Another "THIS Might Be The Best Buckeye Video EVER" Video—Ohio State Leadership 2013

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation Founder

"This year's team has high expectations. It's very simple, if we get tremendous leadership from our coaching staff, but most importantly our players, then we'll have a successful season. Talent will get you about seven or eight wins, discipline will start pushing that to nine. Then when you get leadership, that's when magic starts happening to your team."

-Urban Meyer

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"It takes a little something special to be a great player. We don't have enough great players. TO HELL WITH THAT! We don't want to coach average! I don't wanna be around ya, why be around average?! Did you push yourself to be great today?" - Urban Meyer

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2013 Buckeye Football — The Beginning of a New, Non-SEC Dynasty Under Urban Meyer? Yes. The Answer is Yes.

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation Founder

2012 was a great year for Ohio State and for Buckeye fans nationwide, as Urban Meyer lead his team to a perfect 12-0 season in his 1st year as head coach.

Last July, I predicted that going undefeated was a very real possibility. I also mentioned the Buckeyes could still be crowned National Champions via the AP Poll.

That didn't happen, but in the recently-released preseason polls, Ohio State is No. 2, behind only Alabama, and Braxton Miller is a serious Heisman candidate, even more so with the allegations and controversy swirling around ESPN's darling and 2012 winner, Johnny Manziel.

It's understandably infuriating to some degree that Ohio State was punished with a bowl ban for the 2011 tat-gate debacle where a few players received tats and/or money for their autographs when considering that all of a sudden everyone wants the NCAA to go away and to give Manziel a free pass for his bylaw-breaking, money-making broker deals.

It's pretty messed up that practically everyone wanted Ohio State to get the death penalty for the poor choices made by a small handful of players, but now want a massive NCAA overhaul. If it happens to a team from the SEC, or a star player from an SEC team like Manziel, THEN AND ONLY THEN do we want to affect change?

Interesting............

Before I get fired up any further, I will instead digress — for now. The primary focus of my ramblings here today is not about the what-ifs of the 2012 season, or the hypocrisy that we're seeing now over players making money off of themselves, for themselves, but rather Urban Meyer and his staff having wrapped up yet another stellar recruiting class in 2013 and already assembling a 2014 class that is looking just as stacked.

A huge Scarlet and Gray tidal wave is about to crash down on the Big Ten and all of College Football (I'm talking to you Alabama/SEC) in 2013.

The initial groundwork for Operation: 2013 Big Ten and National Champions was laid last fall when Ohio State hired Urban Meyer as head coach.

It wasn't always pretty, but neither were the close wins by teams like Notre Dame and Alabama either. And if those close wins and narrow escapes by those teams were gutsy and gritty, and "good teams find a way to overcome adversity and get the win, whatever it takes," so too were similar victories by the Buckeyes.

Because Ohio State is relevant and seemingly always challenging for conference and national titles, especially in the BCS era, there are many CFB fans who just happen to be AP poll voters, with personal vendettas against the Buckeyes, and so unfortunately, there IS a double-standard.

Let's compare the rise and fall in the rankings this season of Ohio State and Notre Dame, this years media (ESPN) darling, shall we?

Week               Ohio State             Notre Dame
Preseason             #18                     NR
Week 1                #14                    #22
Week 2                #12                    #20
Week 3                #16                    #11
Week 4                #14                    #10
Week 5                #12                    #9
Week 6                #8                     #7
Week 7                #7                     #5
Week 8                #9                     #5
Week 9                #6                     #4
Week 10               #5                     #4                    
Week 11               #6                     #3
Week 12               #4                     #1
Week 13               #4                     #1
Week 14               #3                     #1

So what exactly does the chart above show? Well, both teams had a handful of lackluster wins and at least one very near loss, but Ohio State dropped in the rankings on three occasions, all after wins, while ND didn't drop once.

In addition to the obvious rankings-bias illustrated against Ohio State above, I'd also like to mention how nice it is that Ohio State can win and drop 4 spots in the polls, but when No. 1 Alabama lost to a 2-loss Texas A&M team AT HOME, they plummeted all the way down to No. 4—three whole spots, after a loss.

Wait, what? Was I talking?

Haha, nevermind, I digress,.....AGAIN!

Looking forward to 2013, none of that matters. The No. 2 Buckeyes will undoubtedly be one of the top contenders battling to earn a berth in, and win, the final BCS championship prior to the end of the BCS era and the start of the new 4-team playoff system that goes into effect starting in 2014.

While several Buckeye starters from the 2012 team are gone, Ohio State is one of those schools that never rebuilds, but instead, reloads.

That has never been truer now that Urban Meyer, arguably the best recruiter in college football, is on the recruiting trail for the Scarlet and Gray.

While Jim Tressel was often criticized for not being able to close out his classes, Urban Meyer has the complete opposite reputation when it comes to pursuing and signing elite targets.

His ability to recruit and land the nation's best HS players are evidenced by OSU's class rankings in 2012 (3rd), 2013 (1st) and 2014 (6th already as of now).

