Unfortunately, more bad news hit the Ohio State University football program today.
On the heels of the news that both WR Duron Carter and DE Keith Wells have withdrawn from the school, now the long-rumored transfer of RB/FB Jermil Martin appears to have come to fruition as well.
Although he is currently enrolled for the summer quarter at OSU, he could plan to withdraw soon, and the word on the street is that he's headed to Youngstown State—stay tuned.
At best, Martin was projected as the fourth or fifth option in the 2010 Buckeye backfield—behind co-starters Brandon Saine and Dan Herron, and he would have been jockeying for playing time with Jamaal Berry, Jordan Hall, and Carlos Hyde.
The other bit of bad news as of now is that RB Roderick Smith, one of the top recruits in the 2010 class, is the only player from his class not signed up for summer quarter classes, and has not been in contact with the team in regards to his status for the upcoming season.
Apparently, there are some academic concerns that may prevent him from enrolling in time for the 2010 season.
It won't set the Buckeye coaching staff into panic mode if Smith doesn't make it for the 2010 season (see Carlos Hyde, 2009), but if for some reason he doesn't ever make it on campus, that will be a potentially huge blow to the RB depth starting in 2011.
I will update this article as needed if I hear any further information on Smith.
After a tumultuous first season in Columbus, Ohio State sophomore-to-be wide receiver Duron Carter has withdrawn from OSU, according to Bill Greene of Scout.com.
Carter has reportedly enrolled at Coffeyville (KS) Community College. He is expected to spend one year there to improve his grades and then he will be eligible to play Division-I football again.
After earning a starting spot in 2009 and catching 13 passes for 179 yards during the regular season, Carter was ruled academically ineligible for the Rose Bowl and missed spring practice for academic reasons.
At Coffeyville, Carter will attempt to improve his academic status in addition to playing football, and will seek to transfer to a Division-I school in June of 2011. He will then have three years of eligibility remaining.
It’s been a rough day for Jim Tressel and Ohio State football.
Sophomore defensive end Keith Wells has also decided to leave the program, according to a university release and Jeff Svoboda of BuckeyeSports.com.
Wells saw limited action in 2008 as a true freshman, and redshirted last season after an offseason injury. Wells would have been a backup defensive end in 2010, behind starters Cameron Heyward and Nathan Williams.
He took part in spring drills but would have been fighting for playing time with redshirt freshman Melvin Fellows and junior Soloman Thomas.
6/23/10 - UPDATE
According to an article by Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch, Cris Carter says the plan is for his son Duron to get his academics in order so he may re-enroll at Ohio State next June.
With the third receiver spot open this fall, the two players battling for it took vastly different paths to get there.
On one side of the coin, senior Taurian Washington has waited four long years for a chance to crack the lineup, and even contemplated transferring because of it.
The Orchard Lake, Mich., native has consistently performed during the spring and had 88 yards and a game-winning touchdown in this year's spring game.
Flip the coin over and you'll see a different story.
Sophomore Duron Carter is arguably the second-most talented Buckeye wide receiver behind DeVier Posey.
A tall, athletic receiver who runs great routes, Carter has the ability to be a big-time threat for the Buckeyes.
While he can excel on the field, the young receiver can't get it done in the classroom.
When Ohio State was throwing all over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, Carter could have made a major impact.
But due to academic problems, Carter was thousands of miles away, watching the game from his sofa in Florida after being ruled ineligible for the game.
He said he would get his stuff together going into spring camp, but once again was on the sidelines when March came around.
While he was out, Washington excelled in the spring and capped it off with a great performance for the Gray team during the spring game.
With Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher securing the first two spots, Jim Tressel faces a tough decision when fall opens.
Does he reward the kid who has paid his dues during his years as a Buckeye?
Or does he choose the talented but undisciplined Carter, who undoubtedly would be a threat in the Buckeye passing game.
Although Carter's talent might be intriguing, I believe Tressel has to give Washington the leg up.
It's still up in the air whether Carter will even be able to play this fall. With all the headaches he's caused, Tressel can send the youngster a message by sitting him if he's eligible.
Washington deserves the chance to play, too. Although he may have blown his chance with a few drops in the Navy game last season, the senior has earned the right to play.
