Eleven Warriors

The second week of fall camp is typically when the majority of the pad-popping occurs. The NCAA limits teams from putting the pads on for the first week and by the third week, you're winding down the contact to save bodies for the opener, but week two serves to separate the men from the boys (or freshmen). This year, the Buckeyes are adding a little oomph to the week by making it "Hell Week".

In a nod to the notorious fourth week of SEAL training and the week one opponent, the Ohio State staff is honoring the fine service of the Navy in its own special way, by yanking cell phones and computers from the players¹.

Like everyone else who has used it even once, you can bet that the guys on the team love them some internet, so going off the grid for a week will be no easy task and is already causing some grumbles.

The approach could have its benefits. Without the lure of the social side of the internet tempting young minds, the Buckeyes will have no choice but to be thoroughly versed on the unique offense the Middies will be bringing to town. Our only regret is the fact that Boren won't be be able to enjoy the on field pain. Because you know he would.

Speaking of Boren, the prognosis is good -- he should be back for the opener and word is he would be cleared to play if a game were being held this weekend. Tim May thinks his injury could mean good things for J.B. Shugarts and that may be. Expect quite a few of the youngsters to see increased reps. But we'd rather have him in there tenderizing the interior of the defensive front so they are better prepped for when the Trojans come to town.

Other Buckeyes currently hurt include Posey, who is still suffering from a hammy tweak and Joe Bauserman, who supposedly injured a shoulder. Small and Rose are back in the fold, but are getting the Eric Lichter sweat and pain experience as they work their way out of the doghouse.

Quite a few freshmen are quickly making names for themselves, most notably, four former Under Armour All-Americans. Berry is turning heads with his quicks and elusiveness, Mewhort making a push into the two-deep, Duron Carter continues his rise and Storm Klein is making a move to become the MLB of the future.

Elsewhere

Maize n Brew dives into Feagin's high school indiscretions and comes up with nothing much to write home about. Sadly, Rodriguez can't be accused of looking the other way on this one at least... Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema still won't comment on what led to the suspensions of safeties Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant (and their combined 34 starts). The two have been removed from the team's 105-man roster and Bielema wouldn't even speculate on whether the two would even return to the team... Louisville's camp has its own military inspiration, with the players visiting Fort Knox for a little boot camp love.

• ¹ You also have to wonder if the telecom lockdown was a byproduct of the Twitter accounts for players emerging last week (along with the colorful language). That or the Jake Ballard breach.

22 days until the Middies arrive.

The spectacle that is team media day took place yesterday at the Horseshoe, with 175 members of the press and over 500 team family members soaking up great weather and a chance for some choice photos (galleries here, here, here and here).

Though Small and Rose were not in attendance, Jordan Whiting's parents represented pretty hard, there was a Guitonator sighting and Tyler Moeller was there, noggin scars and all.

Clarifying a bit from yesterday's report of Moeller's mother's statement, it appears as if charges have not been filed yet so in the interim we're wishing Tyler a speedy recovery and eagerly looking forward to whatever punishment is handed out to the perp. Remember kids, an ounce of weed in Florida is a felony, so naturally sucker-punching someone should lead to a loss of one hand, right?

Getting back to Small and Rose, Tressel seemed to confirm the rumors from earlier Thursday that Small will be joining the team soon, possibly as soon as tomorrow. When asked about Rose, Tressel was optimistic, but gave nothing firm regarding a return date (for either player, really).

Finally, and Pryor's teammates aren't backing down from the 4.33. You're turn, DocSat.

If you're still fiending for more, the AD has posted audio/video from 12 players that should see plenty of playing time this season.