Here are the recruits in the 2013 Ohio State recruiting class:

Player              Position            Star-Rating
======              ========            ===========
Tracy Sprinkle         DE                  ***
Tim Gardner            OG                  ***
Christopher Worley     LB                  ***
Trey Johnson           LB                  ****
Darron Lee             S                   ****
Donovan Munger         DT                  ****
Tyquan Lewis           DE                  ****
Jayme Thompson         S                   ****
Billy Price            DT                  ****
Gareon Conley          CB/WR               ****
Michael Hill           DT                  ****
J.T. Barrett           QB                  ****
Cameron Burrows        CB                  ****
Eli Apple (Woodard)    CB                  ****
Dontre Wilson          RB/WR               ****
Ezekiel Elliott        RB                  ****
Evan Lisle             OT                  ****
Corey Smith            WR                  ****
James Clark            WR                  ****
Marcus Baugh           TE                  ****
Jalin Marshall         WR                  *****
Joey Bosa              DE                  *****
Mike Mitchell          LB                  *****
Vonn Bell              S                   *****

It's good to be back blogging and I can't wait to spend this potentially magical season with all of Buckeye Nation, especially my readers here and my followers on Twitter — HD

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Week 10: No. 6 Ohio State vs. Illinois—History Lesson, Trends and Prediction

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

This week, No. 6 Ohio State (9-0, 5-0) hosts the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-6, 0-4) in a Leaders Division matchup. ESPN will broadcast the game nationally at 3:30PM EST.



Here is the tale of the tape in recent years, and all-time.

Ohio State—Illinois History Lesson And Recent Trends

• Ohio State is 64-30-4 all-time vs. Illinois.

• Ohio State is 8-2 against Iliinois since 2000.

• Ohio State is 37-18-4 all-time in Columbus vs. Illinois.

• Ohio State is 3rd in the Big Ten with 20 quarterback sacks.

• Urban Meyer coached teams are 70-14 when ranked in the Top 25.

• Ohio State is one of only 6 unbeaten FBS teams and the only team at 9-0.

• Ohio State's defense has only allowed 11 100-yard rushers in their last 58 games.

• Ohio State's defense has held opponents to 10 points or less 37 times since 2006.

• Ohio State has held 71 opponents to 21 points or less since the start of the 2005 season.

• Illinois is 46-83 overall since 2002.

• Illinois last defeated Ohio State in 2007.

• Illinois is 23-61 in Big Ten games since 2002.

A Couple Thoughts and Score Prediction

To put it mildly, Illinois is having a terrible season under first year coach, and former Urban Meyer, and Ohio State assistant, Tim Beckman.

The Fighting Illini have lost five in a row by an average of 26.4 points and despite the fact that the Buckeyes have been playing down to their competition in recent weeks, I look for that trend to be broken this week over the Illini.

The Buckeyes are 10th in the nation at just over 248 rushing yards per game, and quarterback Braxton Miller, who leads the Big Ten in both rushing and total yards per game, should bolster his Heisman Trophy consideration against an Illinois defense that's allowing nearly 153 rushing yards per game and that has yet to face an opponent with the running prowess and capability that Ohio State owns.

Ohio State 55
Illinois 10

"To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when no one else will" - Sugar Ray Robinson

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No. 8 Ohio State—Indiana: History Lesson, Trends and Prediction

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

This week, No. 8 Ohio State (6-0, 2-0) heads to Bloomington to take on the Indiana Hoosiers (2-3, 0-2) in a Leaders Division matchup.

Ohio State at Indiana
BTN - 8PM
      

Ohio State—Indiana History Lesson And Trends

• Ohio State is 68-12-5 all-time vs. Indiana.

• Ohio State has won 17 straight games against Indiana.

• Ohio State is 24-2-1 all-time in Bloomington vs. Indiana.

• Ohio State is 2nd in the Big Ten with 16 quarterback sacks.

• Urban Meyer coached teams are 67-14 when ranked in the Top 25.

• The last time Ohio State or Indiana won by less than 10 points was 1993.

• Ohio State is one of only 16 unbeaten FBS teams and one of only four at 6-0.

• Ohio State's defense has only allowed 11 100-yard rushers in their last 55 games.

• Ohio State's defense has held opponents to 10 points or less 37 times since 2006.

• Ohio State has held 71 opponents to 21 points or less since the start of the 2005 season.

• Indiana is 39-85 overall since 2002.

• Indiana last defeated Ohio State in 1988.

• Indiana has lost 22 of its last 23 Big Ten conference games.

Final Thoughts and Score Prediction

The Hoosiers surprisingly played very well last week at home vs. Michigan State, but the Spartans rallied from a 10-point, 3rd quarter deficit for a 31-27 win.

The fact that Ohio State and Michigan State battled to a 17-16 Buckeye win gives me reason to ever-so-briefly suspect that Indiana could play the Buckeyes similarly.

The series history, however, carries far more weight with me than the transitive property—and let's face it, Indiana is the worst team in the Big Ten by far. One could even make a case for Indiana and a MAC team like the Ohio Bobcats to swap conference allegiances.