Lamaar Thomas and Washington debated transferring all last season as the season dragged on without them seeing the field. When Thomas bolted for New Mexico, Washington decided to stick it out for the Buckeyes.
If I'm Tressel, I reward the guy for sticking it out. I also use his progression as a lesson to Carter, who has been handed everything but taken it all for granted.
Yeah, Carter might be much more talented and a better threat in the Buckeye offense, but he has to be taught a lesson. If he gets his act together and performs well in the fall, he can break his way into the lineup late in the season.
But when fall camp rolls around, I hope Tressel makes the right decision. Go with the kid who's done everything right to earn the spot, not the one who's done the exact opposite.
After what was an incredible finish to the 2009 season that saw Ohio State win the Rose Bowl, 2010 is shaping up to be the best team Jim Tressel has ever had at Ohio State.
But with all of those expectations, there is the "what if?" factor.
What if Ohio State has another "Purdue" game?
What if Terrelle Pryor goes down with an injury? (*knock on wood*)
What if the defensive line isn't as dominant as in 2009 and late 2008?
Regardless of the reasoning, everyone knows that teams, especially in the Big Ten, will be gunning for the Buckeyes and trying to end their stronghold grip on the conference.
There are obviously high expectations for Ohio State in 2010. Many "way too early" 2010 rankings have put the Buckeyes as high as No. 2, but none of that matters if expectations don't translate into reality once the season begins.
Here are five Saturdays that could potentially cost Ohio State a shot at the BCS National Championship Game in Glendale.
No. 5—November 27 at Home vs. Michigan
This one is the least likely of the five, and some fans may consider it a stretch, but remember, it has happened before. Anything can happen in a rivalry game.
That being said, over the last six years, this rivalry have been very one-sided. Ohio State has not lost to Michigan since John Navarre and Chris Perry were running the show for UM back in 2003.
But there's always cause for concern when the Wolverines come to town because of the rivalry that it is. It's always one of those games where the records need to be thrown out when these two teams meet.
Of course, that meant very little the last time Michigan played in Columbus...UM got "McGuffied!"
Still, it is the biggest game of the year, even with UM down right now. To give an example of how the Buckeyes focus on Michigan, their training facility has active countdown clocks set specifically to countdown to the Michigan game.
With the Big Ten adding a bye week as of this year, this will be the first time the teams meet after Thanksgiving ever.
Could changing that 100+ year tradition of THE GAME always being played on the third Saturday of November finally change the recent misfortunes of the Wolverines?
It could happen, but even most logical Michigan fans (that is definitely an oxymoron, and a very small group of people) do not expect a win in Columbus this coming season.
No. 4—September 11 at Home vs. Miami (FL)
These two teams last met in 2003 for the National Title, which the Buckeyes won in double-overtime after a controversial (only in Florida) pass interference flag by referee Terry Porter.
Deja Vu coming for Miami fans?
Seven years later, the Hurricanes come North looking for revenge, and QB Jacory Harris will get to face off against his good friend Terrelle Pryor.
Miami should have reason for motivation, especially coach Randy Shannon, who was the Defensive Coordinator when these teams last met.
The 'Canes will likely be a top 10 team when they meet Ohio State, but this Miami team lost in the Champs Sports Bowl to a Wisconsin team that the Buckeyes beat by 18 points earlier in the season.
This game will be the barometer as to where the Buckeyes and the Big Ten stand in 2010. So to will the Penn State vs. Alabama game that will be played the same day.
Wins by each would be an even greater boost to the steadily recovering perception of the Big Ten conference, and could potentially set up a huge top-five showdown between the Bucks and Nittany Lions once conference play begins.
Speaking of Penn State...
No. 3—November 13 at Home vs. Penn State
Two years ago, when Penn State came to Columbus undefeated, the Buckeyes had the Nittany Lions on the ropes until a fumble by then-true freshman Terrelle Pryor, led to the game's only touchdown, allowing PSU to escape with a 13-6 win—their first in Ohio Stadium since 1978.
Terrelle Pryor giveth...
Last season, despite the Terrelle Cryor t-shirt non-sense, and a "white-out" in Happy Valley, OSU left no doubt, beating up on the previously once-beaten (by Iowa) Nittany Lions, 24-7.
