Eleven Warriors

We got a tip on this earlier (thanks, Shawn!) but sat on it because, contrary to what some might think about bloggers, we're not vapid, heartless bastards that delight in piling on people and we didn't really want to see his comments section lit up by every troll near a keyboard making Goose and ha-ha tossing-salad prison jokes.

But now that Maurice Clarett's blog has hit Deadspin (and other heavies), it's pretty much out there and we wanted to weigh in on the situation.

We're of the opinion that the blog is legit and as the previously linked-to Doc Saturday says:

If it's a hoax, it's among the most boring and elaborate hoaxes ever conceived, with no payoff.

Reading the blog, we find an inspired, thoughtful and knowledge-hungry man, seemingly intent on turning his life around. Look no further than his most recent post to get a feel for what's going on:

I had a chance to sit down and speak to a young man who is 18 with a 13 year sentence. He has been in the same cell block as me for a few months and I’ve been observing how he has been coping with his sentence. It has been on my mind to sit with him and offer some suggestions on how he could reverse the order and start taking advantage of this solitude but I always came up with the excuse that I didn’t have the time. The truth was I didn’t want to make the time. I then thought, “What if all the people supporting me made the excuse, they didn’t have time?” I probably wouldn’t be where I am at mentally today.

We're a little over six years from that most incredible of nights when Clarett was snatching the ball from Sean Taylor and two and a half years out from his night that ended in police spikes, the final episode of a sad spiral. He is eligible for early release next year. For now at least, he appears to be positioning himself to reenter society the right way and you can't hate on a guy for that.

Ohio State 18-8, 8-7 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

February 28, 2009 4:00 PM ET - ESPN —— Mackey Arena West Lafayette, IN

#16 Purdue 10-4, 21-6 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

Ohio State may have caught a scheduling break when they travel to Purdue on Saturday, as the Boilermakers will be playing their second game in less than 48 hours, after getting beat 87-78 at Michigan on Thursday night.

The Bucks took down the Robbie Hummel-less Boilermakers in their first meeting, 80-72 in overtime. Turner went off for 26, 12 and 7, while JaJuan Johnson scorched OSU's bigs for 30 points.

The Buckeyes have a chance to set the pace for fourth place in the conference. Minnesota lost last night, while Penn State and Wisconsin play their games later in the weekend.

#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST	POS	#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST
4	PJ Hill	2.5	1.4	1.6	G	23	Lewis Jackson	5.7	2.3	3.4
33	Jon Diebler	11.4	3.3	2.5	G	3	Chris Kramer	4.8	2.9	2.4
21	Evan Turner	16.7	7.3	3.7	F	33	E'Twaun Moore	14.0	4.8	2.9
44	William Buford	11.5	3.3	1.2	F	4	Robbie Hummel	11.9	6.9	2.1
52	Dallas Lauderdale	4.7	3.8	0.3	C	25	JaJuan Johnson	13.6	6.0	0.8

Opponent

Purdue's stats don't include their game against Michigan last night, I'm old and can't stay up that late. Matt Painter's crew is one of the best defensive teams in the country, holding conference opponents to just 60 points and 40 percent shooting. Their season total of 37.6 defensive FG percent ranks them 4th in the country, a stat they lead the country in before the first meeting, but OSU was able to connect on 60 percent in that game.

The Boilers come in scoring 65.6 points a game in league play, ranking them right behind OSU and MSU. They are second in B10 shooting at 46 percent, including a 36 clip from deep and 67 percent from the line.

The starting lineup may change from the chart above, with Keaton Grant possibly getting in over Jackson and the possibility of Hummel's back flaring up with the short turnaround. Nemania Calasan, a 6'9" senior was unable to go against Michigan due to an illness, so his status is questionable, but Marcus Green and Bobby Riddell will also see some action off the bench.

Purdue is going to be a tired, pissed off bunch, seeking revenge on the Bucks. They slipped into a tie for second with Illinois, after they allowed Manny Harris and Deshawn Sims to combine for 56 points last night. They still have to play at Michigan State in the finale, so back to back losses here could push them towards fourth.

