Eleven Warriors

Ah, Akron.. '75.. Good times..

#11 Ohio State 1-0, 0-0 Big Ten Roster | Schedule

September 8, 2007 12:00 PM ET ------ Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH

Akron 1-0, 0-0 MAC Roster | Schedule

Opponent: The Sweater Vest Love Fest 2007 Stadium Tour continues as the Buckeyes once again square off against a school that Jim Tressel has a special connection to. Tressel started his coaching career as an Akron graduate assistant in 1975 and then got a paying gig with school to take care of the offensive backs and kicking game for 3 seasons before moving on to Miami (OH). Toss in the fact that the Zips were the opponent that first Saturday of The Vest's Ohio State career which also was the first weekend the renevated Shoe was open for business and.. And you can see we're searching for reasons to hype these guys up.

Akron is probably a middle of the pack MAC team. Yoda calls for them to finish 5th in the MAC East conference, slightly ahead of the juggernaut that is Temple football. Considering Steele lives in the heart of MAC country, we'll defer to him. The good news for Zips fans: the Zips return 8 starters on the defensive side of the ball, including their top 6 tacklers from the last season. The bad news: a brand new quarterback and 4 new offensive linemen.

Jacquemains bowl-cut brings
all the babes to the yard

Sophomore Chris Jacquemain (#11) got the bulk of the snaps at quarterback and turned in a decent performance going 14/24 for 125, 1 score and no picks in the Zips' 22-14 victory over Army at Cleveland Browns Stadium last week. If you're quick with math, you know that his yards-per-completion was a meager 5.2. Jacquemain seems to have a go-to guy in senior wide receiver Jabari Arthur (#12) as he caught 11 of the quarterback's passes for 125 yards including a 19 yarder that the two hooked up for 6 on.

The new offensive line only allowed 1 sack to Army, but the team only picked up 133 yards rushing on 35 carries, an average of 3.8 per carry. Amazingly, 7 different Zips rushed the ball last week but Dennis Kennedy (#3), a former Buckeye recruit that failed to qualify in 2004, led the team with 13 carries for 72 yards. Kennedy, a junior, paced the Zips with 999 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns last season and considering the fact that he was on his way to becoming a Buckeye, you know he's got skills.

On defense, Akron employs a "Mustang" 3-3-5, a cousin of the 46 defense, which presents opportunities to run on it. Army's McMahand, who's no Beanie Wells (or even Michael Wiley for that matter) had 21 for 84 last week. The Zips are strongest in the middle of the defense with junior linebacker Kevin Grant (#30) and senior backer Brian Stokes (#43). In the secondary, the Zips go 5-9, 5-10, 5-10 and 5-11, so Taurian Washington, Hartline and Robo, all at least 6-2 should be able to pose some matchup problems in the passing game.

Notes: Akron is 1-5 all-time against OSU, the last win coming in 1894... The Zips are 0-9 in their last 9 games against Big Ten teams being outscored 44-7 on average... Akron was 2-7-1 against The Vest during his days at YSU... Ohio State put up 525 yards of offense against the Zips in their last meeting in 2001.

Buckeye Breakdown: After one game, Buckeye fans are starting to feel good about the quarterback situation, which was a big unknown heading into this season. What fans are concerned about now is the running game after the lackluster performance the unit turned in against Youngstown State. Bollman and the coaching staff sent a message to the line by not awarding the Jim Parker outstanding lineman award following the YSU game. As others have pointed out, the The Vest didn't exactly open up the playbook against the Penguins last week. He could have easily called some pitch plays when the Bucks had the ball down on the goal line to leverage the OSU speed advantage on the corners, but instead called middle of the line running plays to get the hogs the work they obviously need. I'm willing to give the guys the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it is hard getting up to play a I-AA opponent. If so, Akron is their chance for redemption. If the line and running game sputters again against the Zips, expect there to be some nail-biting among the Buckeye faithful in the week leading up to the Washington game.