In recent years, this matchup has become quite the rivalry in the Big Ten, though OSU fans still recognize Michigan as their true No. 1 rival, not Penn State, much to the chagrin of jilted PSU fans.
But this years meeting brings some interesting storylines, with QB Kevin Newsome making his first trip to Columbus after the departure of Daryll Clark, and the final year of RB Evan Royster's outstanding career.
These games are some of the most physical in the country, so by no means will this one be pretty.
The Buckeyes certainly can't take this one for granted, but with the experience edge in their favor, another "per-usual" home win over the Nittany Lions should be the most likely outcome.
No. 2—October 16 at Camp Randall vs. Wisconsin
Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin is no doubt one of the toughest venues for a visiting opponent to play in, in all of college football.
And in mid-October, the Buckeyes will get a refresher course against a much-improved Wisconsin team, led by QB Scott Tolzien and 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year RB John Clay.
Clay is the best RB in the conference, although to be fair, I must also mention that Ohio State's defense held him to just 59 yards on 21 carries last season, as the Buckeyes defeated the then-unbeaten (5-0) Badgers, 31-13.
Wisconsin fans surely have fresh memories (and revenge on their minds) of Pryor's big drive and late touchdown scramble and dive to win the game the last time the Badgers hosted Ohio State in 2008.
And Terrelle Pryor, taketh away...
Winning in Madison can often prove to be difficult for any team, especially at night under the lights. This game will be physical, and both teams will bring their "A" games.
Ohio State and Wisconsin both could be, and probably will be, undefeated when they meet, meaning the team that wins will very likely solidify their position at or near the top of the conference, and near the top of the national rankings.
With Pryor entering his third season as a starter, and the OSU defense looking like it should once again be dominant, the Buckeyes have to be the favorite in this game as of right now.
But, much like with Penn State, they cannot afford to overlook the Badgers, especially on the road.
No. 1—November 20 at Kinnick Stadium vs. Iowa
There is no bigger threat to the Buckeyes reign in the Big Ten than the team they escaped against to win the conference title outright in 2009 than the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Kirk Ferentz's teams are almost impossible to beat at home in November, and that's exactly when these two teams will meet head on, possibly for a conference title, and a trip to the BCS title game.
This time around, Ohio State should be dealing with Ricky Stanzi, who is one of the best QB's in the conference, and maybe even the nation.
With Stanzi out with an ankle injury last season, OSU nearly saw backup James Vandenburg lead Iowa to a win in Columbus.
Could the 2010 meeting be even better? In a word, YES!
Iowa, much like Ohio State likes to run the ball, control the time of possession, and play great defense.
I'm thinking Ferentz recently decided to copy Tressel's formula for success—If you can't beat'em, join'em, right?
In all seriousness, this game on paper should be just as good as last years. Both teams have veteran QB's, solid RB's, a a stud defense.
Adrian Clayborn and Tyler Sash are back, along with most of Iowa's talented skill players.
There's no doubt that Iowa will be motivated and wanting revenge after losing the game, and the conference title, in Columbus by a field goal in OT.
This could be the college game of the year if both teams are undefeated (a distinct possibility) when they meet.
Just like in 2006 when Ohio State and Michigan were both unbeaten in the final game of the year, we could see another No. 1 vs. No. 2 between OSU and Iowa if Alabama, Boise State and a few others (Texas, Florida, TCU, Va Tech, etc.) lose before week 13.
Original article written by Tim Bielik—B/R OSU Featured Columnist & Block-O-Nation Contributor Edits, changes, and additions to the original article made by HD Handshoe—Founder—Block-O-Nation Photo Copyright of Jim Davidson--TheOzone.net
Brian Rolle intercepted a potential two-point conversion in the closing minutes and returned it for two points the other way, helping No. 6 Ohio State hold off pesky Navy 31-27 on Saturday.
A crowd of 105,092 -- the largest ever to see the Buckeyes open a season -- sat in stunned silence after the Midshipmen scored twice in just over 4 minutes to cut a 29-14 deficit to two points with 2:23 left in the game.