Buckeye Breakdown:

I really like the line up change Simmons and Matta implemented against Penn State. PJ Hill is growing on me and his energy to start the game is just what Thad's young troops need. Simmons suggested the switch, so let's hope it is the jolt of energy required to carry this team into the NCAA tourney. You can't argue with a combined 27 points, on 10-17 shooting, but I'm a little concerned with the 3 assists.

It will be interesting to see if Matta makes the switch at center too. The fact that Lauderdale has morphed into Invisidale is disappointing, but I really think Thad tries to protect Mullens from picking up quick fouls, especially when you have the likes of Ed Hightower and Ted Valentine wearing the striped shirts. However, if Kyle Madsen can give the type of quality minutes he has shown in two of the last three, it is going to give Thad a couple more options.

Evan Turner was named 1 of 15 finalist for the Oscar Robertson trophy this week, given to the player of the year as chosen by the USBWA. Matta has showcased ET's versatility by moving him to the point in the closing minutes against Illinois and Penn State. The move could be dangerous with Turner's history of turnovers, but teams are going to double him, leaving Simmons and Turner open. Spreading the court and letting Evan create will open things up for him and the PG's.

Going into the season, I didn't chalk the trip to West Lafayette as a win and even though Purdue will have some tough circumstances, I still think they will pull out a close win, 65-61. The Buckeyes haven't played consistently in their last 2 road games, but the recent changes could be the catalyst for an upset. Ohio State had to win 3 of their last 4, so they can still take the games at Iowa and home against Northwestern if they fall here.

Etc

• Hill has set a career high for points in his last two games (9 and 13).
• Diebler has played 40 or more minutes in the last 7 games.
• Ohio State is 18-1 this season and 112-5 under Matta when leading with 5 minutes left to play.
• If you have HBO and have not seen Eastbound and Down, you are depriving yourself of some serious laughs.

... for your hard-earned, recession-weary dollars comes at you in the form of two new t-shirts at the 11W shop.

The first is a no-brainer for St. Patrick's day, just a few weeks away. If you're single, I can think of no better battle armor to where into that night. If you're married, a pair of them might just get you lucky.

The second shirt shines a light on our highest moment of cohesiveness and quality writing (background here). Sorry for the delay in getting this one out, but we wanted to do it just right.

And remember, for every shirt you buy, PJ Hill drains a three.

With the departure of Beanie Wells to the NFL, the Buckeyes were left with the unfortunate circumstance of losing a one-of-a-kind power back that trucked over defenders at will on his way to the end zone. Lucky enough for JT and his staff, there was a player in the same mold waiting to become a Buckeye, and when Naples (FL) running back Carlos Hyde received his Buckeye offer he jumped on the opportunity to don the Scarlet and Gray as he takes his game to the college level next year.

Originally from Cincinnati, Hyde discusses with 11W if there was any competition for the Buckeyes in his recruitment, what position he will play at the next level, who he likes to compare himself to, and what fans can expect to see in the next few years that will put smiles on the faces of all across Buckeye Nation.

Originally being from Ohio, was it OSU all the way or were you tempted to check out other programs?
It was Ohio State all the way.

A lot of scouting services have you listed as a full back, but Buckeye fans talk about you as the next great power back at Ohio State. What position/role will you play in Columbus?
I’ll be playing running back. I’m an every down back too, not just a short yardage back.

What do you plan to study in Columbus?
I’m not sure about that right now.

Obviously Ohio State has a great tradition of hard running, strong backs. What's your favorite part about being a power back?
I love trucking people that get in my way.

What current/former NFL player does your game compare to? What current/former Buckeye does your game compare to?
I’d have to say for the NFL, Herschel Walker and for Ohio State, Beanie Wells.

When will you enroll at OSU? What do you need to do to prepare to bring your game to the next level?
I enroll June 21. Before I come, I need to hit the weight room hard. I haven’t worked out in three months because I have been playing basketball.