The last time the teams played in Bloomington, Memorial Stadium looked like The Horseshoe, West, overrun with Buckeye fans. The "home" crowd will once again come away pleased with a Buckeye victory.

Ohio State 45
Indiana 13

"To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when no one else will" - Sugar Ray Robinson

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No. 8 Ohio State vs. Indiana—5 Things To Watch For

By Luke Pashke—BlockONation.com Featured Contributor

After a slate of Top 25 matchups, the Buckeyes are in store for a change of pace this week against a 2-3 Indiana team.

That being said, the Hoosiers did play Michigan State tough this past week so they may not be quite the slouch we thought they were, though they certainly aren't Nebraska or Michigan, either.

I understand that it's difficult to get excited about a seemingly gimme, in-conference game, but there are a few things that you should keep your eye on, which may give you a reason to enthusiastically watch this game.

Progression of the Passing Game

Following the Nebraska game, it's clear that this team can run the ball effectively at anytime.

Braxton Miller and company erupted for 371 yards rushing at 7.7 yards per rush, while only managing to throw for a mere 127 yards and 7 completions.

Now, granted, there's no reason to throw the ball when you're consistently driving down the field on the ground, but sooner or later this team will have to prove they can move the ball through the air.

When watching the Indiana game, pay close attention to how Miller and his receivers fare in the passing game. Hopefully for OSU, playing against a weaker opponent can build confidence in their passing game, allowing the Buckeyes to develop a more two-dimensional offense.

Who's Playing Linebacker?

Seemingly, the Buckeyes' linebacker crew could have their own reserved section in a hospital wing.

Ryan Shazier has been struggling through a knee issue all season and now senior linebacker, Etienne Sabino, is out for the next month or so with a leg injury he received this past weekend.

With Sabino out, freshman LB Josh Perry filled in against Nebraska. Along with Perry, fellow freshman linebacker Camren Williams saw some playing time against the Cornhuskers, although it was fairly short lived.

It will be interesting to see which young LB this coaching staff trusts to fill in for Sabino. Whoever it is, they better take advantage, because this team is chock-full of hungry, talented, young linebackers.

Utilization of the Tight Ends

This past Saturday against Nebraska, the Buckeyes finally used their tight ends effectively in the passing game. To my surprise, Stoneburner was not one of these tight ends, but nonetheless it was great to see.

Heuerman hauled in a pair of big catches for 53 yards and a touchdown. Even Nick Vannett had a 32 yard reception.

A tight end can be a quarterback's best friend, and heading into the season I expected this offense to utilize the tight ends on the regular. Through five games this wasn't the case, but this past Saturday Miller seemed to be looking the TE's way much more often.

Pay close attention to see if this utilization of the tight ends was a blip or a trend. Hopefully it's a trend. This offense is much better when the tight ends get involved.

Tackling on Defense and Special Teams

The Silver Bullets have progressively improved their tackling throughout the season, but they still aren't quite there yet. This past weekend they missed about five tackles on a touchdown run by Taylor Martinez.

The poor tackling can't continue to be a trend.

Their problem has been not wrapping up the opponent. Anytime the Buckeyes have gone for highlight tackles or strips they've looked foolish and hurt the team.

Against the Hoosiers, look for the defense to tackle fundamentally and cut down on the number of broken tackles, because against better teams those type of mistakes just can't happen.

Braxton Miller's Heisman Hype and Health

There is no doubt that Braxton Miller is the main attraction of any Ohio State football game.

The sophomore QB accounts for more than 70 percent of the Buckeyes' offense and has emerged as a serious contender for the prized Heisman Trophy.

Against Indiana, Miller just needs to pad his stats as much as possible and remain healthy.

Am I the only one who constantly holds their breath on every single one of Miller's runs?

I doubt it, because without No. 5, who knows where the Buckeyes would be at this point.

While a "Geno Smith vs. Baylor" performance would be nice, as long as Miller stays out of harm's way while adding a few scores and highlight plays, his Heisman hype will only increase.

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Week Two: Ohio State vs. Central Florida—History Lesson And Prediction

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

Ohio State/UCF—A Few Opening Thoughts...

Last week after an unexpected slow start which saw Ohio State trail Miami-Ohio 3-0 at the end of the first quarter, Devin Smith ignited the home crowd and the offense with the catch of the year, and the Buckeyes never looked back en route to a 56-10 blowout.

This week, Ohio State faces a much stiffer test as they host the UCF Knights. UCF also scored 56 points and opened the season with a win in the state of Ohio with their week one victory over the Akron Zips.



Given that my schedule did not permit me to post a full preview this week, you can get a full game preview via ESPN by clicking here.

Ohio State—UCF History Lesson And Trends

• This is the first-ever football meeting between Ohio State and UCF.

• Ohio State is 58-7 in Ohio Stadium since the start of the 2002 season.

• Ohio State's defense has allowed just nine 100-yard rushers in their last 50 games.

• Ohio State's defense has held opponents to fewer than 10 points 31 times since 2006.

• Ohio State has held 68 opponents to 21 points or less since the start of the 2005 season.