Navy went for the tie, but Rolle stepped in front of Ricky Dobbs' pass and rumbled up the sideline to preserve the win in the Midshipmen's first trip to Ohio Stadium since 1931 -- and keep the luster on next week's showdown between the Buckeyes and No. 4 Southern Cal.
Terrelle Pryor was 14 of 21 for 174 yards, and ran for a touchdown and passed for another to help Ohio State build its lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Midshipmen came in as three-touchdown underdogs. The Buckeyes came in considered contenders to play for a national championship.
As it was, they barely got by Navy.
Dobbs, who completed 9 of 13 passes for 156 yards and two scores, rolled left and hit Marcus Curry on a 16-yard scoring pass with 1:24 left in the third quarter to cut Ohio State's lead to 20-14.
The Buckeyes countered with two quick scores.
Aaron Pettrey, who kicked three field goals, made a 52-yarder early in the fourth quarter.
Two plays later, Dobbs completed a pass in the right flat to Mario Washington that Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman ripped out of his arms. Linebacker Ross Homan fell on the ball at the Navy 30, and Pryor pitched the ball three plays later to Dan Herron on the option and he bounced in off left tackle on a 6-yard scoring run to put the Buckeyes up 29-14.
It stayed that way when Pettrey's extra-point try clanged off upright.
Navy turned it over again on its next possession, but then turned the game around with a defensive stand. The Buckeyes disdained the field goal and went for it on fourth and 2 at their own 15 with 6:30 left, but linebacker Tyler Simmons surged forward to stop Herron for no gain.
On the next snap, Dobbs lofted a perfect spiral over the middle to Curry, who had a step on safety Anderson Russell. Curry then outran Russell and Andre Amos to the end zone, completing the third-longest pass play in Navy history. The 85-yard score narrowed the lead to 29-21.
Pryor then overthrew a receiver and Navy safety Emmett Merchant intercepted and returned it 28 yards to the Ohio State 33 with just under 4 minutes left.
Dobbs ran for 4 yards, then passed for 5. On third and 1 at the 24, he faked a handoff and sprinted straight up the middle for the touchdown.
The gasp from the partisan crowd was audible.
Navy called timeout to set up for the possible tying two-point try. Dobbs then took the snap and dropped back, passing over the middle. Rolle was the only player close and the junior thundered up the Navy sideline 99 yards for the two points.
After getting the onside kick, the Buckeyes finally ran out the clock.
Mark Sanchez bolting school a year early for the NFL hurts a lot, even though "Slippery Pete" begged and pleaded with him not to leave him hanging (ten).
Never mind the silly surfing joke there. You probably missed it anyway.
No. 2
USC had a stellar defense in 2008—one of the best in the nation in fact—but eight of those 11 starters are now gone. Yes we all know USC reloads with more talented four and five-star blue-chippers, but it's the lack of experience that can kill you.
No. 3
Starting center Kristofer O'Dowd could be out several weeks after dislocating his right kneecap during a scrimmage last week.
I know that Ohio State center Mike Brewster is the anchor of the Buckeyes O-line and if he went down, that would be devastating.
Even though the Bucks have plenty of young, highly-touted linemen waiting in the wings, it would be nearly impossible to overcome a loss this significant. Therefore, I have to believe the loss of O'Dowd is huge for USC.
No. 4
USC fans should be concerned that true freshman Matt Barkley was named the starting QB. Yes he won the Gatorade POY in 2007 and he was the top QB prospect in the nation this past season coming out of Mater Dei.
But, he has never taken a snap at this level and his second career start is going to be in Columbus, Ohio on ABC, in primetime, versus an out-for-blood and revenge Buckeye team, in front of their own 100,000+ crazy-loud, rabid, scarlet and gray clad fans in the biggest must game win of all must win games of all-time—yet despite all that, he's going to just waltz right into the Shoe, be as cool as the other side of the pillow, and lead USC to victory?
Good luck with that Matt.
No. 5
Fifth, if you haven't heard by now, starting WR Ronald Johnson will be out six to eight weeks after breaking his collarbone during the Trojans' mock game Saturday at the Coliseum, depriving Barkley of one of his top targets until at least mid-October.