What is one thing you want Buckeye fans to know about you that they don't already know?
That they have a special player coming to run the ball for them.

---

We'd like to thank Carlos for taking time out of his busy schedule to let Buckeye fans know what type of player they are getting next year. Best of luck to Carlos in finishing up his senior year at Naples and for the start of his Buckeye career in June.

And now for some highlights:

So, this was kind of all over the interwebs earlier in the day and while we threw it up in the Good Shizzy section, we thought it definitely deserved a post of its own.

First published at MGoBlog where Brian half-jokingly called for a boycott (and his fine readers obliged by passing on the email address of some poor PR employee), the Key Bank building in downtown Columbus is featuring a 300' Maker's Mark ad that says simply:

Here's to football season.

Especially Michigan's.

First, let me state that I hereby pledge to drink a whole hell of a lot more Maker's Mark in the future, but also, have any of you seen this thing? The building is in a great location to rock this and any of you working near the statehouse (or valeting at City Center) should have had a chance to peep this out.

If this is the real deal, then it makes the State Farm wolverine billboard look kind of lame in comparison all of a sudden.

After turning in 40 times in the mid 4.5-range and then failing to register in any of the other drills, the pre-Combine rumors of Malcolm Jenkins winding up as a safety in the NFL have picked up some considerable steam.

With NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock saying "the damage had been done" thanks to his less-than-stellar 40 time, the writing does appear to be on the wall for Jenkins.

Though he's been adamant about playing corner at the next level, a move to free safety may not exactly be a bad thing for Jenkins. There's prior precedent -- in fact you don't have to look any further than former Boilermaker Rod Woodson. Both have similar size and though Woodson is a little bit faster than Jenkins (okay, maybe considerably faster) and started his career at corner, he would end up having his best seasons as a safety in the NFL.

Sure, he may slide a little in the draft and thus cost himself some money, but getting drafted is just the first step of a long journey. Because he may move down the board a bit, there's also the bonus of going to a stable team where he'll have the opportunity to compete at corner instead of being pressed into an immediate role and forced to produce right away.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not he's a playmaker and I think we all know the answer to that question. At any rate, he'll get another chance to perform in front of GMs and scouts at the Buckeye Pro Day on March 13.

Caution: You may faint upon reading the next sentence so consider yourself warned.

Much maligned point guards Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Hill combined for 27 points on 10/17 shooting as Ohio State stopped a three game skid with a 73-59 victory over Penn State tonight in the Schott.

The win moved Ohio State into a four way tie for fourth place in the Big Ten, improving OSU to 8-7 in conference and 18-8 overall.

It looked like the Buckeyes might have an easy night jumping out to a 19-2 lead during a seven minute stretch in which they held the Lions scoreless in mostly man to man defense (or a triangle and two) but Penn State would respond with a 21-3 blitz of their own, against what seemed like mostly zone to reclaim the lead at 23-22.

Giving props to Hill, he camped out in Talor Battle's shorts during the 19-2 run in addition to scoring five points in what was his first start of the year while Simmons came out cold.

Sensing the need to do something, Simmons stepped up toward the end of the half with a nifty drive and a three at right before the buzzer putting OSU in front 32-30 at intermission.

The combined first half contributions from Hill and Simmons (10 pts, 4/8 FG) along with 11 points from Wil Buford helped offset a scoreless half from Evan Turner who simply couldn't create any space to get his shot against the bigger, more physical Jamelle Cornley.

I might be on the hippie lettuce but I think Matta sensed the same thing and subsequently kept two bigs on the floor together much of the second half to take advantage of other match ups with Turner serving as a key distributor.

Turner would finish with a career high eight assists, five in the second half, though the final 20 minutes didn't start well as Penn State went on a modest 16-9 run to take a 46-41 lead at the 12:40 mark. Enter Simmons.

The guy who lost his starting job after shooting just 2/13 during the three game losing streak ignited a 23-6 run with three triples while B.J. Mullens added eight points providing OSU a decisive 64-52 cushion with 3:29 left.