• Ohio State has won 58 consecutive regular season non-conference home games vs. unranked opponents.

• UCF is 0-6 all-time vs. Big Ten opponents.

• UCF has never beaten a ranked, non-conference opponent.

• UCF is 6-7 in games played in Ohio and 13-14 overall vs. teams from Ohio.

Final Thoughts and Score Prediction

Ohio State is the better team on paper and that should be obvious on the field late in the first half or early in the second. That being said, UCF is a good team capable of hanging with the Buckeyes in this game if they start like they did last week.

They say teams make the biggest leap from game one to game two. Assuming that holds true, we should see Ohio State come out firing on all cylinders early and often on Saturday.

I respect where the UCF program is after only 34 years of existence and I won't be shocked at all if they finish the season with 10 wins. To be honest, I fully expect 10 wins from them this season. Unfortunately, one of those 10 wins I foresee won't come Saturday in Columbus.

Ohio State 38
UCF 13

"To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when no one else will" - Sugar Ray Robinson

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Video: Did Ohio State WR Devin Smith Make The Greatest Catch We'll See All Year?

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

I have to assume almost everyone has seen this by now, but I am posting it because it doesn't get old watching it over and over!

What an unbelievable and spectacular grab by Devin Smith this was. It might never be topped by anyone this entire season.

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Deja Vu: Not That You Needed Another Reason To Get Jacked Up About Buckeye Football

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

With just over 24 hours to go until the Urban Meyer Era officially begins at Ohio State, we have been graced with yet another High-Def Buckeye pump-up video, that is once again, in a word, BADASS!

Thank you to Kade Jetland for the heads-up!

Remember, to join in on Twitter for LIVE, in-game chatter during Buckeye games all season long by adding #BlockONation to your tweets.

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Week One: Ohio State vs. Miami (OH) — Outlook, History Lesson And Prediction

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

Ohio State/Miami-Ohio—A Few Opening Thoughts...

Unfortunately, I'm a little bit pressed for time this week, so this isn't going to be quite as lengthy as it might have otherwise been and I do apologize for that.

I could just go with what one of my Twitter followers, Brian Murphy, posted and be done with it — after all, he may have been on to something when he posted this:

@blockonation Should be easy! Outlook: bad for Miami, History Lesson: #OhioState will always win, Prediction: Redhawk destruction. #GoBucks

— Brian Murphy (@BruFlea33) August 29, 2012

As spot-on as that tweet is likely to be, let's still go ahead and give both teams a quick look-see prior to the week one kickoff just for the heck of it, shall we?

Team Overview / Players of Note

Miami-OH

When it comes to Miami-OH, basically all you need to know is that in 2011, the Redhawks were 14th in passing nationally, but just 120th in rushing. That likely won't change in 2012 with huge question marks on the O-line and in the backfield.

While Zac Dysert and Nick Harwell form arguably one of the country's top QB/WR combos, the Buckeyes must bring pressure against Miami's unreliable front line and get to Dysert. He was sacked 46 times last season, second most in the nation.

If he has time, Dysert has big-game potential. Last season, he threw for 3,513 yards and 23 touchdowns. Only Oklahoma's Landry Jones and USC's Matt Barkley have more career passing yards among active FBS signal-callers.

Harwell led the team with nine touchdown receptions. Nationally, he was fifth in the FBS with 1,425 yards receiving and ranked fourth with an average of 129.5 yards per game.

As a team, Miami combined for just 886 rushing yards — that translates to less than 75 yards per game. To qualify how bad that is, Buckeye QB Braxton Miller rushed for over 700 himself and Ohio State rushed for 2,485 as a team.

Despite it still being a work-in-progress for the Buckeyes, defensively, Miami is very likely to have major issues all game long against Ohio State and Urban Meyer's spread offense. The discrepancy in talent between these two teams at every position on the field, other than at QB and WR, i.e. Dysert and Harwell, will be glaringly evident.

Ohio State

As mentioned, the new offense and the players have come a long way since the spring, but coach Meyer and his staff aren't where they want to be yet. All apologies to Redhawk fans, but that's why teams like Ohio State schedule a couple early season games against teams such as Miami-OH — to works out the kinks.

Last year, Ohio State's offense was literally painful to watch at times, more often than not, however, Braxton Miller, (pictured at right), did show us some flashes of his future potential. That future may be upon us, now.

Miller passed for 1,159 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for another 715 yards and seven scores last season. It's not inconceivable to believe that Braxton could come close to doubling that production under Meyer this year.

Am I really suggesting a 2,000/1,200 passing/rushing campaign for Miller as a possibility? You bet I am.

While a huge season for Miller seems likely, the Buckeyes will also have to rely on several other players to step up if the team goal of going 12-0 is to be accomplished.

In the backfield, that duty falls on starter Carlos Hyde and reserves Bri'onte Dunn and Rod Smith, as well as Jordan Hall (when he returns from off-season foot surgery). Heading into the season, Hyde seems to be the best of the bunch and while you never want to go away from the hot hand, Meyer may choose to rotate them during games to limit fatigue.