Johnson was the Trojans' third-leading receiver last season with 33 catches for 570 yards and eight touchdowns. Coach Pete Carroll said the injury was "the hit of the hit of the weekend," and called Johnson's absence "just a crusher."
No. 6
Lastly, USC projected starting corner back, Shareece Wright, has been ruled academically ineligible. Please don't say he wasn't going to srart anyway, or losing him is no big deal. He was the projected starter for a reason USC homers!
Now, if USC fans STILL believe Ohio State has no shot to win this game, you must have some super-secret weapon stored away that none of us have a clue about.
Please, do tell.
USC is still USC and I don't expect them to come in to Ohio Stadium and just wave the white flag. But, realistically, the odds of them winning have decreased over the last couple of weeks.
The sad part is, as many others have already said, this is a no-win-situation for Ohio State because if they do win, everyone will say it was because of these USC injuries and that the Trojans were overrated and rebuilding.
If they lose, it will be because Ohio State is overrated and they choked again like they always do on the big stage.
I want and fully expect the Buckeyes to win this game, but it's a shame that if they do, it will be with this dark cloud hanging over their, dare I say, impending victory.
They may have been able to beat USC at full strength, but now we will never know.
Everything. He’d better be really good, because most of the Buckeyes’ alpha dogs on offense are gone: Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline at receiver, Chris “Beanie” Wells at tailback, a couple of linemen and the reassuring presence of backup quarterback Todd Boeckman.
2) Who’s the tailback?
Dan “Boom” Herron will get first shot at replacing Wells. Former high school sprint champion Brandon Saine is now seen as an uber-back, capable of giving Herron a break but also a distinct threat to catch passes out of the backfield. This looks like a potential platoon position.
3) Any freshmen who’ll play right away?
Despite his arrest on minor drug charges, it appears Jaamal Berry will be in the mix at tailback – particularly if Herron and Saine can’t get a firm grip on the job. It figures that Duron Carter’s bloodlines (he’s the son of legendary OSU and NFL pass-catcher Cris Carter) will get him on the field. Tyler Moeller’s season-ending head injury might open the door for an Adam Homan, Storm Klein or Dorian Bell to show what they’ve got at linebacker. It could also be the case that the injury will be discussed by public health programs around the country as the head injuries caused by playing football are a growing area of concern.
4) What are some problem areas?
The absence of the top two tacklers – linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman – means that somebody else will have to make up for the loss of 214 of Ohio State’s 901 tackles from a year ago.
5) If Tressel’s right, and the punt is the most important play in football, then how important is the punter spot?
Don’t worry about placekicker because Aaron Pettrey will be a quality replacement for the graduated Ryan Pretorius. Punter A.J. Trapasso is gone as well and he will likely be replaced by the unproven Jon Thoma, who has all of two punts since coming to Ohio State.
6) Will this be a running or a passing team?
Silly question. Unless Pryor has suddenly channeled Dan Marino, he’ll likely fall back on what he knows and does best – run, run and when all else fails, run. Even though he had a fine passing year as a freshman (61 percent, 12 touchdowns, 4 interceptions), Pryor was seldom put in a position where he had to complete a pass in order to avoid a defeat.
Tressel looks at his group of tailbacks, his young wide receivers and his big and fast quarterback and knows it adds up to a big rushing attack.
7) What drives this team?
For the vets, it’s the chance to make it five Big Ten titles in a row. Only once has Ohio State done that. Three consecutive Bowl Championship Series losses have moved the focus to taking care of business in their own backyard.
8) When will we find out how good this team is?
That’s easy: Sept. 12, around 11:30 p.m. A year ago, Southern California absolutely bamboozled the Buckeyes, 35-3. If the Trojans do it again, this time in Ohio Stadium, any Buckeye national title aspirations can be put aside immediately.
9) Any trap games to watch out for?
Not really. The schedule sets up really well for Tressel and Co. It may sound funny to say this because of the Wolverines’ record last season, but one game to watch out for is at Michigan on Nov. 21.
10) OK, what’s a reasonable expectation for the 2009 season?
Another BCS berth isn’t out of the question coming out of the mediocre Big Ten, although the 2009 Buckeyes appear to be a year away from making a run at the title game for the third time in four years.