The stellar efforts from Hill (13 pts, 5/8 FG, 2 asst, 1 TO) and Simmons (14 pts, 5/9 FG, 2 reb, 1 asst) weren't the only bright spots as Kyle Madsen also deserves some props for 18 solid minutes. Madsen battled down low grabbing four boards and tipping a few other boards to teammates while scoring four points.

Mullens also showed up tonight posting 13 points (5/7 FG)and five boards with four coming on the offensive glass. On the other hand, Invisidale was, well, Invisidale with three points and two boards in 15 minutes.

Jon Diebler finished with nine points overall and five boards in the second half while Wil Buford once again showed up in the first half (11 pts, 5/10 FG) only to disappear in the second going 0/1 in very limited action. It looked like Buford got yanked for another lost rotation early and never came back in the game as Matta shifted to a bigger lineup.

Looking at the final numbers, the Buckeyes got back to form hitting 52% from the floor while the man/zone combo held PSU to 43%. Ohio State also posted a 29-23 edge on the glass and after checking the box score about ten times, they also turned it over just SIX times.

Obviously, this game was correctly hyped as a must-win and the Buckeyes responded. Now, they take the show on the road to face arguably the second best team in the conference in West Lafayette.

I don't forsee an upset but I like the fact the game will be much more important to Ohio State than Purdue.

Jeremie Simmons and P.J. Freaking Hill...I still can't believe what I just witnessed.

Ohio State 17-8, 7-7 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

February 24, 2009 7:00 PM ET - ESPN —— The Schott Columbus, OH

Penn State 19-8, 8-6 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

It seems like the sky is falling for most Buckeye hoops fans, but a win over Penn State tonight would bring them into a fourth place tie and a chance to control their own tournament destiny.

The Nittany Lions are seeking their 20th win tonight, looking to reach that plateau for the first time since the Crispin brothers lead them to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2000-2001 and a 21-12 record.

Ohio State obviously has to end the 3 game skid and keep their season from slipping away into NIT land. I think they can still pull it together to capture 3 wins in the last 4 games, but this game tonight is the most pivotal in the final stretch.

#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST	POS	#	Name	PTS	REB	ASST
2	Jeremie Simmons	7.3	1.6	2.9	G	12	Talor Battle	17.3	5.2	5.0
33	Jon Diebler	11.3	3.3	2.6	G	11	Stanley Pringle	12.7	3.2	2.8
21	Evan Turner	17.2	7.3	3.5	F	15	David Jackson	3.9	3.2	0.7
44	William Buford	11.4	3.3	1.2	F	2	Jamelle Cornley	14.6	6.6	1.2
52	Dallas Lauderdale	4.9	4.0	0.3	C	22	Andrew Jones III	5.4	5.5	0.3

Opponent

PSU comes in scoring 60.1 points a game in conference play, ranking them ahead of only Indiana and Iowa, but they have 3 of the top 17 scorers in the league. During B10 play, they are shooting 40.9 percent from the floor, including 35 percent from deep and a conference low 65 percent from the line.

Penn State is in the upper half in most defensive categories, giving up just 62 points a game during conference play, including 33 against Illinois in their last outing 6 days ago. It is surprising to see them 2 games above .500, considering their -1.6 scoring margin, but they have senior leadership in Cornley and Pringle, which can only help them in a potential close game with the Bucks.

Ed DeChellis will use a 7 man rotation, bringing in Danny Morrissey and Jeff Brooks off the bench. He'll play Cornely, Pringle and Battle over 30 minutes, with Jones III getting close to 25.

Buckeye Breakdown:

Don't quit on this team just yet. It has been a struggle the last 3 games, but as of right now, they are still slated to be in the dance as a 9 seed. If they win 3 of their last 4, it would give them a 20-9 record heading into the B10 tourney. Get a win there and no doubt the Bucks will be dancing.

