I'll be suprised if attendance is over 30,000.
I think people don't really know how they feel about the Tressel situation, and won't know, until there is an official ruling by the NCAA. I don't think the NCAA will rule on this until (NCAA has horrible timing) August. So with fan emotion in somewhat limbo, and 5 players suspended, I'm not sure OSU fans will show up for the Scarlet vs Grey.
That said competition at linebacker, running back and QB should be interesting and these are some of OSU fan's traditional top positions of interest.
here's my thought:
Linebacker will end up being: Sabino, Sweat and Moeller
Running Back : I have no clue....been waiting on Berry's potential, like I waited on OSU's last Fla. RB's potential (another Mo Wells?). Like what I glimpsed from Hyde last year.
QB: KG gets starts, and BM gets 25% of playing time.
Hopefully WR competition is stout as well. Besides Sanzenbacher, OSU WR play has been putrid since 2006.
Go Bucks!
Actually, wouldn't be surprised to see a huge turnout, just because people are interested what the depth chart may be looking like at that point.
Land-Grant Holyland
Moeller is not a linebacker anymore. I think the linebackers will be Sabino, Sweat, and a crapshoot between Newsome/Klein/Bell. There's a ton of different combos you could think up.
Robo & Hartline in 2007 & 2008, and Sanzenbacher & Posey in 2009 & 2010. This statement is pretty ridiculous.
October 20th: National Kenneth Guiton Day
You did see I gave props to Dane.
Trying to compare Robiske, Hartline and Posey with: Ginn, Holmes, Jenkins, Jeff Graham, Dee Miller, Glen, Boston, Galloway, Chris Carter, Reggie Germany, Chris Sanders or Lanese is not going to work out well for you. The defenses OSU's WR's have faced over the past 4 years have been geared to stop Beannie and a running threat from Terrel Pryor. Safeties up.
How, with our top 10 recruiting classes and deep talent pools to dip in, is OSU not finding a guy with the skills to take a short pass or even a mid range pass, beat his defender and take it to the house.
Hartline had guts and Robiske/Posey benifited from deep passes where defenders get lost in coverage.
I don't see OSU recievers with one-on-one skills or break-away speed.
just my 2 pennies.
You call our recievers "putrid" since 2006. If you are trying to call Robiskie, Hartline, and Posey "putrid" that's not going to work out for you. Excuse me if I am being a little too smug, but I find your statement to be a tad on the ridiculous side.
October 20th: National Kenneth Guiton Day
How bout you talk to players/coaches from LSU, USC, Texas or Wisconsin and ask them if they respected any of our WR's besides Sanzenbacher get back to me. Better yet, be honest with yourself the next time you watch other top 20 CFB teams and compare their WR's and OSU's.
The best thing to be said about them, is they block down-field well.
Unit discussions aside, I'd like to think that short of a weather disaster, we put more than 30,000 in the stands. If we're going to survive this debacle, it's going to take unification of the fans to show teams, media, & recruits that we won't let the program slip. The second we show vulnerability, whether it's a poor spring game showing, or weakened pursuit of a recruit (look at Michigan salivating over Brionte Dunn), or God forbid, treatment of Michigan as "just another game", watch how quickly things unravel. This is not an indictment of any commenter, but just how I feel right now. It's easy to wear scarlet & gray when we're owning the B1G and winning BCS bowls; how do we fare when the deck is stacked against us? Even after another turn in the JT saga and a disappointing loss to UK in the tourney, you're Goddamn right I'm proud to be a Buckeye! Time and Change...
I think there will be a lot of exciting position battles beyond the obvious running back and quarter back ones. For instance:
1. WR: chris fields, James Louis, Ty Williams, smith or Spencer for second and third spots?
2. 2deep star: who will spell moeller?
3. Corners: who will be opposite Travis Howard (assumedly)? Will dionte Allan work his way in? Or Christian Bryant? I'll be rooting for that kid wherever he goes. I love a hard hitter.
4. DL: will Bennett, Hayes, miller, or Joel Hale work their way in as freshman? Will we ever see safari planet be well? Someone will break out this year.
5. O-line: do we have reliable depth? How does Marcus hall look after redshirting?
6. LB: will sabino play to his athletic potential and totally break out? I heard rumors of a switch to mike (more playtime when in the nickel)- is this still true? What about storm klien and Dorian bell?
7. TE: we have four awesome ones on the roster (albeit two freshman). Can we please see fragel and stoneburner on the field together?
All those storylines on top of the obvious ones sound like a pretty exciting spring to me. Besides, how's the team psyche and motivation going to be for this year? They have a chance to make something special out of this rough offseason, and we as fans can help make that happen through our rabid support through all of this.
who/What is safari planet?
I live near Bowling Green, Ohio, and it is an area that has more than a neccessary amount of Michigan fans. During the 90's, the Michigan fans were probably 1 out of 4 people. Things definitely shifted when coach Tressel took over, brought winning, a "do what's right" attitude and most importantly winning against Michigan. The past few years, In September, Michigan fans would be wearing their Charles Woodson jerseys proud and loud, but by October all you would see come Saturday was Scarlet and Grey. OSU had, in terms of football, become a source of pride and anticipation for a heck of alot of people.
In wake of OSU's issues, Michigan going to a bowl game, then getting a new coach, it seems as though the Michigan fan base has gotten a boost in their sails. The day after Tressel and Smith had their Press Conference, it seemed like anyone the had Michigan clothing was wearing it out.
I really hope OSU can work through their issues and have a productive Spring. I like where Michigan is at, and don't want things to go back they way they were 20 years ago.
I know OSU will have 5 players coming back after 5 games, but I'm excited to see the next wave of players step up.
I wouldn't count out super recruit Grant at LB either. Big Hankins and Simon in the middle of the DL will be awesome to watch this year.
Hankins and Simon and throw in Nate Williams from outside....yeah I like that too. Hope we find some LB's to clean up what squeaks through.
Haven't really been sold on Sweat, but watching him play next to Homan and Rolle may have made him look less than what he was.
Melvin Fellows = Safari Planet
October 20th: National Kenneth Guiton Day
thank's for that. what's the meaning behind safari planet?
sorry too disagree on our wr play, jake.
As early as last spring, I thought that Melvin Fellows would be starting by the beginning of last season.
And I could definitely see Curtis Grant get a lot of play time, but I also hope that some previous 5-stars like Dorian Bell and Sabino step up. It's great to have all of this athletic talent at one position.
I'm not sold on d-line as much as other positions, but I'm encouraged by the early reports about Hale beating everyone up in winter conditioning. Hank and Hale clogging the middle will allow for more versatile formations for the ends and linebackers. Nate Williams will be left free on the weak side for pass rush, and hopefully we have a strong side guy emerge too. I think Simon has the versatility and conditioning to be that guy who play multiple spots on the line and can totally dominate games because of the strength of the other guys on the line. I wonder what sort of role guys like Goebel and Bellamy will play - can one of them challenge for a starting position?
And for reference on Safari Planet: http://www.ourhonordefend.com/2009/04/better-know-a-buckeye-melvin-fellows-safari-planet.php