Two weeks into fall camps, the impact of some of the Buckeyes' latest recruits is very palpable.
Multiple freshmen, including Duron Carter, Storm Klein, and Dorian Bell, have worked their way already into the second-team units.
Freshman running back Jaamal Berry has drawn a lot of praise from Jim Tressel for his athletic ability early on in camp.
More so now than in recent years do the Buckeyes have tremendous athletic potential at a lot of positions, some at positions they aren't used to being strong at.
Ohio State appears to be solid with three-deep at running back. They also have a very deep, albeit inexperienced, wide receiver corps bursting with ability.
In addition, the Buckeyes appear to have one of their deepest linebacker corps in recent memory, with almost anyone in their two-deep rotation capable of starting.
The biggest reason for such depth has been dramatically improved recruiting methods.
In the last few years, the Buckeyes have been better at recruiting in the Southern states and landing some elite talent from states like Georgia and Florida.
As of right now, three of their main defensive contributors—defensive end Cameron Heyward, linebacker Brian Rolle, and cornerback Chimdi Chekwa—hail from both of those states.
Starting center Mike Brewster also hails from Florida as one of the major prospects from the South in the past two years.
Sophomore linebacker Etienne Sabino and redshirt freshman defensive back Travis Howard are both expected to fill major roles on the Buckeye defense.
In addition, Berry and Carter both hail from Florida and both have made early impressions on the Buckeye coaching staff.
But Florida is not the only major outside source for Buckeye talent in the past two recruiting classes. Jim Tressel has left a mark on the neighboring state of Pennsylvania, as he has taken the top player in the state to Columbus twice now.
Last year it was current starting quarterback Terrelle Pryor along with linebacker Andrew Sweat.
This year, stud linebacker Dorian Bell and defensive back/wide receiver Corey Brown came from the Keystone State to Columbus.
No one who follows recruiting can deny how much talent the Buckeyes have landed in their last two previous classes. Those classes ranked among the top five, rivaling recruiting titans USC and Florida.
As with any recruiting class, teams start reaping the benefits after the kids have a year under their belt, or even sooner.
If the 2009 season is the rule and not the exception, Ohio State fans are in for some exciting football.
No one outside of the program knows the current position rankings and depth charts of the roster until just before the first game. So it's unclear at this time what type of impact the freshmen and second-year players will have.
No doubt this is one of Tressel's youngest teams. So odds are high that these young guys will be thrust into action.
But if the youngsters hold true to their recruiting hype, Ohio State's new Buckeyes could have several teams that would be among the best in a storied history.
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Cris Carter was arguably one of the best receivers to put on a uniform for the Buckeyes. He was the first Ohio State wide out to become an All-American after his junior season.
It didn't take long for Carter to make an impact in Columbus, setting the Rose Bowl record with nine receptions for 172 yards as a freshman.
He left Ohio State after three seasons with a record 168 total receptions. In 2000, he was inducted into the Ohio State Hall of Fame.
Now his son Duron Carter looks to continue his fathers' legacy and become the next great receiver for the Buckeyes, and hopefully lead Ohio State to a National Championship.
He is an addition to some of the weapons Terrelle Pryor already has, the biggest man on the list being DeVeir Posey.
If Carter can do like his father and have an immediate impact, there is no question that this team will be loaded with talent once again.
The Buckeyes look like they will surpass the 2006 team that was just stacked with talent like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., Anthony Gonzales, and Antonio Pittman.
The Buckeyes now have three backs that can really make this running game confusing to defend.
They also have a multi-threat quarterback in Terrelle Pryor who will have the ball in his hands on every snap.
Finally, they look like their receiving core will be really athletic and talented, with possibly more depth than the '06 season.
Carter will need to fight for snaps because he does have competition in Posey and Ray Small.
Carter is a tall receiver with great athleticism, and when he adds some bulk, he'll be one of the top receivers in the nation.
The Buckeyes can see he is dedicated to playing in Columbus because he lived in Florida and could have easily went to any school around there, but he chose Ohio State.
The one great thing the scouts have been saying about Carter is he has reliable hands. He reaches out to catch the ball and adjusts well to bad passes.
That will be a quality that Terrelle Pryor will need, because he is still developing as a passer.
