Everyone here seems to hate me. Fair enough, I bring some of it on myself. Usually though, my problem lies within being hated in itself. Once one person disagrees with me, Buckeye Nation jumps on the bandwagon and the next thing you know, I'm writing comments back to people that end up being "blacked out" and receive a truckload of downvotes. This is simply a way for me to say my likes, dislikes, and other sometimes interesting CFB stats so my comments on the regular comment boards don't end up being typical, all so often written "Grover novels". So, let's give this a try and see if I can at least get the "Grover hater's bandwagon" off of my back just a bit.

I have been watching EVERY game of last season as of late to make some statements and opinions about the outlook of our beloved Buckeye football squad for 2015. These comments will not be the most obvious as I've tried to leave out the more popular things like the QB battle, Zeke's bid at a Heisman, and the ever so popular defense implemented by Chris Ash. These thoughts are more of things that are not huge headline type things. So cut me some slack and here goes....

First, Curtis Samuel is a vey angry and powerful force with the ball in his hands. Samuel is now listed at 200 pounds, which is up around 10 pounds from last year. The way talented back-up RB's tend to average higher than normal YPC, I can see Samuel getting 800 rushing yards and 1,000 total yards this season. After watching the way that kid explodes after being handed the ball, he can be a force even tougher than Dan Herron was.... he just needs to develop better vision and have just a little patience on some of his carries out wide. I can see him doing serious damage to opposing defenses this season. He may be the toughest 200 pound back in the nation and he has a ton of speed that goes along with that "smaller" body.

Second, the Heisman Trophy is designated almost exclusively for QB's. What a sham! Fortunately, I am not granted a Heisman vote, but I have 2 Buckeyes that could be the best players on the team that would absolutely grab some Heisman votes if the trophy was not geared towards QB's and the occasional RB. Selection #1: Taylor Decker. People laughed at me a few years ago when I was asked who deserved the Heisman and my answer was Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin's monster LT. Taylor Decker will probably be the best lineman on possibly the nation's best OL. He is entering his senior season, and besides some false starts here and there has been a great run blocker and phenomenal neutralizer of the Big Ten's DE's which are (contrary to popular belief) the nation's strongest group as a conference. Is he Orlando Pace? Maybe not. However, Decker is the type of player that could possibly give up zero sacks this season while making mincemeat of DE's and other D-linemen on run plays. Sure he will get no votes, but Elliott will get a bunch...and without Decker, Zeke may not even have the chance of being on the Heisman list. Selection #2 is a toss up between which player gets the least amount of double teams from opposing OL's... Senior, Adolphus Washington, or junior, Joey Bosa. This season's opponents will try their hearts out to slow these guys down. However, you can't double team them both, especially with Fickell throwing his finally talented group of LB's into the pass rush mix so often. Towards the end of last season, we saw opponents slow down Bosa as to not simply let Bosa beat their offense single-handedly. I believe that will be the reason why DT, Adolphus Washington may be the one to finally break the Ohio State sack record and not Mr. Bosa, himself. Washington still has the quickness of a DE combined with the strength to overpower O-linemen wherever he lines up. Last year we saw Bosa lining up everywhere, even on the nose at times. These two guys will not get any Heisman votes either, but both, like Decker, may be the player on the line with the best numbers and that line may just be the best DL in the country.

Last...when are we going to stop with all of the "Fire Fickell" garbage? If you know me at all, you know that I think Luke Fickell bleeds more scarlet and gray than any player, coach, or anyone else for that matter. Why do I think that? The kid was born in Columbus, became a Buckeye and played mostly on the nose, and almost always played hurt. Through all of that, he still holds the record for consecutive starts at Ohio State. When his college days were done, his pro days came to an end quickly and he ended up back with the Buckeyes as a grad. asst. and after a couple of seasons coaching the DL at Akron, he started back at Ohio State as the Special Teams coach. Since, he has been coaching the Buckeye LB's, was Heacock's #1 coach for a while and now can't even get his job title to be "Defensive Coordinator". Always, he has had to share that distinction with someone else, even though he has given all but 3 years of his life to The Ohio State University Football Program. He is now entering his 19th season as a Buckeye on the roster and he is just 41 years old. He has been part of many top 5 defenses overall as a coach at Ohio State, has helped send a great number of players to the NFL, and still carries this stigma that some of you just won't quit on. Fickell deserves praise and a future spot in the Buckeye Football Hall of Fame. "Fire Fickell"? That is like saying "smoke cigarettes", "eat undercooked meat", or even "WEAR MAIZE AND BLUE". Whatever it is, it is definitely wrong.

Have a great Buckeye Week!