Elsewhere

• Penn State corner AJ Wallace is probably looking at a one or two game suspension to start the season for cutting class. Wallace will leave the already young Lion secondary just a tad greener when they start that brutal non-conf schedule.
• Speaking of secondary issues, the Hawkeyes lost corner Jordan Bernstine, who was penciled-in to start opposite Spievey, to a broken ankle. The partisans at BHGP don't think he was going to win the corner job, but if he was good enough to be in contention for it, it's a big loss.
• The Big Ten Network will be offering live web streaming options for fans living outside of the United States and Canada. Single game, team and conference packages will be available in late August. If you in the States or Canada, but are outside the network's footprint, you may have some luck with proxy servers, depending on how the net auth's the service.
• When the Pac-10 moved in on the Alamo Bowl, bumping the Big Ten from consideration, I first thought it was the conference taking another hit. Howeva, Delaney and crew are thought to be closing in on a deal with the Gator Bowl (last time there kind of sucked for the Buckeyes if memory serves correct), which will give the conference three New Year's Day games in addition to the Rose Bowl tie-in. I know it was important for the league to have tie-ins to both Florida and Texas, so we'll call it a push.
• Smart Football with a sweet video on how to beat press coverage. Because, you might need it the next time you're at Starbucks.
• We're sympathetic to this campaign, we really are. But can't we just drop one more Corky and then call it quits?

Tyler Moeller's family issued a "thank you" for the outpouring of fan support and prayers and in doing so confirmed the cause of his injury:

We were on a family vacation in Florida, celebrating his grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary following the end of the OSU summer quarter. On the first evening of vacation, Tyler was with several family members, including his uncle at a popular restaurant/bar; it was there that Tyler was assaulted. He never saw it coming and did nothing to provoke it, which is substantiated by neutral parties. The subject was immediately arrested and the case is currently in the hands of the State Attorney's Office.

Tyler received immediate medical attention for a head injury suffered as the result of the assault, was admitted in to the emergency room and spent several days in a Florida ICU unit. We're very appreciative of the care that we received there.

Once back in Columbus, Tyler followed up with additional medical treatment which resulted in a decision last Friday to admit Tyler to University Hospital for surgery that was performed early Saturday morning. The surgery was very successful and Tyler was released on Monday. He is now at home recuperating and hopes to return to Columbus shortly.

Moeller's mom also said he's chomping at the bit to get back at it again. We can't wait.

We're counting down the weeks until kickoff by profiling a different Big Ten team each week. We decided to switch up the order to reflect 11W's predicted finish for the upcoming season, which can be found here and we'll also reach out to fellow bloggers for their inside opinion on important matters.

This week we take a look at the Illinois, perhaps the most glaring wild card in this 2009 season. They could have the best offense in the B10, with 8 returning starters, including a dynamic quarterback in Juice Williams, but the defense might have trouble stopping teams from scoring and that could cause the Illini to slip in the conference standings.

For most of the Illinois fan base, this is a huge year for Ron Zook and the Illini. They have had 1 winning season in the last 7 years and Zook has won only 18 of 48 games in his 4 years, with 9 of those coming in 2007. As we'll find out from our friends at Hail to the Orange, this is finally Zook's squad and will be a telling sign of years to come.

COACHING: I asked HTTO how much pressure is on the Zooker this season, considering his 41-44 career record and 0 bowl wins.

Zook has often said, in reference to his time at Florida, that you cannot judge the work of a head coach until he is allowed to take a full recruiting class all the way to graduation. Well the '06 recruits are now seniors, and there is not a single player left on the roster that played under Ron Turner. So regardless of the outcome this season, it is all on Zook. I think he has to get back to a bowl this year, He has more talent at every position, even the weak spots, than Turner did in the last few years of his tenure, and with an admittedly down Big Ten, there should not be any excuse for this team under performing. This is likely the last year for Juice and Benn, the two most recognizable and important players on the team, it may be quite some time before this much talent is amassed on the offensive side of the ball. Zook has to prove he can fully utilize the talent he has amassed.

OFFENSE: This offense has the potential to be sick. Their top 2 QB's from '08 return, as do their top 7 rushers and 9 of their top 10 receivers. The Illini were second last year in total offense, going for 439 yards a game, including a whopping 455 against OSU. There should be little doubt that they will be better this year.

Juice is back for his senior season, after leading the conference with 324 yards of total offense last year, earning him a 2nd team all conference selection. He ranked behind TP and Daryll Clark in passing efficiency, connecting on 219 of 381 for 3173 yards (a conference best), 22 touchdowns and 16 picks. He also lead the team in rushing, with 719 yards. If he gets hurt, Eddie McGee has some experience and has been rumored to have a more accurate arm over the last couple of seasons.