The word on the street is that Corey "Philly" Brown is going to be the guy this year for the Buckeyes at WR. He's had a few decent games but so far, he hasn't lived up to expectations. Hopefully the word is right.

Former TE Jake Stoneburner joins Brown and Devin Smith as the (three-wide) first team receivers. While Brown and Smith can both stretch defenses down the field, the 6'6 Stoneburner should make for a promising target on short and intermediate routes, particularly in the redzone.

With an average per man of 6'5 1/2", 304 pounds, this offensive line is the true definition of big uglies and should be more than serviceable despite having to replace several key guys from a year ago. Starters Corey Linsley, Jack Mewhort, Andrew Norwell, Reid Fragel and Marcus Hall each have previous game experience.

Last, but far from least, The Silver Bullets are poised to be one of the nation's top defenses in 2012.

While headlined by senior DE John Simon, (pictured at left), there are top-tier, potential future NFL draft picks at practically every position.

Joining Simon in the front four will be Johnathan Hankins, Garrett Goebel and Michael Bennett. Coach Meyer has been very vocal about how good his front four is. He should be excited about the DL reserves as well: Steve Miller, Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington, Tommy Schutt, Joel Hale, Chris Carter and JT Moore.

Ohio State always has been known for having great linebackers. Etienne Sabino leads the corp, but Ryan Shazier and Curtis Grant aren't far behind. What they lack in experience, they make for in tenacity and raw ability. I personally cannot wait to watch this unit more than any other come Saturday.

Expect the defensive backfield to be very solid with Bradley Roby, Christian Bryant, C.J. Barnett and Travis Howard all returning as starters. Doran Grant, Orhian Johnson, Corey Brown and Adam Griffin are all very capables backups as well.

Ohio State—Miami-OH History Lesson And Trends

• Ohio State is 110-8-4 all-time in home season openers.

• Ohio State is 21-1-1 in their 1st game under a new head coach.

• Ohio State is 4-0 all-time vs. Miami-OH (1904, 1911, 2000, 2005).

• Ohio State is 57-7 in Ohio Stadium since the start of the 2002 season.

• Ohio State is 16-0 vs. MAC teams since 2000, winning by an average of 25 ppg.

• Urban Meyer is the 24th head coach in Ohio State football history (1890-2012).

• Ohio State has won 33 consecutive home openers - Last loss was to PSU in 1978 .

• Ohio State's defense has allowed just nine 100-yard rushers in their last 49 games.

• Ohio State's defense has held opponent to fewer than 10 points 31 times since 2006.

• Ohio State has held 67 opponents to 21 points or less since the start of the 2005 season.

• Ohio State has won 57 consecutive regular season non-conference home games vs. unranked opponents.

• Ohio State is 179-48-15 all-time vs. in-state opponents, with their last loss coming against Oberlin in 1921.

Final Thoughts and Score Prediction

Until we actually see this new Buckeye offense in real game situations, we can only speculate about how good (or bad?) the season is going to play out. I'm an eternal optimist, and Meyer is a proven winner, especially when he has the right pieces in place.

He has many, if not all, of those pieces he requires to be successful here with Ohio State and I'm sure he plans on making a lasting impression on Buckeye Nation and to the entire nation in his first game as head coach.

There's ZERO percent chance that Ohio State loses on Saturday — I repeat, ZERO.

God love him, but this isn't your Jim Tressel-led Buckeyes anymore. Urban isn't afraid of hurting the Redhawks and their fans feelings on Saturday. He's a go for the jugular, stomp on their throats, kind of guy.

Sorry Miami, but that makes this weeks score prediction pretty much a no-brainer.

Ohio State 48
Miami-OH 7


"To be a champion, you have to believe in yourself when no one else will" - Sugar Ray Robinson

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Ohio State's Post-Camp Two-Deep Depth Chart Projections

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

I would expect coach Meyer's official Buckeye depth chart to be released by early to mid-week, but why wait until then to quench our thirst?



There's nothing wrong with throwing out our best (somewhat?) edumacated guess as to how the chips will fall this week, so here goes nothing.

(Note: These projections exclude any currently injured or suspended player(s) and are subject to change upon their respective return(s) to the team.)

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Quarterback

1st team: Braxton Miller
2nd team: Kenny Guiton

Running Back

1st team: Carlos Hyde

2nd team: Rod Smith or Bri'onte Dunn

Fullback

1st team: Zach Boren

2nd team: Adam Homan

Wide Receivers (3-wide)

1st team: Philly Brown, Jake Stoneburner, Devin Smith

2nd team: Evan Spencer, Michael Thomas, Tyrone Williams or Verlon Reed

Tight End

1st team: Nick Vannett

2nd team: Jeff Heuerman

Offensive Line

1st team: Reid Fragel or Taylor Decker, Marcus Hall, Corey Linsley, Andrew Norwell, Jack Mewhort

2nd team: Taylor Decker or Reid Fragel, Antonio Underwood, Jacoby Boren, Tommy Brown, Daryl Baldwin