He's great in yards after catch and can usually make the first defender miss and he breaks tackles in the open field. He's aggressive and is not afraid to go over the middle. He's a deep ball threat and, like his father, has great route-running ability.
He's fast, but doesn't have blazing speed. He makes up for it in the key areas that the Buckeyes will need from their wide receivers.
"One of the guys we are very impressed with is Duron Carter and his route-running ability," Tressel said.
Carter could play a key role in whether or not the Buckeyes make it to the National Championship game this season or next.
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You are not going to hear names like Brian Robiskie, Brian Hartline, Teddy Ginn or Anthony Gonzalez.
For the first time in quite a few years the Ohio State Buckeyes will be starting the season without a proven star at wide receiver.
The Buckeyes have always had great receivers names like Carter, Glenn, Galloway, Boston, Jenkins, Germany, Gamble, Holmes, and the before mentioned Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez.
The 2009 Ohio State Buckeye receivers have not yet made a name for themselves. But, you can bet that at least one of them will be added to that list of great Buckeye receivers. Let's focus on the four players I think will see the most action.
The group will be led by senior Ray Small. Ray really hasn't had a chance to show what he is made of yet, He played behind a talented group of players in his first three seasons.
Ray caught 8 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown his freshman season. He did slightly better in his sophomore season catching 20 passes for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns. In the midst of controversy regarding Small and coach Tressell in 2008, he was suspended and had a horrible season. He finished the year with only 18 receptions for 149 yards.
Sophomore DeVier Posey will battle Small for the number one receiver honors. Posey is a big, fast receiver from Cincinnati, Ohio. Posey caught 82 passes for 1,518 yards and 16 touchdowns for LaSalle High School in Cincinnati.
With the Buckeyes in 2008, Posey caught 11 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. He and quarterback Terrelle Pryor showed great chemistry at times.
Dane Sanzenbacher was ranked as the 13th best prospect overall in the state of Ohio coming out of high school. Dane was an outstanding high school football player. He caught 65 passes and 16 touchdowns as a junior and was named first team all-state and as a senior, Dane had 61 receptions for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Dane was the ultimate big game player in high school. In seven career playoff games, he had 40 receptions for 842 yards and nine touchdowns. He also collected 40 solo tackles and eight interceptions. he helped Toledo Central Catholic win the 2005 State Championship with two touchdown receptions.
In his freshman season with the Buckeyes, Dane had 12 receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown. Dane's TD came on his very first reception as a Buckeye. In his sophomore season, he caught 21 passes for 272 yards and one touchdown.
Junior Taurian Washington from St. Mary's High School in Orchard Lake, Michigan. This 6-2, 179 pound receiver was the No. 8 overall recruit in Michigan and the 23rd best receiver nationally.
Taurian caught 40 passes for 893 yards and 13 touchdowns as a junior at St. Mary's High School. In his injury shortened senior season, he caught 30 passes for 500 yards and eight touchdowns.
As a member of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Taurian saw some action in 2007 catching 3 passes for 46 yards and one touchdown. In 2008, Washington seemed to disappear, catching not a single pass.
Taurian couldn't have started his junior season off with the Buckeyes any better.
In the Buckeyes spring game in front of a record crowd of 95,000+ this season, he showed why he was the eighth ranked player in the state of Michigan coming out of high school.
His routes were crisp and he displayed above average speed en route to four catches for 92 yards, one for a touchdown, in just a matter of five minutes.
Whether it is one of the four talented receiver's mentioned in this article or one of the other receivers on the Buckeye roster, perhaps: James Jackson, Jake Stoneburner, Lamaar Thomas or Duron Carte—One (or more) of these guy's will indeed be the next great receiver(s) in a long line of great receivers to hone their craft at "The" Ohio State University.
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The "09" Ohio State Buckeyes will have a very different look compared to the 2008 team.
Gone are running back Chris 'Beanie' Wells, safety Malcolm Jenkins, linebackers James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, and wide receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline.
So 2009 will SURELY be a rebuilding year in Columbus....
In the famous words of Lee Corso, "Not so fast my friend!"
With back to back top three recruiting classes, the Buckeyes have loads of talented players ready to 'RELOAD' into their starting lineup!