Due to vacation, I did not get to see the Wisconsin and Northwestern games, but after reading the comments and watching the Illinois game, the season long weaknesses are still glaring. It's hard to believe the Bucks are still shooting over 50 percent in league play, considering no PG has emerged and the inside play of late makes you want to puke.

What's happened to Simmons? Since February came, he is 6 for 21 from the floor, with just 9 assists in 5 games and has allowed Hill to outplay him. He has had 3 games where he didn't have any assists and 3 where he didn't make a 3-pointer. I still believe this team can make some noise, but if Simmons doesn't return to his form of three weeks ago, Ohio State will play exactly 6 more game this year.

We saw glimpses of man to man late in the game against Illinois and I know most of us wonder why we don't see it more often. It gets tiring watching the opposition make 3 pointers at ease and when they don't make them, an offensive rebound is sure to follow. Remember though, the Buckeyes are simply too thin to play man. There is absolutely no depth inside and teams would just force Mullens and Invisidale to hedge beyond the three point line, guaranteeing foul trouble in most games.

I'm curious to hear your opinion though. Do you think Mullens doesn't get the ball enough because the guards don't look or because he can't consistently hold his position. For me, he has serious trouble gaining and holding his position on the block.

Etc

• Turner is 1 of 9 players who leads his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals, but the only 1 whose team has a chance for a tournament bid.
• Ohio State has beaten Penn State 10 straight times.
• It is our last chance to see 11W favorites Steve Lavin and Erin Andrews

With only a few position groups (defensive backs and linebackers, namely) still to perform at the NFL combine, data is flowing in on the the four Buckeyes that have already worked out and so far, it's a mixed bag.

Robiskie has done the most to help his stock, turning in top 10 performances in the vertical jump, 3-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. He's earned praise for his precision routes and fundamentals and the 4.49 he popped on his second 40 attempt likely earned him some additional jack.

Beanie, for his part, matched Moreno in the bench press (25 reps), slightly edged him in the 40 (4.59 -- though to be fair, Moreno did quite well on the agility drills) and topped all running backs in the broad jump. So, that explains this. And this.

Still, durability is on the minds of many GMs when it comes to Wells. Take this from his analysis at NFL.com:

Negatives: Primary concern -- and the only one that will keep him from being a top 10 pick -- is Wells' struggles with durability. Fought nagging injuries throughout much of his career at Ohio State and some have questioned whether he knows the difference between pain and injury. Sat out three full games and parts of several others (including the 2009 Fiesta Bowl -- his final game in a Buckeye uniform) with foot, hamstring and head (concussion) injuries.

Ouch.

It hurts so much to read that because it's true. I cringed a bit when Chris pointed this out after the Illinois game because it was the giant elephant in the room when discussing this team for the past few seasons. When he was healthy and chugging, there was nobody like him. Unfortunately, we only got to see that about 70% of the time. It does kind of make you wonder about things like whether or not you'd rather have a guy like Pittman, who was nowhere near as talented (though still a great player in his own right), but was on the field every Saturday or a back like Beanie who gave you devastating-awesomeness when he wasn't hobbling to the sideline. I love the guy -- his name will go to my first-born -- but what are the odds he plays a 16-game season anytime soon?

Getting back to the Combine, Boone seemed to get through the interview process by doing what he had to: manning-up and being candid. He finished fourth at the bench (33 reps) amongst linemen, which will certainly help, but as you would imagine, didn't register on any of the speed or agility drills. His negatives:

Negatives: May need to play right tackle in the pros, as he is more of a mauler than an athlete. ... Lumbers in space, and does not play through the whistle. ... Needs more consistency using his punch to keep pass rushers off balance. ... Does not move his feet or hands quickly enough to handle explosive speed on the edge. ... Also loses his balance when sustaining because he leans too far forward and his hands are not inside the body. ... Plays too upright in pass protection. ... Lacks great flexibility to adjust to oncoming blitzers.