Defensive Line

1st team: John Simon, Jonathan Hankins, Garrett Goebel, Michael Bennett

2nd team: Steve Miller, JT Moore, Chris Carter, Noah Spence

Linebackers

1st team: Etienne Sabino, Curtis Grant, Ryan Shazier

2nd team: Stewart Smith, Luke Roberts or David Perkins, Connor Crowell or Jamal Marcus

Cornerback

1st team: Bradley Roby, Travis Howard or Doran Grant

2nd team: Doran Grant or Travis Howard, Adam Griffin

Safety

1st team: Christian Bryant, CJ Barnett

2nd team: Orhian Johnson, Devan Bogard

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It's very likely that there will be a few swings and misses in my projections, but I feel pretty confident with most of them, and if nothing else, it provides us all with a topic of debate for the next few days.

— HD

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Around The Block Flashback: 2009 Interview With Ohio State Running Back Carlos Hyde

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

Back in 2009, I had the pleasure of speaking with then-future Buckeye running back, Carlos Hyde.

For context in case any of the questions or answers don't completely make sense (example: a question was asked regarding how Carlos felt about the upcoming game vs. USC in 2009), Carlos was originally a 2009 recruit, but subsequently spent a year at Fork Union Academy and officially began his career at Ohio State in 2010.

The blog, and Carlos have each come a long way since then, so it seemed like the right time to share this again—enjoy!

First off Carlos, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this today.

No problem.


Let's start off by getting to know a little about you off the field.

OK.


What kind of music do you listen to most?

Rap.


So who is your favorite rapper?

Right now, Young Jeezy.


What's your favorite show(s) on TV?

Anything on ESPN - I watch whatever is showing.


Many people probably don't know it, but you are originally from Ohio near Cincinnati, correct?

Yes.


So when did you move to Florida?

My sophomore year, 2006.


Any idea what you're going to be majoring in at OSU?

No, not sure yet.


Who are YOUR top three running backs of all-time?

Herschel Walker, Beanie Wells, and Adrian Peterson


Three very worthy choices!

Yeah.


I've heard you being compared to P.J. Hill from Wisconsin and Eddie George from OSU. Who do you feel you are most like on the field?

Both Herschel and Beanie.


I definitely hear your stiff-arm compares to Beanie's; I'm looking forward to seeing that!

Yeah, I've got some power in it.


Have you had the chance to meet Beanie?

Yeah, he's cool.


So who at Ohio State was most involved in recruiting you and I'm talking players, coaches, the ball boy...name them all!

Coach Dick Tressel and I've met with (Head) Coach Tressel too.


Were any of your soon-to-be teammates in particular who called you or texted you bugging you to come to OSU before you made your commitment?

No, I really didn't talk to anybody before-hand other than the coaches.


You had a long list of schools lined up for you. What were the main reasons why you chose to come to Ohio State?

Because I've always loved Ohio State. It's the school I always wanted to go to.


Did the OSU losses to Florida and LSU in the BCS title games affect your choice at all and did it make you want to come here and help them win a title?

No, it didn't...I really didn't care. I just wanted to be a part of OSU, whether they won or not.


Well I'm sure you know the crazy Buckeye fans are hungry to see the Bucks win the title again, and I know many of them believe you can be a big part of helping them to do that...

Yeah, I feel I can be a really big part in that!


I know the recruiting sites all listed you as a fullback. What position will you be playing in your efforts to help the Buckeyes win a title, and do you know what number you're going to be wearing yet?

I will be playing running back, not fullback, and yes, I'll be wearing No. 34.


What personal and team goals have you set?

To be the starting running back and to win the BCS Championship!


And of course beating Michigan four times, right?

Yeah, I have family members who are Michigan fans, so I have extra motivation!


Speaking of Michigan, they are obviously rebuilding up there, but it's still Ohio State/Michigan, so what pops into your head when you think about playing them for the first time and in Ann Arbor of all places this year?

First thing I think is "BEAT MICHIGAN" and yeah, I'm very excited for that game and look forward to beating them!


If the NFL comes calling down the road, I'm sure you won't be too upset? OSU has sent a lot of RB's to the NFL. I think you've got a decent shot!

Yeah, I hope so!


Pryor and you could both win Heisman's and help OSU win it all and I hope that happens!

Yeah, me too!


USC will be the second game of your college career and it's a huge game to say the least. Are you pumped, nervous, excited? What are your thoughts?

Yeah, I'm definitely pumped to play them and hopefully show what I can do!


Well, that's all I've got but I just wanna say thanks again so much for your time and I wish you all the best in the coming seasons at OSU and beyond!

OK, Thanks!

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As I go back over the questions and answers and type up this story, I can't help but notice a certain quiet confidence displayed by this young man.

He definitely seems to fit the bill as a Tressel strong-character on and off the field kind of guy. He will transition well as a Buckeye and will no doubt be embraced by the Buckeye faithful.

I would expect that there's a great deal of pressure in potentially being the next great running back in the long line of great running backs Ohio State has produced, and that's exactly what I personally think Carlos Hyde will be and why I wanted to interview him in the first place.