Running back Beanie Wells was very hard on himself for last week's performance according to his teammates and the coaching staff. Much like the O-line situation, Akron is a prefet chance to get on track. I'd be very surprised if he struggled through another weekend of rushing the football. If he does, then Saine deserves more looks to push the big fella a little harder.

100 yards or we take your red suit

As mentioned, the Buckeye receivers could have a huge day against the vertically-challenged Akron defensive backs. Ohio State will have the air option when needed, but should look to pound the ball and work on fixing the problems with the running game. If the Zips stack the box, watch out. Tressel indicated that sophomore burner Ray Small could see his first action of the season and he participated in practice this week without the aid of a colored no-contact jersey. His role is important if the Bucks hope to stretch the field against better quality opponents down the road. Small needs to get healthy because Taurian Washington may be in his mirror, closer than he appears. The return of Small and the emergence of Washington could mean less playing time for Dane Sanzenbacher, which is good because you don't win national championships with wide receivers that are 5-10/175 (wet).

On the defensive side of the ball, Ohio State has an opportunity to tune their pressure game given the relative inexperience of Akron's quarterback and offensive line. Both Robert Rose and Cameron Heyward will get a chance to prove to the coaching staff that they are deserving of filling Wilson's shoes at the end spot. I know there's a lot of love going around for Heyward because he's Ironhead's son, but Rose is a sack machine in the making. Expect Little Animal to be everywhere again and watch for Anderson Russell to quiet the yapping of his teammates by getting his hands on a pick-six.

You can bet the coaching staff had no problem motivating the team this week after what happened in Ann Arbor last weekend. Welcome to the modern world of (somewhat) parity. If a team ins't prepared and ready for the test, they can lose on any given Saturday. Yes, even you, USC. The game plan will be similar to what we saw last weekend: work on the things that need work, get snaps for a lot of players, get the "W", try to avoid injuries and eliminate the mental mistakes.

Notes: Tressel says that he was rooting for Michigan last weekend... Akron native and current OSU speed coordinator Butch Reynolds will be the game's honorary captain... Tressel will be attempting to earn his 199th career victory against the Zips... The game will be the 499th contest at the Horseshoe... OSU has scored at least 1 touchdown in 126 consecutive games... Hottie Charissa Thompson will handle BTN sideline duties again for the Buckeye game... Ohio State last lost to an in-state opponent in 1921 when Oberlin defeated the Buckeyes 7-6 (full disclosure: the future Mrs. 11W is an Oberlin grad and urged the inclusion of this point).

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Jason: OSU 31, Akron 6
Chris: OSU 37, Akron 10

Scooter McPointShaver: looks guilty to me

After going 3-0 against the number last week, I've been having delirious visions of giving up this 11W thang and starting up one of those 800# gambling advice services. Lord knows it would take far less time and I wouldn't get exposed nearly as much for not being funny. Jason posted a 2-1 record against the number thanks to Syracuse's pathetic home effort against Washington. It's no wonder the 'Cuse can't recruit. I wouldn't put on that uniform if on Fear Factor. A man's gotta have some pride.

Anyway, Week 2 is upon us and the slate of games is pretty enticing. Since I couldn't round up any worthy guests from Akron, I decided to invite Scooter McDougle to be this week's celebrity picker. In case his name doesn't ring a bell, he's the RB from the Zips' MAC brethren Toledo Rockets that the FBI says is heavily involved in the point shaving scandal hanging over the program. Of course, he says he's done nothing wrong but judging from his picture, he's been receiving illegal pastry handouts for years.