Dirty Danny Dufrene is also back for his senior year, after averaging 5.7 YPC in 2008, good for 663 yards on 117 attempts. Dufrene was the beneficiary of referee Stephen Pardoe's gambling addicted memory lapse in the 'Shoe during the 2007 season and has rushed for an astounding 185 yards on 16 carriers against the Buckeyes in his career. Sophomore Jason Ford should push Dufrene for some carries after rushing for 8 touchdowns last year and former Buckeye commit Justin Green has Illini fans excited for some new talent.

I am most interested though in seeing what former OSU commit Justin Green can do as a true freshman running back. He apparently has the speed of a home run threat, and Zook's track record shows that he will put true frosh out in the line of fire if he thinks he can win with them. He is the fastest running back available, and that alone makes should give him a few carries this season.

The receivers will be lead by the Arrelious Benn, Rittenberg's choice for the best player in the B10. Benn, a junior, is entering what should be his final season in Champaign, after hauling in 67 catches for 1055 yards and just 3 TD's. Behind him is a wealth of experience, including Jeff Cumberland and AJ Jenkins, who averaged 26 yards on 11 grabs last year. They also get the services of Florida transfer Jerrod Fayson, who caught 13 passes for 157 yards and 3 touchdowns in The Holy Tim Tebow's sophomore year. Fayson's speed may be creating the most buzz leading up to the first game.

Jarred Fayson obviously has alot of people excited about the speed he can add to the offense, and maybe more importantly the special teams.

The Illini have 3 of their 5 starters returning on the O-Line, seniors Eric Block and Jon Asamoah. along with sophomore Jeff Allen, who could be one of the top RT in the conference. Much like Ohio State, the success of this season will hinge largely on the play of the offensive line. If they can give Juice some time and the running backs some lanes, this team might average 30+ a game, but if they sustain some injuries or don't gel as a unit, it could cause Juice to force things and induce panic at Memorial Stadium.

DEFENSE: Illinois only has 4 of their top 10 tacklers back from last year and as mentioned, they should have to make just a handful of stops throughout the season, if the Illini are going to contend for a B10 title and make it back to a bowl game.

The line is replacing 3 starters, but have DT Josh Brent returning for his junior year, after he registered 34 tackles and 7 TFL in 2008. Brent could be one of those names that cause Buckeye fans anxiety during the September 26th showdown in Columbus, but he should see a number of double teams with his somewhat inexperienced linemates.

Martez Wilson, who recorded 73 stops last year will man the middle, while a pair of sophomores man the outside spots. The Illini have had a linebacker lead the conference in tackles in each of the last 3 years, but I can't imagine Wilson reaching the standard of 11W favorite J Lehman and Brit Miller of last year.

The secondary has some depth, returning 7 guys with limited starting experience, but still may be a weakness for this team. Safeties Donsay Hardeman and Travon Bellamy combined for 93 tackles last year, but only 1 pick and will lead this unit along with senior corner Dere Hicks.

KEY GAME: September 26, at Ohio State: Illinois has a tough slate, but did it right (no need for a 12th team or B10 title game) by scheduling 2 bye weeks and ending thier season Dec. 5 at home against Fresno State. With the opener agianst Missouri once again, the Illini play Illinois State the following week and then have a bye before visiting Columbus. They should take care of the Tigers, but if they slip, the game against OSU is followed by home tilts against Penn State and Sparty, which makes the Ohio State date pivitol.

BEST-CASE: Once again we go back to the experts.

Is 13-0 and a MNC too hopeful? Probably. I think that it shouldn't be too much to ask for this team to beat the opponents that it is clearly more talented than. In my probably too optimistic opinion, that works out to be 8 wins. If this team can catch a hot streak like they did in '07 and actually beat a couple of teams that it shouldn't beat then it could be another at large bid to the BCS. But lets say that the Illini make it through the first 5 games with only 1 loss, (a very daunting task.) this team will be better than I thought and could very well win the Big Ten. Maybe I have been drinking too much of the kool-aid lately.

WORST-CASE: If Juice continues to cough it up and the defense can't stop anybody, the Illini could face a 6-6 or 7-5 record. They close out conference play with road tilts at Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota, while taking on Michigan and Northwestern at home. But the Illini end the season at Cincinnati and home against the aforementioned Fresno. Though I doubt they reach this low, simply because their offense is scary, Ron Zook hasn't shown a convincing coaching performance in his four years and his in-game abilities will be more scrutinized in 2009.