He might just be the next big thing at Ohio State, but you'd hardly know it from talking to him.

The great ones don't feel the pressure or a need to brag. They just perform. It comes naturally, and they're not cocky...just confident.

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Not That You Needed Another Reason To Get Jacked Up About Buckeye Football, But Watch This Anyway!

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

This High-Def Buckeye pump-up video is, in a word, BADASS! Thank you to Kade Jetland for posting it!

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Rise And Shine—Two Players Who Increased Their Stock During Ohio State's Fall Camp

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

In less than two weeks—12 days, to be exact—the Ohio State Buckeyes and first-year head coach Urban Meyer and his hand-selected Dream Team coaching staff will take the field to kickoff the highly-anticipated 2012 football season.

It seems Meyer came in already excited and impressed by some players, such as Braxton Miller, Devin Smith and John Simon, but a few others whose long-term futures as Buckeyes weren't always so clear have since also caught his attention in a positive way during camp.

If you've been watching ESPN's All-Access: Ohio State Football, you may have noticed a few of these previously under-the-radar, or in-the-doghouse players who have done a 180 and made a positive impression on Meyer and his staff.

For me, there are two guys who are the epitome of this. The first is sophomore receiver Tyrone (formerly T.Y.) Williams.

At 6-6, 230, Williams is literally a huge target. Physically, he has undoubtedly been blessed with the "tools" of the trade. The problem for Williams has been the mental part of the game. It's hard going from the superstar WR in HS to a backup (at least up until now) in college.

In limited action last year, Williams seemed to buckle under the pressure rather than rise to the occasion. If you play receiver and you drop more balls than you catch, the odds are stacked against you when it comes to seeing the field.


Frustrated by his lack of playing time, Williams posted a tweet questioning the teams' lack of appreciation and/or commitment to him. I remember it saying something to the effect of, "If they don't want a 6-6 receiver here, maybe I need to go somewhere they do want me..."

That's me paraphrasing from my memory and not an exact quote by any means, but you get the gist. Williams was unhappy and when Urban Meyer was hired last November, I thought for sure he was a goner.

He seems to be a new man these days under Meyer. Perhaps he is going to return to being the star player he was at Shaw HS just a few short years ago. That would be a win-win for both Williams and Ohio State.

I am not exaggerating when I say he was a fantastic HS player, and him landing a scholarship with Ohio State was no accident.

See for yourself.



Sophomore quarterback Braxton Miller could very-well-be the 2012 Big Ten Offensive POY or at the very least, a strong contender as he comes into his own this season.

Knowing that, and with coach Meyer looking for playmakers at wide receiver to WOW him, Williams' time to step up and make a positive impact on this team and to forever change the course of his (previously?) fledgling Buckeye career is right now.

Just in case you haven't been watching, here's a clip from the Ohio State Training Days series. You've been missing out!



The other player who has really stood out over the last two weeks is junior tailback Carlos Hyde. As far as being under-the-radar or in-the-doghouse, Hyde was a little of both. Regardless, I've personally been a fan of Hyde's since his commitment and BlockONation.com interview back in 2009.

Last season, then-sophomore Hyde showed that he has the potential to be a very dependable and capable running back, despite being Jordan Hall's backup.

He wasn't always utilized as often as many Buckeye fans (myself included) wanted him to be and it may have had something to do with his work ethic and attitude. His playing time diminished even further when senior Dan Herron came off of suspension.

At one point during the 2011 season, he too posted a tweet that reflected a broken man who was considering giving up.

Maybe it was a bad attitude, or laziness, or something else all-together that cost Hyde carries and had him pondering—however so briefly—the end to his his time as a Buckeye, but those days seem to be well behind Hyde on the eve of the 2012 campaign.

With Hall still at least 4-6 weeks away from a full recovery after undergoing off-season foot surgery, Hyde is the No. 1 back right now, and regardless of when Hall returns, Hyde can solidify his standing as such if the effort he has displayed in camp continues through the first month or so of the season.

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Big Expectations — Buckeye Playmakers That Must Thrive For Ohio State in 2012

By Tim Bielik — BlockONation.com Featured Contributor

It's no secret that Ohio State's 2011 offense was utterly abysmal almost any way you look at it: scoring, rushing or passing.

The archaic offense that the Buckeyes ran last season is gone and now Urban Meyer's "power spread" offense has arrived, meaning that the days of boring, stagnant offenses are pretty much over.

Ohio State certainly has the potential to have a successful offense based on the young athletes they have been able to bring into Columbus in recent recruiting seasons.

Among the players that will need to step up this year are Corey Brown, Evan Spencer and Devin Smith (pictured, top right).

Each of those three receivers had their moments throughout last season — and in the case of Brown, two years. They are speedier receivers that work best in space and with shorter routes instead of going deep every single time.

Brown has to become much more consistent as far as catching the ball is concerned, with several crucial drops at bad times. Smith and Spencer were both young and needed a little bit of seasoning, which this offseason can help provide this team.