Now on to the picks:

Oregon (+8) @ Michigan (ABC 3:30) This could be another tight one as Oregon brings their spread offense to the Big House. After watching Appy State's spread make the Maize and Blue look Dazed and Confused en route to the biggest upset in the history of mankind, Wolverine Nation is holding its collective breath wondering if Lloyd's crew can figure out how to stop the Ducks. Luckily for Carr, Oregon's defense is about as solid as your great grandmother's stool so putting up 40+ points is highly possible. If Houston can put up 545 total yards, what can UM do? Speaking of Oregon, let me quickly thank Mike Belotti for turning down Ohio State paving the way for Gentleman Jim to take over. U Da Man, Mike.

Chris: I expect a fired up Michigan squad to cover. Michigan 42, Oregon 31 Jason: I think Michigan will bounce back with a W, but Oregon and 8 is too ripe to pass on. Michigan 31-28. McPointShaver: I called in a few connections so I'll say UM 3, Oregon 2. That won't be too obvious, will it?

Notre Dame (+17) @ Penn State (ESPN 6:00) I wonder what excuses Fat Charlie will have for us this week? I hope he doesn't tell the one about how Anthony Morelli is a great quarterback. My ribs can't take anymore spastic laughter.

Chris: I heard a rumor the State fans are planning to throw bacon at Weis. Penn State 34, ND 9 Jason: Penn State in a laugher. The crowd will be insane and when the dust settles, PSU 42-10. McPointShaver: I wanted to go Notre Dame but was told they didn't need my help throwing games. PSU 40, ND 0.

TCU (+9) @ Texas (7:00) Can the Horned Frogs go into Texas and pull the upset? According to the poll at BevoSports, 54% of Texas fans are "very worried" after last week's lackluster effort against Arkansas State.

Chris: I don't know about an upset, but TCU could easily cover. Texas 23-17. Jason: The Horns should be counting their blessings that this one is in Austin. Texas 20-10. McPointShaver: Readin' the police blotter, I gotta say those Longhorns sound like my kinda fellas. Texas 24-10.

Virginia Tech (+12.5) @ LSU (9:15 ESPN) Easily the marquee matchup of the week featuring two of the best defenses in the country. Can Va Tech hang around in a night game in the Bayou?

Chris: I don't think Beamer's crew has the offensive firepower to hang around. LSU 27, Tech 10. Jason: Two weeks ago, I thought this would be close. Now, it's LSU in a laugher, 35-17. McPointShaver: Sorry fellas. Gotta jet. 5-0 on the doorstep...

Bollman Snubs the Hogs
The Ohio State coaching staff handed out awards for the win over Youngstown State and the Jim Parker offensive lineman award went unclaimed. Offensive coordinator and line coach Jim Bollman felt that none of the lineman deserved to win based on the game film. That's refreshing. I thought I was watching some kind of magic television that turned the play of "a veteran unit" into a line that couldn't open a hole against a physically overmatched defense. The Vest has Bollman's back:

".. I just don't think we were as far along as Coach Bollman wants us and I'm okay with that."

Other Buckeyes honored were Brian Robiskie as offensive player of the week, James Laurinaitis as defensive player of the week and Ryan Pretorius as special teams player of the week. Sophomore defensive tackle Dexter Larimore, a guy Tress is big on, took home the "Attack Force" award after getting 25-30 snaps.

No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
Another fine Georgia blog, Get The Picture, takes a look at the effect of the rule changes through the first weekend of games. The missing plays are back to the tune of 56 extra yards and 3 points per game, but the average kickoff return is only 21.1 after hovering just beneath 21 for the past four seasons. To be fair, touchbacks are down from 84% last season to 79% this season.

We Want to Let This Die, but this Bit is Relevant
As expected, former Wolverine and present Indianapolis Colt Marlin Jackson claims to be getting a lot of flak for the Michigan collapse against ASU:

"We lost to a I-AA program, and we were a top-five team. To go out and be the first team in history to lose to a I-AA team, it hurts. That's all I've been getting the last couple of days. Every text message I get just says `Appalachian State.' That's all it says. The Ohio State guys have been all right. It's everybody else around here. Even coach (Tony) Dungy said something to me about it."