MGoBlog's Brian Cook stops by to discuss cocaine shipments, walk-on defensive backs, Rick Pitino's Italian restaurant charm, Cowherd mode and other burning topics.

With camp in session and hearts a flutter with the pitter patter of practice cleats, the 11W gang holds a summit to tackle the hot button issues cable news just doesn’t have the guts to tackle: who deserves the bulk of the load at the vacant tailback position, how do you think Jimmy Cordle takes to his new role, and can the d-line live up to the hype this season?

Luke: Dan Herron certainly looked the part in a bit of understudy capacity last season, where as Brandon Saine drew much of the attention this past spring. Both were 4-star recruits coming out of high school, both Ohio products, but which back should get the majority of the snaps in order to maximize potential offensive success this fall?

Corey: I think Herron is going to wind up getting most of the carries, based off his performance last year in spelling Beanie. Saine obviously had a good spring, but he still has to get through fall camp and prove it in real game situations.  He has been a non-factor for over a year now and his confidence will have to be built back up before we see him get more than 10 touches a game. Boom also put on 10 lbs. in the offseason and is ready to carry the load right now.

Jason: As much as it pleases me to hear of Saine's performance in the spring (and he did run pretty well in the spring game, going for 55 on six carries), Boom earned the right to be the number one guy down the stretch last season.

After returning from a concussion, he averaged 5.7 YPC and scored 5 TDs over the final four games of the year.  This included an 8/80 day with two scores against the Wolverines (continuing the fine tradition of setting up the heir apparent with monster Michigan games).  He ran well against Texas and his 15 yard TD with 2:05 remaining was a hair away from being a game-winner.

Saine will definitely get touches, but Herron will be the clear cut starter.

Luke: I think a mix of logic and loyalty makes me side with Jason, though my desire for the home run ball keeps it a bit of a toss up in my mind. I don't want to downplay Herron's speed by any means, but Saine certainly seems to have that 6th gear very few backs his size do. I think at the end of the day, Herron's slight experience edge gives him the nod in my mind, though given his ceiling, I won't be surprised if "Zoom" Saine's the proverbial guy by late November.

Alex: Seeing is believing and Brandon Saine just has not done anything besides one wheel route to show me he deserves to start this season. Herron has to be the guy this year and if Saine can prove to be a capable running back at this level who can stay healthy, give him some work to keep Herron fresh. If Berry is half of what they say he is he should be able to do some things too, giving OSU a three headed monster. I like Herron and don't think he's All-American caliber, but for now he HAS to be the #1 guy taking the load because he's proven he could do it, especially in big games.

Joe: Alex is right: seeing is believing.  What I saw in the spring game was that Saine was not just running fast, he was running strong.  Not only that, but I saw a one play in particular where it looked like Moeller had him dead to rights, but Saine made a cut to the outside and turned on the speed so that he beat Moeller to the corner.  I don't need to tell any of you that it's not easy beating Tyler Moeller to the corner when he's got the angle on you.  But it wasn't just the speed that impressed me but the vision, because this is what was mostly lacking last season and the reason why Herron passed him in the rotation.  I'm not trying to downplay Herron at all.  I agree with Jason that Boom will definitely be the starter... at the beginning of the season.  I just think that he's playing at the top of his game already, whereas Saine can improve a lot more.  I think Saine has the potential to be an elite back.  That's why I think he will ultimately pass Herron in the pecking order. 

Chris: I’m not banking on Saine to be an every down, every game back until he proves he can handle it. I don't want to come across as a hater but I refuse to get overly excited about what we saw/read in the spring until it translates to fall. I may not see him as the HUGE question mark I had him pegged as before spring, but I'd rather stand up and say he fooled me two months from now than jump on his bandwagon at this point. I've seen far too much of the tentative, no-shimmy Saine to be wowed by a scrimmage.

Luke: That’s Boom 5 - Zoom 1 for those keeping score at home. Both sides raised valid points, though I think it’s safe to say none of us would be opposed to a Bush/White-style co-existence.

Now, with Jim Cordle transitioning into his 3rd starting position in 3 years, how do we see the transition to right tackle treating the senior?

