Today feels like it should be Sunday. It's not, though.
ICYMI:
- Buckeye helmets to feature a decal in memoriam of Terry Glenn.
- Looks like Sam Hubbard will declare for the 2018 NFL Draft.
- My former Iuka Avenue roommate, the amazing Kyle Rowland, returned for a Q&A.
- Help put a life-size statue of Woody Hayes in his hometown of Newcomerstown, Ohio.
Word of the Day: 爱尔兰啤酒.
GIVE IT TO HYDE. Ohio State should win the big game this weekend, as it's better than Michigan. Nothing is guaranteed in the Rivalry, though, and the local team could run into trouble if it forgets the bedrock of its greatness.
But that doesn't seem likely considering the mandate Urban Meyer handed Kevin Wilson.
From the Ohio State beat G.O.A.T. Tim May of The Columbus Dispatch:
Seems matter of fact, but the last time Ohio State went on the road it sure looked like the power running game wasn’t on the manifest. A reminder — that was the trip to Iowa, when the Hawkeyes pulled what still might be the most stunning upset of the 2017 season, a 55-24 win over the then-third-ranked Buckeyes.
A lot of things conspired to make them look elsewhere for production that day, especially after two quick Iowa touchdowns just before halftime broke a 17-all tie and put the Buckeyes in scramble mode.
But the week after Meyer said he issued “a mandate” to coordinator Wilson, co-coordinator Day and to the offensive staff to get Dobbins and Weber more involved with pure run plays, not just the zone-read options which the Hawkeyes found easy to force Barrett to keep.
The cliché is to run early and throw late. Analytics say to throw early and run late.
While I normally roll with the latter, the Buckeyes must go Old Testament in Ann Arbor. Once Ohio State gets up two scores, Don Brown will uproot the kitchen sink and the Buckeyes can take advantage with the ol' play-action.
MARTELL MIMICS MICHIGAN MAN. Tate Martell, one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks of the 2017 class, has made himself useful on scout team this year, mimicking Baker Mayfield to Tanner Lee.
But Michigan doesn't have a quarterback that can run like Martell, so he's a scout running back this week.
From Tony Gerdeman of The Ozone:
Given Michigan’s lack of mobility at quarterback, Martell has actually been giving the OSU defense some looks at running back as well. And he’s apparently not too shabby.
“Yeah, he did a few reps of it, just to give us a different look with the speed and shiftiness he’s got and the vision he’s got. It’s really similar to 22 (Karan Higdon),” defensive end Sam Hubbard said.
“He’s been doing that for a few weeks because of the things he can do in the open field. He’s a hell of an athlete,” linebacker Chris Worley said.
Karan Higdon, the three-star running back whose commitment made Mike Weber switch back to Ohio State in 2015, is Michigan's best running back. The Wolverines' rushing attack is the opposite of competent, but Higdon is capable of gashing once in a blue moon.
The respect of Higdon makes it more hilarious Ohio State can deploy a quarterback to mirror him on scout team. It's even sweeter, too, considering Martell would probably start for Michigan this weekend if he were available.
FOR NOW? Jim Harbaugh to the NFL is a rumor Ohio State fans dread because they enjoy watching Michigan Jesus lose big games. But a man paid a lot of money by Harbaugh is here to tell you the NFL chatter is debased from the truth... at least in terms of entirely subjective parameters.
From The Toledo Blade:
The speculation is all well and good, save for one small detail.
It’s complete nonsense.
“Look, let’s put an end to this,” said Harbaugh’s friend, Todd Anson, a San Diego attorney who has advised the coach in negotiations and helped broker his return to Ann Arbor. “There isn’t any news there. I know that for a fact, and the likelihood of [him leaving] is zero percent. I don’t mean forever — I hope forever — but for the foreseeable future.
“Is Jim Harbaugh the happiest he’s ever been? Not at 8-3. I guarantee you, no. But is he very, very happy in Ann Arbor? ... Yes.”
Always love to see extremely qualified sentences dispelled in the next one.
No, I don't think Harbaugh pulls the rip coord after he loses Saturday. That comes one year hence, when the bill for all that "Wait 'til next year" shit Michigan fans talked comes due.
Nothing Harbaugh's paper jockey said dispenses that notion, either.
BOBBY CARPENTER COULD STILL PLAY 30 SNAPS. I always wonder about the athlete Nike taps for Ohio State alternate jersey photoshops. Turns out, this week belonged to Bobby Carpenter:
When @OhioStateFB calls its like a little prayer... love getting the chance to lace it up again in one of the alternate unis #BeatTTUN pic.twitter.com/PWRYLye1SV
— Bobby Carpenter (@Bcarp3) November 23, 2017
I too love to look at college pictures and think about the way things were. Sadly, they ain't like that anymore.
AND THE GUNSLINGER FOLLOWED. Love the grit this Ohio cavalier showed by posing with three pistols shoved into his crotch:
Thanksgiving Day in the army was very generally observed; and our mess was not lacking in patriotismWe had procured a nice fat goose the day beforeI will not tell you how; but in some mysterious manner it became ours by right of possession" Truman Reeves6th Ohio Cav pic.twitter.com/GDGbjCvk9Y
— Civil War Trust (@civilwartrust) November 23, 2017
May the soul of Truman Reeves bless the Bucks.
THOSE WMDs. Slain Baltimore detective was to testify in case of indicted officers... 22 famous writers told us the book they're most thankful for... Lawsuit alleges inappropriate behavior by LA Kings mascot... Terrelle Pryor bet on himself and lost, but he's still the same receiver he was in Cleveland... The LA Times Guild asks, "Where is the money?"
