Tradition Revisited
- Would you let your kids go to scum?
- Field of Dreams, Buckeye Football, and Father's Day
- Johns Hopkins to the Big Ten from JHU President Ronald Daniels
- Meanwhile, at Penn State...
- I always thought the SEC was a Conference.... Has it morphed into something before unseen?
- Gordon Gee is Ohio State's Joe Paterno
- Perkins officially leaving OSU
Active in the Forum
- Good news?
- You are the expert
- Jalyn Holmes is a buckeye! (*update - no official commitment yet)
- Danny Clark QB 2017
- Leukemia Breakthrough at James Cancer Hospital
- James Gandolfini
- Top 3 coaches not named Saban or Meyer
- Quick Bits 6/19 (One new offer, Jalyn Holmes a Buckeye?)
- SDE v WDE - any insight?
- Derrick Green development
- Physical Development Forum
- Odd/Interesting Historical Facts
- Some Basketball Recruiting Notes
- AJC Interview With Raekwon McMillian
- Is recruiting too much these days?
Want to say hello?
We love hearing from you! Whether you want to work with us, discuss advertising opportunities, or pass us a hot tip, you're more than welcome to drop us a line.
All I will say is Craft is not a role player for this years team.
I honestly do not have any idea about what to expect from this team. I can't really gauge anything thus far since we've played Walsh and Albany. The Walsh game was basically a practice and with Albany it took a slow start and a Matta timeout where I thought his head my explode for them to get things going. There will be some growing pains for this team, especially as guys are put into roles they haven't had before. I'm optimitistic about the season, but I just don't know where we fit in as far as the league race and nationally. I am curious to see if other teams in our league are overhyped (UM, IU, etc.).
I would expect for the first quarter of the season to be about finding reliable scorers to compliment Deshaun and would, furthermore, expect different names to pop in and out on occasion (Craft one game, Smith another, Ross here and there, etc.) until the O finds its groove. All the more reason to emphasize tough D, transition game, and taking care of the basketball. But then, this is what many teams deals with in November and early December. Watched Kentucky against Maryland the other night and they were stroking the three for the first half and looked every bit the top ten team. The second half, ehhhh...
I think our talent is fine, especially at guard, which is often where many tournament games are won.
Last year Craft came up pretty big when he needed to be a scorer. I can't remember who we were playing against, but Craft went nuts one game in particular towards the beginning of last season. Then humbly returned to his 8ppg average for the remainder of the season.
"I'm One Bad Buckeye, and I approve this message."
I know it was against Albany, but Craft had to have gotten significantly better with his shot this offseason if he hit 5 of 7 from 3-point land. I don't think we will see 20 out of him on a regular basis, but if he can hit a couple threes when needed, it will certainly be helpful. I think Smith is also an underrated scorer with some good potential. I think the reason we didn't see too much out of him last year was that he primarily deferred to Buford, but with him gone, I can see Smith as the second option after Thomas.
...and Michigan still sucks.
I disagree on one point Amherst, this teams talent is on par with the elite teams, maybe not Kentucky. Talentwise this team is very good. Experience is definitely lacking though.
I think Craft just proved that there is an elite, proven commodity on this team outside of Thomas. He is really becoming an all around PG and will carry this team if it kills him. Thomas will be as the offense goes but Craft will make sure Thomas will have every opportunity to succeed. Plus Smith Jr., Ravenel and to a lesser point, Thompson are all reliable running mates with Thomas and Craft. I just think they need to get into a little groove and this team has all the parts. I mean, Thompson is a whole other story from last year. So much more aggressive. I used to think this team really needed Amir and Ross to succeed but really I think they just need to grow throughout the year.
This team with Craft, Smith, Thomas and Thompson alone, sweet sixteen. If Amir and Ross figure it all out by March, I can't think of a team they can't compete with.
I think its going to be one of those seasons where we are inconsistent early, but get into a groove later in the season. Maybe not top 5 right now, but certainly have the talent to get there by the end of the season. Still a 20-win season and upper tier of big ten. Agree with Evanstonbuckeye - our guard play could take us far.
And I agree with Squirrelmaster - Amir and Ross could take us all the way.
I don't think this team will dominate all season like it did last year; however, I think they will be more dangerous as a team than last year come March.
Reasons for this? 1) Hopefully, a more balanced attack than "crawl down the court, pass the ball to Sully, if that fails, give it to Deshaun and let him play 5v1." I believe Lenzelle and Craft are much better offensive players than people give them credit for, they just weren't really needed much in previous years. 2) A much faster lineup that will be able to run teams out of the gym during a strenuous tournament. Conditioning is a huge factor come March and teams that can run will definitely benefit. 3) A brutal conference schedule which will only help them grow as a team.
I don't know if this team will be better than last year, but I think they will be a tougher matchup because I feel the makeup of this team will "blend" better together by year end.
Don't give up... Don't ever give up.
Team could be better or could be worse. It really doesn't matter!!! Just be hot during the NCAA tourney. Another reason why college football is better...the season matters!!
Matta will get 20 wins, even his transition teams got 20 wins. With Craft in the drivers seat, and Deshaun scoring, we shall be alright. Maybe not Big Ten's best, but as long as we are better than TOSU.
Pay It Forward!
I also think we are a bit over rated although not too badly. Its not so much a lack of talent, more like a lack of polish and maybe in some cases a lack of effort (Time will tell).
The thing is, we are such a young team. We will probably stumble a couple of times early but I feel like we have a high ceiling. Once we get our butts kicked a couple of times I think we will see some of the Sophomores re-dedicate themselves and make some pretty big jumps.
I am most concerned about our rebounding. We are just not very good at it right now. This is probably where we will miss Sully the most. He was definitely short but he was one of the very best I have ever seen about establishing and maintaining position.