Alex: I think he's better suited inside, but if he gets the job done at RT, which I think he can, it's fine, as long as the best 5 guys play. Whether that is Browning at RG and Cordle at RT or Cordle at RG and Shugarts at RT is what camp will be for.

Chris: I agree with Alex. To be honest, I've never been that high on Cordle - I saw him as better than some of the junk we lined up last year but nothing to get excited about. I think I wrote about how annoyed I got with Bollman and even Cordle himself always talking about how versatile he was when in fact most great lineman aren't made to be versatile because they are too good at one spot to move elsewhere. Still, I'm man enough to admit I know very little technically about what makes great o-line play. I just go on what I see and I see Cordle as best suited for the inside. I'm very nervous/anxious/excited to see what this year's line looks like. I just hope Bollman can find a formula and stick with it meaning if there are no injuries, let's get a lineup and stick with it so they can try to gel.

Luke: I will say the one attribute I think Cordle isn't lauded anywhere near enough for is his football smarts. While the Brew Crew'er-in-Chief gets the accolades for having the maturity beyond his years to man arguably the most intellectually demanding position on the offensive as a true freshman, Cordle took the honors as a sophomore, succeeding one of the greatest centers in Ohio State history in Nick Mangold. I think whatever physical shortcomings he may have at right tackle can be made up for with a commanding knowledge of his playbook and a vast memory of different looks over the past 3 seasons.

Corey: I’d like to see Cordle emerge as the vocal leader of this offensive line.  Over the last couple of seasons, it seems this line has lacked a true vocal leader, the guy that gets in teammates faces and demands a better cohesive performance.  Cordle seems to be a quiet type, but this is his last hurrah and regardless of what position he plays at, he needs to be vocal and lead this unit to their best season in the last 3 years.  The weapons are in place, but it comes down to which type of line shows up this season and Cordle will be a huge cog in that machine.

Luke: Finally, during the ’07 BCS Championship Game run, it was widely recognized the interior line was the weak spot on an otherwise stout D where as now, especially given the buzz surrounding Doug Worthington, many are saying it could be the strength of the defense (if not the team). Do you think the '09 interior defensive line can succeed in shutting down the run as well as help a younger linebacker core in transition get pressure on opposing passers?

Joe: I am confident that they will be the strength of the team.  There's a lot of depth there in case of injury, but assuming everyone is healthy they should be dominant.  Whether they shut everyone down really depends on how strong the rest of the league is this season.  It might be difficult to really throttle the Illinois offense if they're running on all cylinders, even with a dominant d-line.  But all other things being equal, I'll think they'll be very solid. 

Alex: To be honest, I'm really not as convinced that the defensive tackles are going to get the job done. I like our ends, obviously, but our guys at tackle are the same guys we have had for years and I don't see how the improvement will be that vast. We don't have any space eaters that can take on two blockers at once to free up the linebackers who will certainly need it early in the season as their experience is not great. Worthington (who came in as a DE) isn't wide enough and is very slow in pursuite, Denlinger is always hurt, Larrimore is ok and could be the best in the group, and Goebel, Simon, and Bellamy are unproven. I think Heyward should stay at DE, but with the depth there (Wilson, Williams, Thomas, Wells), I think you'll see him and Rose (if he's on the team) moving inside on passing downs. One more year in the weight room and one more off-season makes this a smarter unit and certainly a stronger one, but once again, until I see it I am not sold that they will be as good as some think.

Jason: I hope the inside of the defensive line makes a leap this year, but I'm going to have to agree with Alex: it will be the ends that cause the most havoc on the front.  I think Heyward is an obvious wildcard here.  If he plays inside (which he probably will), then that could boost the group and Larimore and Denlinger have both been around for ages, so you have to like the experience of the group, but none of the three are what I'd call elite DTs.

Chris: Moving to D-tackle, I see depth but not overwhelmingly great returning players. I truly hope Heyward moves to the inside full time. I understand Alex's point to the contrary but I think Heyward and Worthington can get some things done. I think it's plausible DW can emerge with Heyward lined up next to him, then speed on the outside with Thaddeus Maximus, Wilson, Williams etc charging from the end. I think Heyward's versatility is actually a lot more real than Cordle's and being able to put him at tackle helps me feel a lot better about the interior run stopping ability. Denlinger has never stood out to me while Larimore has done some things here and there. All this assumes Rose is still learing how to read.