Jake Stoneburner will be an important part of the offense from the TE position, although he might not be in as good of shape as he would normally be because he cannot workout with the team until fall camps due to his arrest.

He presents a major mismatch when it comes to the passing game but always seemed to be underused in the past several seasons.

This year, he will be used as much as possible, especially considering the success Meyer and offensive coordinator Tom Herman have had developing Aaron Hernandez and — in Herman's case — James Casey at Rice.

As far as running backs go, OSU potentially has a solid one-two punch with Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde (pictured at left), if and when Hall returns healthy from a recent off-the-field injury and subsequent surgery that is expected to sideline him for at least 10 weeks.

Hall is a shifty back who can catch the ball out of the backfield and make some screen plays as well as running up the middle. His game is multi-dimensional, which allows him to do a little bit of everything.

Hyde is the typical power back that will likely be used in red-zone packages, particularly the inside zone read plays that the OSU offense will be built around. His role may be that of a faster LeGarrette Blount, in that he has underrated speed to go with his size.

Hall and Hyde will make a strong tandem as far as running backs go, as they have had a year to gain experience and they each have some decent chemistry with sophomore QB Braxton Miller.

The players are certainly there for Ohio State. The only question is whether or not they will be able to make big things happen this season in a more athlete-friendly offense.

OSU has good athletes committed to their 2013 recruiting class, but this current group of veterans and incoming freshamn will have a chance to do some big things this year.

Spoiler Alert (sarcasm off) — The forseeable future is extremely bright at Ohio State.

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@Bielik_Tim

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Fine Tuning: 5 Things Braxton Miller Must Do to Adapt to the Spread

By Luke Pashke — BlockONation.com Featured Contributor

As soon as the hiring of Urban Meyer was announced, I'm sure Braxton Miller was jumping for absolute joy. The system Miller was asked to perform last year was atrocious and completely unfit for Miller's skill set.

One of the many positive things Meyer brings with him is his trademarked spread system that focuses on putting his best players in the best positions to succeed—especially his quarterbacks.

Now the sophomore field general will be placed in the perfect system for his talents and should adapt quickly and well. This being said, Miller still has some work to do in order to put major points on the board in 2012.

Make Quicker Decisions

Meyer's spread offense is built on quick-hitting passes that require almost muscle memory reaction from the quarterback. The field general must know where his receivers are, where they will be and where he must put the ball in a flash.

Despite an excellent freshman year, Miller struggled to make quick decisions and often preferred to extend plays rather than get the ball out quickly.

This won't fly in the spread system, and Miller must know that. The better Miller knows his reads and is able to put the ball where it needs to be, the better this type of offense will be.

Read the Defensive End

The zone read is a staple in Meyer's offense. It is one of the most commonly run plays in his system and possibly the most important one. In order to see success from this certain play, the quarterback must read the defensive end precisely and effectively. This play does not work if the quarterback makes a misread.

Miller is a fantastic runner don't get me wrong, but sometimes the best plays he'll make next year will be when he leaves the ball with his running back. If Miller can develop effective decision making in the zone read, it will open up holes all over the defense and keep them on their heels.

Make the Right Decision Out of the Option

As stated before, Miller is an excellent runner.

We know he can drive a defensive coordinator crazy with his legs, but he must also kill defenses with his mind. Throughout his first season, Miller hardly ever pitched the ball on speed options and this sometimes hurt the Buckeyes offense.

The speed option is another commonly run play in Meyer's system, and if this offense wants to see great success, Miller must improve his decision making in the option game. Strictly running and ignoring the pitch will make the play one dimensional and easily stoppable.

If Miller really wants to march down the field, he must trust his running back and pitch the ball when necessary.

Make Accurate, Short Passes

Although Miller did have an excellent freshman season at Ohio State, he has plenty of room to improve in the passing game. He showed potential in a mostly pathetic passing attack last season, but struggled greatly at times with his accuracy and placement.

In the spread offense, accuracy in the short passing game will be paramount.

Miller must be able to connect on the quick-hitting passing routes with precision in order to avoid turnovers and "third and longs," and move the ball on all downs. When throwing quick screens, Miller must be able to place the ball in the best position for his receiver to run after the catch.

Difficult throws to grab completely kill a screen before they even start.

Although these may be viewed as the "little things," they will be the difference in this offense being a great unit or a mediocre one.

Distribute the Ball to All of His Weapons

Braxton Miller is an excellent player and clearly the main attraction on this offense, but he cannot be the only attraction. The sophomore quarterback is an absolute competitor and gamer, and has already shown the ability to completely take over a game and this is easily his greatest attribute.

However, at times, it appeared as if Miller would rather do it on his own rather than put faith in his teammates.

I don't think this is a result of a lack of trust in his teammates as much as it is how competitive he is. But if he puts too much on his shoulders, this offense will fail.

Like a point guard, Miller must spread the ball all over the field and get his numerous weapons involved throughout the game.

This offense is very versatile and focuses primarily on attacking the defense from every angle and stretching them to the max, and if Miller facilitates the ball while also dominating with his legs, the end zone will become very familiar to this offense.

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