Gonzo, Pittcock and Hall -- class acts.

Before we get to the brief changes from the first draft released Monday, I need to know that I'm not going crazy. Perhaps I'm giving us all too much credit, but I'm not so sure Michigan would have fallen out of the two polls if the blogs didn't start that discussion. Blogs have been influencing political news cycles for some time now and as the sports corner of the blogosphere matures, it's only natural for some of that to happen over here. Maybe I am crazy.. I'm just saying..

Anyway, just a slight change from our first draft to our final week 1 ballot as Georgia Tech, one of the teams we were dying to see crack the top 25, gets in thanks to Florida State's terrible showing at Clemson. Jimbo Fisher just added 3 more years to his wait to become a head coach with one game. 8 first downs and 3 of 17 on 3rd down. Wow. So, FSU is out, Georgia Tech is in and Clemson gets added to the list of teams on the cusp.

As always, you can check the ballots of every voter and the final version is due Wednesday morning, so get your thoughts in by Tuesday night if you think we got it wrong.

1		You know you're good when a 38-10 win is considered sluggish.	--
2		6 INTs helped carry the offense against the overmatched Croomers.	--
3		542 yards of offense on the way to 62 points -- most since 2001.	--
4		Tebow can't throw? 13/17 for 300 and 3 TDs says differently.	2
5		79 points and the new skill players are on a roll.	3
6		Donovan leads the way (3 pass TD, 1 rush TD) to quality win over WSU.	1
7		An overmatched opponent, but boy does Brohm and company look good.	4
8		The biggest question coming in was answered with Boeckman's performance.	2
9		Cal had to employ rocket-powered shoes to stay on the field with an SEC club.	3
10		You needed an onside kick recovery against Arkansas State. For that, you drop.	5
11		ECU was game, but Va Tech came through on an emotional day.	2
12		Solid opening win and props for playing a BCS team when most of the elites looked to the FCS.	2
13		Bell had a monster game and Harbough's team got blitzed, but Mike Hart has to be feeling worse today.	4
14		It was Buffalo, but Rice's Heisman campaign is off to a good start (184, 3 TD)	2
15		A home shutout is a wonderful way to start a season.	3
16		Two late scores bailed Coach Click-Clack's squad out against a mediocre K-State team.	1
17		I don't care who you are playing. 49 points in the first half is pretty fresh.	3
18		Fulmer has a good football team and will bounce back. Props to the Vols for scheduling this series.	5
19		The Huskers beat Nevada the way you're supposed to beat a Nevada.	2
20		McFadden's off to a rip-roaring start, including a 42-yard touchdown toss.	1
21		Bear Saban is off to a fine start after demolishing Western Carolina 52-6.	4
22		Northern Colorado is not as bad as some of the teams that faced the big programs opening week.	--
23		After beating Louisiana-Lafayette by only 14 points, the OBC is promising "a whole bunch of lineup changes".	1
24		Thrilling win over Illinois could set the tone for a suprising season.	NR
25		Yes, everybody beats on Notre Dame these days, but 33-3 in South Bend is still impressive.	NR

DROPPED OUT: Michigan (#4), Florida State (#23)

There are a couple of weekly roundtables floating around between the BlogPoll voters and the Big 10 Bloggers and we're trying to be as active as we can because, quite honestly, the questions tossed out by the hosts each week are pretty interesting. We've already participated in a Big 10 Blogger roundtable and now we share the love by participating in the 2nd BlogPoll voter roundtable hosted by the fine Georgia blog Hey Jenny Slater.

Blonde water around those islands

1. By the end of the season, some previously unheralded teams' bandwagons will be so full they'll be having to bump passengers and offer them free vouchers and first-class upgrades; others will have emptied out in a big way. On whose bandwagon are you already scrambling to save a seat? Conversely, which team's bandwagon is being driven by Toonces the Driving Cat, prompting you to leap off now before it careens over a cliff to its fiery death below?

