Here we go again. After getting blown out by vastly superior SEC teams in the last two national championship games, Ohio State has the look of a team ready to make another title run. Nine starters return on both sides of the ball which means this might be the best Jim Tressell team yet. But will poll voters give the Buckeyes another shot at playing for the national title? OFFENSE
Tressell likes his offenses to be able to grind clock with the ground game and take care of the ball. Those tasks will be made easier thanks to the return of four starters to an offensive line that was the best in the Big Ten. Left tackle Alex Boone is one of the best in the nation at his position and he’s entering his fourth year as a starter. The only loss is right tackle Kirk Barton - but his replacement, sophomore Bryant Browning, has the look of a future star.
The line will pave the way for another excellent running game. Chris “Beanie” Wells is back yet again to rumble through Big Ten defenses. After rushing for 1,609 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2007, many have pegged Wells as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Backing him up is capable senior Maurice Wells and sophomore speedster Brandon Saine. Saine might get more touches this year as the Buckeyes attempt to can better utilize his athleticism.
Speaking of athleticism, Tressell managed to score the top prize in the recruiting class of ’08 when he signed Terrelle Pryor. Pryor is a quarterback, but with incumbent Todd Boeckman in tow, Tressell will find different ways to get his hands on the ball. He’ll play one way or another.
Saine and Pryor should give Ohio State’s offense a little more punch than they had last season. A veteran receiving corps returns intact, but for some reason I don’t get the impression Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline scare many defensive coordinators. Robiskie in particular is solid (55 receptions for 935 yards, 11 tds), but neither will affect an opponent’s game plan the way Pryor and Saine might.
DEFENSE
Where to begin? In 2007 the Buckeye defense led the Big Ten in every statistical category. They also led the nation in fewest yards (233.0) and points (12.8) allowed per game. The return of nine starters and every backup means the 2008 defense will be just as dominant as they were last year. Probable first round pick James Laurinaitis turned down the NFL just to come back and play another year for this defense!
Joining Laurinaitis at linebacker is the underrated Marcus Freeman. Freeman has played in the shadow of Laurinaitis his whole career, but he has produced in a manner that should garner some all-conference recognition. His speed is a nice complement to Laurinaitis, and together they will minimize the loss of Larry Grant by continuing to hunt down Big Ten ball carriers.
The only other loss this defense suffers is defensive end Vernon Gholston. Gholston was a tenacious pass rusher who posted 14 sacks a year ago and leaves some sizeable shoes to fill. But this is Ohio State - Lawrence Wilson will step right in and keep the pass rush fierce. Wilson is a potential 10-sack guy who started the season opposite Gholston last year, but broke his leg in the first game and missed the rest of the season. In his stead, true freshman Cameron Heyward, a 6-foot-6, 287-pound bull, stepped up and proved to be a star in the making. These two surround a workmanlike defensive tackle rotation to form the best defensive line in the Big Ten.
Malcolm Jenkins provides star power in the secondary. He’s a big, shut-down corner who will be an All American and a first round NFL draft pick. Joining him are Kurt Coleman, Donald Washington, and Anderson Russell. This quartet allowed only 150.2 yards passing per game a year ago, but they didn’t force the amount of turnovers you might expect to see out of a top ranked defense. Considering the lack of potent passing attacks in the Big Ten and the fact that LSU sliced up this group in the national title game, it’s reasonable to think they aren’t as good as their stats.
KEEP AN EYE ON
How many touches Brandon Saine and Terrelle Pryor get in big games. These two wild cards could provide the kind of speed the Buckeyes have been lacking in their recent mismatches against top notch SEC competition.
RISING STAR
Defensive end Cameron Heyward. The son of former NFLer Craig “Ironhead” Heyward is even more imposing than his dad was. He started on the defensive line as a true freshman and will be a force for years to come.
Tressell likes his offenses to be able to grind clock with the ground game and take care of the ball. Those tasks will be made easier thanks to the return of four starters to an offensive line that was the best in the Big Ten. Left tackle Alex Boone is one of the best in the nation at his position and he’s entering his fourth year as a starter. The only loss is right tackle Kirk Barton - but his replacement, sophomore Bryant Browning, has the look of a future star.
The line will pave the way for another excellent running game. Chris “Beanie” Wells is back yet again to rumble through Big Ten defenses. After rushing for 1,609 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2007, many have pegged Wells as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Backing him up is capable senior Maurice Wells and sophomore speedster Brandon Saine. Saine might get more touches this year as the Buckeyes attempt to can better utilize his athleticism.
Speaking of athleticism, Tressell managed to score the top prize in the recruiting class of ’08 when he signed Terrelle Pryor. Pryor is a quarterback, but with incumbent Todd Boeckman in tow, Tressell will find different ways to get his hands on the ball. He’ll play one way or another.
Saine and Pryor should give Ohio State’s offense a little more punch than they had last season. A veteran receiving corps returns intact, but for some reason I don’t get the impression Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline scare many defensive coordinators. Robiskie in particular is solid (55 receptions for 935 yards, 11 tds), but neither will affect an opponent’s game plan the way Pryor and Saine might.
DEFENSE
Where to begin? In 2007 the Buckeye defense led the Big Ten in every statistical category. They also led the nation in fewest yards (233.0) and points (12.8) allowed per game. The return of nine starters and every backup means the 2008 defense will be just as dominant as they were last year. Probable first round pick James Laurinaitis turned down the NFL just to come back and play another year for this defense!
Joining Laurinaitis at linebacker is the underrated Marcus Freeman. Freeman has played in the shadow of Laurinaitis his whole career, but he has produced in a manner that should garner some all-conference recognition. His speed is a nice complement to Laurinaitis, and together they will minimize the loss of Larry Grant by continuing to hunt down Big Ten ball carriers.
The only other loss this defense suffers is defensive end Vernon Gholston. Gholston was a tenacious pass rusher who posted 14 sacks a year ago and leaves some sizeable shoes to fill. But this is Ohio State - Lawrence Wilson will step right in and keep the pass rush fierce. Wilson is a potential 10-sack guy who started the season opposite Gholston last year, but broke his leg in the first game and missed the rest of the season. In his stead, true freshman Cameron Heyward, a 6-foot-6, 287-pound bull, stepped up and proved to be a star in the making. These two surround a workmanlike defensive tackle rotation to form the best defensive line in the Big Ten.
Malcolm Jenkins provides star power in the secondary. He’s a big, shut-down corner who will be an All American and a first round NFL draft pick. Joining him are Kurt Coleman, Donald Washington, and Anderson Russell. This quartet allowed only 150.2 yards passing per game a year ago, but they didn’t force the amount of turnovers you might expect to see out of a top ranked defense. Considering the lack of potent passing attacks in the Big Ten and the fact that LSU sliced up this group in the national title game, it’s reasonable to think they aren’t as good as their stats.
KEEP AN EYE ON
How many touches Brandon Saine and Terrelle Pryor get in big games. These two wild cards could provide the kind of speed the Buckeyes have been lacking in their recent mismatches against top notch SEC competition.
RISING STAR
Defensive end Cameron Heyward. The son of former NFLer Craig “Ironhead” Heyward is even more imposing than his dad was. He started on the defensive line as a true freshman and will be a force for years to come.
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