Finally, Hartline did extremely well in the agility drills, including the top time amongst receivers in the 60-yard shuttle, which leads me to believe there's a chance he gets drafted after all. Though we've been brutal on him for talking a big game and failing to produce, it had to have been tough breaking in a new (running first) quarterback and we wish him the best.

There. I've said something nice about Brian Hartline. Can you?

It was deja vu all over again as timely triples doomed the Buckeyes in a 70-68 home loss to Illinois dropping Ohio State to 17-8 overall and 7-7 in conference.

Back to back jams by B.J. Mullens cut the Illini lead to 50-47 with 8:25 left but the next few series proved pivotal. After a Trent Meachem three, Wil Buford forced a deep triple try early in the clock which Illinois turned into an offensive rebound and putback to move in front 55-47.

Turner slowed the bleeding with a free throw but then Chester Frazier buried a three after excellent defense to that point forced him to launch the desperation shot with :03 left on the shot clock. 58-48 with 6:01 left. Essentially game over.

OSU did manage to cut the deficit to two at 67-65 after a P.J. Hill putback of a missed free throw but after Meachem hit two free throws extending the lead to 69-65 with :26 left, Matta failed to call timeout to set up a play. The resulting carnage came in the form of Buford missing a leaner after the Buckeyes ran off 14 seconds of valuable clock thanks to chaotic dribbling from Turner and Hill.

Matta had three timeouts. Why didn't he use one? I'm a supporter of Matta but I don't think there's any question that was a poor coaching decision. It probably didn't change the outcome but still a head scratcher.

Though the score didn't necessarily show it, this one appeared to be already in the bag thanks to another squad bombing the Buckeyes from deep. Illinois shot 53% beyond the arc (9/17) with more than a few coming under duress and/or deep in the shot clock. Frazier's second miracle three with the clock running out gave Illinois a 62-55 lead with 4:08 remaining, taking the air in the Schott with it.

Evan Turner tried to keep it close over the final seven minutes scoring 15 OSU's final 20 points but it wasn't enough to overcome the three point daggers.

Turner finished with 17 points, nine boards and five assists against only two turnovers but his poor first half (2 pts) contributed to a 32-27 halftime deficit that Ohio State would never overcome.

Jon Diebler, Wil Buford (7 pts, 3 reb, 2 asst, 2 blk) and yes, P.J. Hill picked up Turner's slack in the first half. Down 22-14, Diebler and Hill triggered a 10-2 run scoring five and four respectively as Hill pestered the top of Illini offense helping the Buckeyes tie the game at 24-24. Unfortunately, two turnovers created by B.J. Mullens not being able to sustain position on the block combined with Demetri McCamey getting loose for a conventional three point play then a deep three helped Illinois eventually close the half on an 8-3 run.

OSU did cut the lead to two on four different occasions in the second half before Hill's putback of Turner's missed free throw making it 67-65 but it seemed Illinois was in control all afternoon.

When the horn sounded OSU had three in double figures (Turner, Diebler 17, Buford 14) but the hot shooting they surrendered from deep combined with Illinois still looking to attack the foul line extended and short corners just as they did back on January 20 allowed Illinois to shoot 58% from the floor.

Once again, Matta got virtually nothing from the bigs. Mullens had eight points and one rebound while Invisidale played true to form with one point and one rebound. Yes, those numbers are accurate. What a bum he's turned out to be.

The three game skid dropped Ohio State to 4-5 in their last nine games and it doesn't get any easier this week with Penn State on Tuesday preceding a trip to Purdue. As I said in the preview, I felt today's game could be the swing game of the season and I'm extremely nervous this team might be running out of steam.

If they are indeed on life support both physically and mentally this week could be their post season undoing.

In my opinion, even a split this week would likely mean the Buckeyes need to win the final two games (@Iowa, NU) to finish 10-8 in conference and 20-9 overall. That should enough but a first round conference tourney loss would likely put them on the bubble unless one of their three wins comes at Purdue.

So, what's going to happen this week? Two wins, a split or two losses?

I'm almost afraid to find out.