Texas might be the team ripe to crash and burn. They certainly didn't impress anyone with last week's effort and that secondary will never be accused of point shaving. Some think TCU might pull the upset this Saturday. If not, the 'Horns will likely be 6-0 when they take on Oklahoma Oct. 6th in the Cotton Bowl and we'll see what happens from there. This assumes that the rest of the roster isn't cuffed before then considering four Longhorns have been arrested in the last couple months. A safer guess to implode could be Auburn or Va Tech but I'll stick with Texas for now. On the flip, WVU looks like they could go undefeated behind White and Slaton and that schedule.

2. What do you think was opening weekend's biggest mirage -- either a "big win" over a team that isn't really as good as everyone thinks, or an embarrassing loss (or embarrassingly close win) that won't seem quite as embarrassing by season's end?

Obviously, Michigan secured the 'embarrassing loss' crown with the debacle in the Big House. From a Buckeye and Big Ten perspective I actually got more satisfaction out of Notre Dame's loss but I'm pretty sure Michigan has the talent to bounce back. It seems many are now speculating Michigan could lose at least one of the next three games, but many of those foks are the same people who had them ranked in the top 5. Last week obviously raised serious doubts about the defense, special teams and Lloyd's leadership but its not as if they don't have talent on the roster, unlike the Irish.

3. Compared to how you felt Friday night, how do you feel now about your team's chances this season? I'm not just talking about your impressions of your own team -- also take into account their prospects relative to this year's opponents, whom you've also gotten a little more acquainted with after this past weekend's action.

I feel pretty good about the Buckeyes. Sure, they played a 1-AA team but they did what you are supposed to do against that kind of competition early in the season. They got a lot of guys on the field, answered the QB question, stayed vanilla and won by 32 points. Offensively, Boeckman had a great day going 17/23 with 225 yards and 2TD including 9 completions to Brian Robiskie for 153 yards. The main offensive concern was the inability to open holes against YSU's 8 Penguin front, especially on the goal line but it's an easy problem to correct. Tressel knew there were more defenders than blockers at the line of scrimmage but he wanted to challenge the line to open a hole. He could have easily called a sweep and ran outside to score but he was making a point at the expense of scoring faster. Defensively, OSU allowed just 176 total yards even though the entire defensive package could've been drawn on a gnats back. Losing DE Lawrence Wilson for 6-8 weeks to a broken leg was easily the worst storyline of the game. Among others, Ironhead's boy will get a shot to fill that spot opposite The Gun Show, but Wilson will definitely be missed. The only other significant red flag was the 9 yellow flags thrown against OSU. False starts and illegal substitutions were flowing like RedBull & Vodka at the Varsity Club but a few dozen windsprints should rectify those quickly.

As expected, my opinion of this team didn't change much from my preseason thoughts. I expect this team to be 8-0 heading into the tough final four game stretch that takes them to Penn State at night followed by Wisky at home then on to Ann Arbor two weeks later. Saying that, I am taking notice of what former Tressel assistant Mark Dantonio is doing at Michigan State. The Bucks have MSU at home but that could be a tough game now that you can't simply count on MSU to choke on it the last 6 games of the year as they always did under John L. Smith. If nothing else, Dantonio will create a culture of confidence and expectations to win whereas John L. seemed to subscribe to the John Cooper theory of playing not to lose. I also took a gander at Wisky's win over Washington State and Tyler Donovan was certainly impressive throwing for 284yds and 3 TD's. If he can consistently complement the rushing attack led by P.J. Hill then Wisky will be tough to handle, especially considering how well they've fared in the 'Shoe.

4. Looking at how those future opponents performed this past weekend, which developments are you most excited about? Which of your opponents' performances have you a little worried?