Quarterback:
In case you were living under a rock last year, Terrelle Pryor, the No. 1 H.S. recruit in the nation, committed to Ohio State. After Ohio State lost decisively in Week three to USC, Pryor was named the starter (replacing Senior captain Todd Boeckman) for the rest of the year. The 6'6 speedy QB led the Buckeyes to an (8-2) record in his ten games and most importantly, gained priceless experience that will most certainly pay off in 2009.
Running Back:
While the loss of Wells can't be ignored, there's plenty in the cupboards to help ease the pain. Daniel 'Boom' Herron filled in admirably last season when Wells missed time due to injury. Even after Wells came back, Herron had impressed the coaches enough to earn more playing time and will most likely be the starter to open the 2009 season.
Freshmen recruits Jamaal Berry and Carlos Hyde will also look to push for immediate backfield playing time should Herron falter. The 5-11, 190 pound Berry is a 5-star speed back and game-breaking threat any time he touches the ball.
Hyde (6-1, 225) is fast for his size, but is more of a power back possessing a stiff-arm comparable to the one Wells made famous in Columbus!
Even if Herron plays great, expect Berry and Hyde to both get their fair share of looks in relief.
Wide Receiver:
In recent years, WR "U", as Ohio State has been called in the past, has still had a talented receiver or two in any given season, but not a whole lot of depth.
That WILL NOT be the case in 2009! So much so that at this point, even attempting to project the starters would be a complete crap shoot.
Ray Small, Dane Sanzenbacher, Taurian Washington, DeVier Posey and Lamaar Thomas headline the list of returning veteran receivers. It has also been rumored that Brandon Saine may be moving to wideout.
WR/TE Jake Stoneburner will join the team in 2009 after red-shirting his freshman year, along with new recruits Duron Carter, James Jackson, Chris Fields, and dual-threat Corey Brown. Brown was a two-way star in H.S. who may potentially play both WR and CB for the Buckeyes.
Offensive Line:
The much-hyped O-line hasn't been as horrible as some pessimists will tell you, but it has been disappointing nonetheless.
That should be a thing of the past going forward for the next several seasons.
Michael Brewster leads the way after taking over as starting center last year as a freshman.
Sophomores J.B Shugarts and Mike Adams, along with freshmen Marcus Hall, Jack Mewhort, Sam Longo and Corey Linsley are practically a "Who's who" of four and five star linemen that will each look to earn their place in the starting lineup alongside veterans Bryant Browning and Jim Cordle.
Defense:
Rather than list position by position, I'll instead offer an overview of the defense as a whole.
As I already mentioned, there are big shoes to fill at safety and linebacker. As I also already mentioned, the cupboard is not bare!
Etienne Sabino played mainly on special teams in 2008 but with the departure of Laurinaitis and Freeman, expect to see him step into that role of stud LB at tOSU!
Other possible candidates for that title include Andrew Sweat, Austin Spitler, Dorian Bell and Storm Klein.
Kurt Coleman, Chimdi Chekwa, Anderson Russell and Jermale Hines are a solid four-some for the Bucks at the safety/cornerback positions. Former WR turned DB Devon Torrence, along with Zach Domicone and the aforementioned Corey Brown should also see the field in 2009.
Along the defensive front, the Buckeyes are loaded as well. I can't attempt to predict all the starters but a few key guys and probable starters include Cameron Heyward, Thaddeus Gibson and Lawrence Wilson.
Others worth mentioning:
Garrett Goebel, Willie Mobley, Dexter Larimore, Keith Wells, Solomon Thomas, Rob Rose and Nathan Williams. (We should know more about who will be the twenty-two starters after the Spring game on April 25th.)
Ohio State will undoubtedly be locked and reloaded in 2009 and we won't have to wait long to see just how big their bullets are, as they play host to the USC Trojans in Week 2.
If the talent on paper translates to the field, Ohio State could make their fourth trip to the BCS title game in eight seasons under Tressel and their eighth BCS bowl appearance in the eleven years since the inception of the BCS.
Either way, this season will be exciting to witness and if the Buckeyes can get past USC, don't be surprised if I'm right about them running the table and playing for the BCS title!
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