When you read his snippet on the buckeyes, it is obvious he didn't watch too many games this year (why would he watch a team on probation anyway?)
Like for example, he states that the O-line needs to do a better job since it gave up 2.5 sacks per game last year. - The O-line was the best part of the offense!
He says that Braxton needs to improve as a passer. Along with the other 117 starting quarterbacks from every FBS school that isn't Texas A&M or Georgia.
We need to replace Travis Howard. Doran Grant is totally ready and 2nd corner is one of my areas of least concern for next year.
This article reminds me why I only read SI, CFN, and of course 11W.
Ill take 4 as long as we are the #1 Big10 team I think its fair. I agree with everything but the gripe about Miller. If we are going to be a top 5 team he has to learn to throw the ball on time instead of trying to wait to see someone open and then throw it. Urban is working on his timing and his short crossing routes for sure.
O-line is my favorite part of returning starters.Hard not to give up sacks with a scrambler when you have no idea which side of leverage you need when you engage a defender.
D. Grant will be a stud or at least better than Howard.
I read it earlier. He based us needing to improve our O-line on sacks given up, which is a marginal measurement to base an O-line by, when we had something like the 7th based rushing attack in the country. I see OSU as a legitimate #2 to Alabama next year. It was really a shitty write-up, but then again I've come to expect nothing less from Mark Schlabach.
chlorophyll more like boreophyl..... thats ok urbs will get'em there
mark may wins douchebag of the year... again
You know, I figured they'd have Bama, and Oregon ahead of the Buckeyes. But Stanford? Really? :/ I'm not saying they won't be good, but I don't see how you could have them higher than Ohio State.
"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.
They beat Oregon and won the Rose bowl.
We beat who? We won what bowl game? This isn't a stretch.
Oregon and Stanford play each other and we need the other one or Bama to lose and we're in.
We will be fighting a weak schedule all year. I hope blue is undefeated when we play them so it looks like we beat somebody.
Ohio State finished undefeated, Stanford didn't.
"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.
What does that have to do with next year?
What does Stanford beating Oregon and Wisconsin have to do with next season?
"YOLO" = I'm about to do something extremely ignorant/stupid & I need an excuse to do it.
Stanford played two additional games and won both
Those who stay will be CHAMPIONS!
~Bo Schembechler
I could care less if someone's opinion is that there are 3 teams better next year. I believe most preseason polls will have OSU at #3. Even if Stanford stays at 3, they have to play Oregon eventually - something has to change there...If OSU wins all their games then they go to the show & that's about all that concerns me. Frankly, I'd like them to stay around 3 most of the year, so as to avoid the #1 pressure & slide into the 1 or two spot late in the year...
The world is full of kings & queens who'll blind your eyes & steal your dreams - it's heaven & hell - Ronnie James Dio.
ESPN and its minions are bound to beat the drum louder against any B1G team, because the BTN is a Fox interest. Let'em. UFM wants the Buckeyes to be angry, anyway.
Think #4 is about right at this point in time...need to fix some things on defense to make that unit more consistent and the offense sputtered at times, so if we can get some consistency on both sides of the ball, should see us up there competing for that title this year...love the team but have a few kinks to sort out
This is spot on. Essentially the entire offense comes back, so as long as they improve the passing game a bit and keep up the run game, there won't be any worries with the O. I just worry about what will happen on D after losing leaders like Simon. If some previously young guys (Shazier & Roby) can step up and take over that overlooked leadership role, I will feel a lot better. However, the D line that is filled with young talent will also have to grow up quickly and project to its potential.
Don't give up... Don't ever give up.
I don't think number 4 is unreasonable. We belong somewhere in the top 5, anywhere out of that is just hating, but in it is fine. It's just surprising who he has at number 3. He's the only person i've seen with Stanford in the top 5 for next year. Of course his point about needing the Oline to improve is obviously a product of him not watching film and just going off stats, but none of those guys watch all the games. And he's more of a personality than a analyst for ESPN. I'm fine with it. This is just another case of people being weirdly sensitive to everything ESPN does.
i think TOSU being ranked number 4 is about right. anywhere in the top 5 seems reasonable. the important thing is being number one in the big 10 and bowl eligible.
I have no problem with the actual ranking. I was just amused and disagreeing with a lot of this expert's points. I do not get paid to watch and write about college football.
Regarding ESPN, I am sure that this has been stated many times before. It is a HUGE company with a lot of different personalities and agendas. I think the big ten blog is pretty good. They have some former buckeye personalities like CC, spielman, herbie, robert smith, etc that I like to catch up on. They also produce a lot of crap. I have never seen anything resembling depth or insight from Austin Ward, for example.
And Braxton could improve as a passer there is no doubt. It would be nice for one year to have an Ohio State QB where we didn't have to say that. I think the last time that was true was Mike Tomczak. (Don't give me Joe Germaine, he was pretty good but missed way to many open recievers)
Geesh...it's a ONE preseason poll 8 months before the season starts and they have us at #4. I don't really think it's something to get worked up about. I've seen other polls that have us lower than that. We do have some holes to fill so he wasn't off by bringing that to light. When all is said and done this team will be a top 5 team heading into next season and I am fine with that.
rather be 5 or 6 and ride the wave a little under the radar...
Preseason rankings aren't worth jack one month before the season starts much less nine months before the season. Wherever we are ranked to start the season we still have to go undefeated with how weak our schedule is.
Seems kinda silly to get upset about an early top 25 for next year. It's just one man's opinion. And honestly, Schlabach is a dope, and not just because he works for the WWL. Besides come football season, if OSU takes care of business on the field, things will work themselves out.
Why does anyone get worked up about preseason rankings, especially from just 1 guy? ND was not ranked going into 2012 and I think they did okay.
Not here to troll...Go Blue
In all honesty you have to put Texas A&M in there somewhere. They are losing a few people but they did beat bama in Tusculosa last year. They got them in texas this year. Oregon maybe, but Stanford is not better than us. If we can improve our passing game and shore up our defensive secondary, and linebackers we will tough to beat.
Doesn't matter where we start as long as we end at #1
You guys, I miss football too. But come on. I literally could not care less about this.
And because I tend toward being schoolmarm-ish, one of my pet peeves is the overuse of the word "literally," especially when people use the word incorrectly. But I am racking my brain and can't think of any way I could care less about this. Literally.
I'm just happy you properly described how little you care. "Could care less" is to me as "Literally" is to you.
4-6 seconds from point A to point B and when you get to point B, be pissed off
FWIW, Athlon and USA Today have OSU #2.
Where's the love???? Oh....wait....no one loves OSU but us. We'll do the proving next year...who cares about preseason rankings. Personally I'd rather us not be ranked #1...or #2...whether we know/think we deserve it after being the ONLY undefeated team in 2012.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you."
"I love football. I think it is most wonderful game in world and I despise to lose."
Woody Hayes 1913 - 1987
Ahh it's all good. Win all of our games and it won't matter. 4th seems about right only because of all the question marks we have on defense.