Bielema is hoping for that 2nd year magic

As I discussed, handling Wisky at home won't be easy if Donovan can be a steady QB. He's a senior who's only seen spot duty over the years but you've gotta believe he knows the offense well enough and is smart enough to realize he shouldn't have to be The Man for this team to win. A 'Krenzel-esque' season could be enough to lead them to the conference crown assuming the defense can improve as the season wears on. Washington State ain't exactly USC North but they managed to score 21 points (328 yards) and went 6-14 on 3rd down trailing just 28-21 with 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

I know Penn State looked good last week but I'm still not convinced Anthony Morelli can be counted on to consistenly produce without laying an egg. Lighting up Florida Int'l was good for his confidence but it wasn't enough to make me forget his Vick-like 53% completion rate from a year ago nor his weak performances against OSU, Wisconsin, and Michigan to name a few. I don't want to slaughter the guy but he's getting a little too much hype for a guy who exceeded a 100 QB rating just twice in 13 games last season.

I assume I'm supposed to be excited about Mich1gAAn losing but I dont think it means much as it relates to Ohio State's chances of winning the conference. Considering Hart, Henne and Long all came back to compete for national crown, the only thing left is to finally beat OSU and win a bowl game. Plus, in a rivalry game, anything can happen. Hell, John Cooper had the better talent for at least 8 of the 13 years he faced Mich1gAAn but he coached not to lose and put too much pressure on himself and the team resulting in a 2-10-1 record. With Tressel shifting the momentum of the rivalry (5-1), Lloyd seems to be looking more and more like Coop every day. It's hard to stop that buzzsaw. Buckeye fans know from experience.

5. There are now 32 bowls in D-IA football, meaning 64 bowl teams, meaning any given team now stands a better than 50% chance of going to a bowl. To get that number under 50 percent, we'd have to eliminate three bowls. Which ones would you get rid of?

That's a tough question because I admit I could care less about watching the majority of the bowl games. At least 70% of them only serve as a reward for a mediocre season. Unless it's a fellow Big10 team or a matchup with a unique story line, I'd rather watch The Hills reruns instead.

If I had to choose, I suppose I'd nix the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl first. I know it's in paradise but if the name of your bowl is so long it won't fit across the front of a shirt unless in 8 point font, then it's outta here. Plus, its only 2 years old and nobody could argue that Navy v. Colorado State or TCU v. Northern Illinois is worth saving.

Next on the chopping block is the Motor City bowl. A bowl game in Detroit? What's next, the Watts Bowl? I'm sure those MAC teams love going to Detroit to celebrate the season but I can live without the ol' MCB. I must the only one since the official site creators felt the need to add a Kick-Off Countdown clock. Thanks for the warning.

Lastly, I'd euthanize the Texas Bowl. Only in its second year, the inaugural TB featured a watchable matchup of Kansas State v. Rutgers while this year will be a Big 12 v. Conf USA tilt. That doesn't necessarily give me a chub but the biggest reason to rid ourselves of this bowl is that its only shown on the NFL Network. Maybe its not their fault, but suffering through the birth of the Big Ten Network is enough for me to hold a grudge against the NFL version or any other network/package making me pay extra dollars for mediocre programming save a few choice events.

The streak is over (Enquirer Photo)

Not to be forgotten amidst all of the hoopla surrounding the biggest upset in college football history or the Buckeyes season-opening victory over Youngstown State, the 3rd Herbstreit Challenge took place in Cincinnati and Canton over the weekend. In all, seven of the top 25 teams in the nation took the field in the classic.

Ohio teams did extremely well, but the big news out of the event was unranked Elder snapping #3 Charlotte Independence's 109 game winning streak. Elder defensive back Keith Hamberg ended the 41-34 overtime classic with an interception, thus also snapping the 2nd-longest high school football winning streak of all-time.

#4 Cincinnati St. Xavier also looked good overpowering #5 DeMatha (MD) 28-7 in front of a live ESPN audience. The win was even more impressive when you consider that stud St. X running back Darius Ashley did not dress because of a sprained ankle.