Corey: I think this is the year the line breaks out and puts constant pressure on the QB.  I agree with Alex, the tackles haven't been that impressive over the last couple of season, but like Cordle, this is the last chance for a few of these guys and a successful season can erase the recent memories of big game collapses.  Don't be surprised to see Garrett Goebel make an impact this season in giving Worthington and the crew a breather.  Also, there is the chance we will see more of a 3-4 lineup, which could help the effectiveness of the linemen, by confusing the opponent's O-Line.  If the rotation can stay 8-10 deep, this line should be their best late in the games.  

Luke: Without further splitting hairs, I second Chris, and really feel that Cam Heyward's versatility is the potential lynchpin in making this good defensive line an elite unit. I've been waiting for Dexter Larrimore's all world wrestling game to translate to the gridiron for some time now and at this point have pretty much given up on Rose's potential, but Goebel and Johnny Simon could add a new mean streak to this group. I'll throw my hat in the optimistically cautious ring, and we'll wait and see if last season's national leading rushing team can be contained in any meaningful way September 12th.

All the signs pointed to the speedy wide receiver from Delray Beach, Florida heading to the Florida Gators. Word on the street was that he gave a silent verbal to Urban Meyer and was just waiting until Florida's Friday Night Lights event to make his decision public. Gator fans thought they had found their next great speedy receiver in the wake of Percy Harvin departing early for the NFL and were chomping at the bit to get the 5'11" 180-pound athlete come signing day in February 2010. Then, something funny happened, as James Louis had something else in store for his future plans.

On July 29, 2009, the Sunshine State native surprised the gurus as he announced that he would play his college football in Columbus for The Ohio State Buckeyes. Rumors swirled that the Florida coaches were giving Louis the cold shoulder as they pursued other prospects, such as fellow Floridian Chris Dunkley, but one thing that was clear was that any love affair between the two parties was clearly in a rut. Louis maintained that the Buckeyes were always one of his favorites, and despite never making a visit to campus, felt the place for him would be Ohio State. Whatever the reason for his pledge to OSU, Buckeye fans are certainly happy to have Louis as a member of the recruiting class of 2010 and are hoping he will bring some of his Florida speed to add another dynamic to the Ohio State offense.

I got the chance to catch up with Louis recently and while I was really impressed with his film, I was equally impressed with how he conducts himself off of the field. See why Urban's loss is Buckeye Nation's gain, as James shares his thoughts on a number of issues including the status of his commitment, when he will visit Columbus, his thoughts on the Big Ten's bad reputation, and more.

Fans have heard some various stories of how it happened, but now that it has, how'd you become a Buckeye? First things first, the Buckeyes have been in my top 3 schools from day one. So, I just sat down and talked some things over with my family and I felt like Ohio State was the best place for me.

Is your commitment solid or is there a chance you'll sign elsewhere on National Signing Day? My commitment is solid. Ohio State is where I want to be and that's where I'm going to be for sure.

Now that you have committed, are you going to try and help recruit other players from Florida that OSU is recruiting? Yes, there are a couple of great players in my area that are interested in Ohio State right now, [and some] just haven't got an offer yet, but I'm going to try my best to tell my coaches to take a look at them.

You have never visited Columbus, despite committing to the Buckeyes. When do you plan to visit OSU? I'm taking my visit September 12, that's when they play USC.

You are being recruited as a WR, but many think you can be a great DB as well. What position do you like more and where do you think you will play at the next level? Well I'm a guy who loves to make plays. I think I'm a playmaker. I like offense better, but I like being on defense to deliver the blow to whoever has the ball in there hands.

How do you feel about the bad rep the Big Ten gets in the south and how can we expect you to help change that? I think that the Big Ten doesn't get enough credit at all. I'm not sure why but they give it all to the SEC. My big plans when I get to Ohio State is to change all that. My goal is to win the national championship and we will make it happen soon.

What are you concentrating on in terms of your personal improvement as you head into your senior season? I plan on being a leader this season. I plan on going hard every practice, therefore I'm getting my teammates and myself better. Also, I'm trying my best to win it all this season.

What do you plan to study at Ohio State? I'm not really sure what I want to study yet.

What do you like most about Ohio State? What do you want to learn more about when you visit? I like everything about Ohio State. I don't think I need to know any more about them.