In other action, #25 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney defeated #10 Monroeville Gateway (PA) 27-6, #11 Long Beach Poly defeated Cleveland Glenville 21-13 and #23 Cincinnati Colerain defeated the Two-A-Day Crew.

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Previously: Herbstreit Challenge Returning

.. Watching this video ought to cheer you up.

(Via FanHouse)

The first weekend of the 2007 college football season is finally in the books, and oh what a weekend it was. Of course everyone knows what happened to the Wolverines and much of the nation is grateful for the thorough spanking Georgia Tech gave to Notre Dame but what's really significant is that we finally have some film to back our BlogPoll ballot. There was a lot of movement between the final preseason rankings released last week and what we came up for this week and it starts with Michigan.

We're not sure where the Wolverines will skid to in the AP or Coaches poll, but they're completely off of our ballot. They'll get a chance to get back in, but they also have just as much of a chance to go 1-2 over their next 3 unless Lloyd rights the ship. In the meantime, H20-3 needs a nickname for Armanti Edwards and fast. That guy is sick. Speaking of Appalachian State, we did want to vote them in -- perhaps even in the top 15, but were unable to find them on our ballot.

There are quite a few quality teams that are just on the cusp of getting on the ballot. Georgia Tech embarrased Notre Dame, but then again who doesn't these days. THC summed up the game pretty well: "Charlie Weis made Chan Gailey look like Vince Lombardi". Michigan State looked very un-Michigan State-like lighting up the scoreboard with 45 first half points on the way to a 55-18 victory over UAB and TCU could be a sleeper upset at Texas this week.

As always, you can check the ballots of every voter and the final version is due Wednesday morning, so get your thoughts in by Tuesday night if you think we got it wrong.

1		You know you're good when a 38-10 win is considered sluggish.	--
2		6 INTs helped carry the offense against the overmatched Croomers.	--
3		542 yards of offense on the way to 62 points -- most since 2001.	--
4		Tebow can't throw? 13/17 for 300 and 3 TDs says differently.	2
5		79 points and the new skill players are on a roll.	3
6		Donovan leads the way (3 pass TD, 1 rush TD) to quality win over WSU.	1
7		An overmatched opponent, but boy does Brohm and company look good.	4
8		The biggest question coming in was answered with Boeckman's performance.	2
9		Cal had to employ rocket-powered shoes to stay on the field with an SEC club.	3
10		You needed an onside kick recovery against Arkansas State. For that, you drop.	5
11		ECU was game, but Va Tech came through on an emotional day.	2
12		Solid opening win and props for playing a BCS team when most of the elites looked to the FCS.	2
13		Bell had a monster game and Harbough's team got blitzed, but Mike Hart has to be feeling worse today.	4
14		It was Buffalo, but Rice's Heisman campaign is off to a good start (184, 3 TD)	2
15		A home shutout is a wonderful way to start a season.	3
16		Two late scores bailed Coach Click-Clack's squad out against a mediocre K-State team.	1
17		I don't care who you are playing. 49 points in the first half is pretty fresh.	3
18		Fulmer has a good football team and will bounce back. Props to the Vols for scheduling this series.	5
19		The Huskers beat Nevada the way you're supposed to beat a Nevada.	2
20		McFadden's off to a rip-roaring start, including a 42-yard touchdown toss.	1
21		Bear Saban is off to a fine start after demolishing Western Carolina 52-6.	4
22		Waiting to see the Noles for the first time tonight.	1
23		Northern Colorado is not as bad as some of the teams that faced the big programs opening week.	1
24		After beating Louisiana-Lafayette by only 14 points, the OBC is promising "a whole bunch of lineup changes".	--
25		Thrilling win over Illinois could set the tone for a suprising season.	NR

DROPPED OUT: Michigan (#4)

See you soon

Lawrence Wilson had successful surgery earlier Sunday on the fracture in his right shin bone that he suffered in the 2nd quarter of the Buckeyes opener against Youngstown State. The break was clean and only involved one bone making the prognosis so good that his father thinks he'll be back in time for the Wisconsin game on November 3rd. Eugene Wilson told the Plain Dealer that there was even a chance of a return in six weeks:

"If it's good, it's six, if it lingers, it's eight. We're hoping by Wisconsin."

That's great news for Buckeye fans. I'm sure his father has a good case of optimism going, but to think the Bucks could have Wilson's services back after even 8 weeks is incredible, especially considering.. well, he broke his leg. Chris touched on how he knew it was a serious injury because of the way Wilson was writhing on the ground in agony, but can you imagine how painful breaking your shin bone must be? I once had a baseball hit me in the shin and started seeing a fuzzy white light at the end of a tunnel. Godspeed Lawrence Wilson, godspeed.

With Jason doing most of the heavy lifting (previews/recaps) on the football coverage, I plan to offer up a few thoughts and facts after each game as a supplement. Think of it as a Flinstones vitamin after dinner, only far less good for you.

The Good

• OSU finished 8 of 12 on 3rd down conversions.
• 8 true freshmen saw action and 3 scored their first career TD. (Saine, Sanzenbacher, Washington)
• Even though Mo Wells had a decent day (68 rush/rec yards) it's clear to me Saine is our 2nd best running back. He looks quick to the hole and combines power with a deceptive elusiveness.
• Boeckman not only had a fine day passing (17/23, 225yd, 2TD), he also showed leadership controlling the huddle, stayed poised in the pocket and made smart decisions. Even with Robo snagging 9 balls, I didnt feel Boeckman was locked in on just one receiver. There were other occasions where he ran through his progressions and hit the secondary or check down receiver. We'll see what happens when the competition picks up but I see no reason to believe Boeckman can't be an above average quarterback that, at the very least, won't lose a game trying to do too much. It also looks like Tressel was right, he throws an accurate deep ball.

The Bad

• As noted, the rushing attack was shaky as the O-line really didn't create much of a push up front. This is definitely a concern but I'm not going to panic just yet for a couple reasons. First, Beanie basically admitted after the game that he wasn't hitting the line with much gumption. Second, YSU put 8 in the box creating a numbers mismatch. Third, even with all those Penguins in the box, Tressel refused to call a sweep or option to get the RB's outside. Instead, he challenged the offense to open a hole between the tackles and that just didn't happen. In a real game against a real opponent, he would continue to throw over the top into the wide open 3 deep secondary and/or call more screens or sweeps to get wide instead of purposely running into a wall of defenders. All that said, the Buckeyes still should've opened a few more holes considering the weight mismatch in the trenches.
• What's up with 9 penalties? I don't think I've ever seen that many illegal substitution flags in a game. I also can't recall a captain (Pepper's boy) being flagged for that many false starts. That said, those penalties are easily correctable. I just hope the coaches join the team when they run gassers as punishment for the mental mistakes.
• I went to the game for the first time in years and I must admit it only served as a reminder for why I only go once a decade. My bro and I scored great seats in A deck on the 40 yard line and we were surrounded with folks who really are not passionate about OSU football. I had a very nice lady next to me but when her first question was "What's the name of our quarterback?", I knew I was in trouble. That thought was confirmed as I listened to the group of 4 behind me call a family friend on speakerphone to make dinner plans for after the game. I know it was just YSU, but its no secret why the 'Shoe only truly rocks once or twice a year.

The Ugly

• Lawrence Wilson's injury happened right in front of me and I knew right away he had a broken leg. Wilson's a tough dude and he was rolling around in agony for at least 5 minutes before the air cast was applied. This paves the way for young guys like Cameron Heyward and Robert Rose to step up, but losing Wilson is a big loss. You can bet The Gun Show will face even more double teams if someone doesn't step up and force teams to account for another stud coming off the edge.