What do you want Buckeye fans to know about you that they don't already know? I want all the Buckeyes fans to know that James Louis is a hard worker and I'm going to always give my all on and off the field. That's just the type of guy that I am...and when I get there I'm promising them a national championship.

And now, the highlight reel:

Unfortunately we weren't on hand yesterday, but the good news is that people that are paid to write things for us to link to were in attendance. And they took copious notes.

That and the Big Ten Network brought practice into our living rooms for one night at least, so between everything printed and what we saw, here's our takeaway from day two of fall camp.

Offense

• Pryor is humongous. That's all anyone wants to talk about. He had a little trouble on some short throws Tuesday, if he gets any bigger, keepers up the gut will be his strike of choice.
• The starting line right now is Adams/Miller-Boren-Brewster-Browning-Cordle. The photos showed it Sunday, and video seemed to confirm it, but the group appears to be in better shape (vaguely remember hearing this last year, though, so grain of salt and all). The second line looks like this: Adams/Miller-Smith-Moses-Blankenship-Shugarts. Third team was Longo-Mewhort-Sika-Linsley and Hall. Further, in the link above, Ken Gordon points out that Tressel seemed to say the only real competition on the line was at the LT spot. Bryant Browning, guard superstar, take us to the promised land.
• Oh yeah, BLOCKING SLEDS. W00t!
• Posey is banged-up and with Small still waiting on the magic grade unicorn to make an appearance, the starting receivers were Dane, Flash and Washington. I love those guys, but trotting those three out against USC will cause me to wet myself.
• Duron Carter keeps turning heads. It would only be fitting for Cris Carter's son to see playing time right away, wouldn't it?
• Fullbacks aren't going to get any love this year. And that's fine.

So, if the Buckeyes had to field a team for a game tomorrow, it might look a little bit like this. If Adams takes care of business, we have an ABC line.

Washington			Adams/ Miller	Boren	Brewster	Browning	Cordle	Ballard		Sanzenbacher
	Thomas				Pryor
					Herron

Defense

• Heyward is playing some end, which is cool, but any idea where Lawrence Wilson was yesterday? Still, the starting front four of Gibson-Larimore-Worthington-Heyward should be formidable. And Nathan Williams and Wilson give the staff the luxury of moving Heyward around a bit. Speaking of, Williams and Gibson lining up opposite each other on 3rd downs this year is going to be a lot of fun.
• Rolle looks to be the biggest immediate beneficiary of Moeller's injury (I felt creepy just typing that) as he's now manning the Mike (middle) linebacker position. On passing downs, Hines would typically come in for him as a 5th defensive back with Homan and Spitler staying on the field.
• Your 2nd team linebackers: Sabino, Klein and Sweat. Storm keeps impressing.
• Chekwa is manning the boundary corner spot with Amos and Torrence still battling for the field corner position. Corey Brown and the gaggle of freshman DBs are providing depth.
• Speaking of young defensive backs, Ohrian Johnson turned some heads with an interception and by scooping up a blocked kick (Heyward swatted a Pettrey FG).

Again, if the staff had to throw a team out there for a game tomorrow, the defense might look a little like this in their base 4-3:

	Gibson		Larimore		Worthington		Heyward
		Homan (W)		Rolle (M)		Spitler (S)
Amos/ Torrence (F)								Chekwa (B)
			Russell		Coleman

Elsewhere

Doc Saturday throws some cold water on the talk of Pryor's 4.33 forty time. He's right, as usual, but 4.33 or not, Pryor could very well be the fastest QB in the nation. Oh, he's also 6-6/240 and eats Toyotas for breakfast... Sticking with quarterbacks, freshman Matt Barkley is getting his chance in LA after Aaron Corp rolled a knee. The faithful are optimistic, but does it really matter who the Trojans line up at QB? Last season, USC was plagued with a jock itch epedimic and star running back Joe McKnight tried on two separate occasions to shelve himself for the year before the season even started. And 35-3 still happened.

Because it's August and the Internet brings you wonderful things like open threads for tape-delayed practices.

The action kicks off at 10pm ET on the Big Ten Network. If you have anything insightful to add (like observations on how the line is or is not progressing or how awesome Brian Rolle looks in the middle), add it here.