BlockONation.com EXCLUSIVE: A Different Take on Pay-For-Play at Ohio State

By HD Handshoe — BlockONation.com Founder

A very reliable source relayed some information directly to me today that I found very interesting given the current situation at Ohio State involving players and cars, memorabilia, autographs, tattoos, alleged money-handshakes, and the like.

The term pay-for-play has been mentioned this offseason -- not just in discussions pertaining to Ohio State -- but across the entire college football landscape more times than Tiger Woods lied to his ex-wife in the past 2 years about which hole his club was really in during his multiple Las Vegas "exploits".

Here's a twist none of us saw coming -- Reverse pay-for-play. What does that mean you might be asking yourself? It is just what it sounds like.

Cheryl Krueger, co-founder of Cheryl and Co. sold her company to 1-800-FLOWERS in 2005 for millions. In the words of one of the coaches (who remains anonymous), she has been a big-time donor and philanthropist to the University for well over 20 years. She is also a board member for Bob Evans restaurants.

Here's the meat of the story -- Her son Cavin Green, a redshirt freshmen from New Albany, Ohio is a member of the Ohio State football team. He is listed as a DL and wears #94.

So what's the problem?

Well, the problem is that there is no record of Cavin Green ever playing prep football, or any sport for that matter during his high school days at Columbus Academy -- so how and why is he on the 85-man roster at Ohio State, one of the nation's most elite DI football programs?

From Krueger's Wikipedia Profile

In January 2003, when The Ohio State University won the national football championship, Krueger teamed up with OSU coach Jim Tressel to raise money for cancer research through sales of a commemorative, autographed cookie jar. Tressel lost both of his parents to cancer.

"We’ve now donated over a quarter of a million dollars to the Tressel Family Fund," Krueger says. "For a company our size to donate that kind of money, that’s a big deal. It’s a very big deal. We’re really proud of it."

It's unlikely that Green is on scholarship (hopefully not), but it seems very clear as to why and how he "earned" a roster spot -- Thanks to his Mom.

Coincidentally, Krueger and Green were listed and invited guests of Ohio State for the 2008 BCS National Championship Game against LSU -- Thanks (again) to his Mom.

Also according to my source, how Green "made the team" ($$$) isn't exactly a secret around the program among those in the know behind closed doors, but apparently, he and his situation are not to be talked about.

Whoops...

I looked on Ozone, ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, and Google among other sites, yet couldn't find 1 lousy picture of him anywhere online, and although he is listed as a member of the roster on the Buckeyes official site, there's no picture or bio for him.

Looks like who you know (Tressel) and having a few million to spare can get your son a jersey and a position on the team at OSU -- and the clout and prestige that brings to you on campus and around Columbus -- even when you have never played a day of competitive football in your whole life.

Wonder if he will lose his bought-and-paid-for roster spot now that JT is gone and the story has been uncovered...


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Writing on the Wall: Terrelle Pryor Leaving Ohio State Not Really Unexpected, or Upsetting

Just like his buddy LeBron, Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is "taking his talents" elsewhere, and the state of Ohio is better off for it.

Just 8 days after Jim Tressel resigned for the greater good of Ohio State, according to his lawyer, Pryor has followed suit.

This really is not a huge surprise for several reasons:

1-- Tressel made Pryor and the Tat-5 pledge to return if he allowed them to play in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. With Tressel gone, there's nobody left to hold Pryor and the gang to that commitment.

2 -- Last week, the NCAA and Ohio State launched a new investigation into Pryor's use of several "loaner" cars and other potential extra benefits he may have received.

3 -- Missing 5 games of his upcoming senior season with no guarantee that he would return as the starting QB after his suspension ended could only hurt his draft stock next April.

4 -- If you have to sell MVP trophies and gold pants, etc, for tattoos and rent money, it was time for you to go make what you can, while you can.

5 -- Most of Buckeye Nation has turned on Pryor and blame him for the departure of coach Tressel -- and so -- another domino had to fall.

6 -- Braxton Miller

Personally, Pryor will NOT be missed and this is another fine example of addition by subtraction. Terrelle was a me-first guy who has tarnished the school and the program by putting himself ahead of both.

A couple weeks ago, I may have been alone in feeling good about Terrelle leaving, but it looks like I was right about him all along.

Don't worry, there's plenty of room for the rest of you on my "Good Riddance Terrelle" bandwagon...


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MUST SEE: Hitler Reacts to Jim Tressel's Resignation

Whoever it was that first came up with this idea of having Hitler react to all sorts of current events was a genius!

Some are better than others, but practically every single one is funny and worth the few minutes it takes to watch. This one is no exception -- Even us Buckeye fans have to have a sense of humor!





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Looking Ahead to 2012—Ohio State's Top 5 Head Coach Candidates Are...

Ohio State has already announced that previously-named interim coach Luke Fickell will guide the team for the entire 2011 season before the University evaluates the position going forward into 2012 and beyond -- assuming the Mayans are wrong.

At the end of the day -- despite the NCAA sanctions that the program is facing -- this is still THE Ohio State University and you can rest-assured that should the school decide to conduct a national coaching search post-2011, there will be no shortage of big-name candidates willing to accept the job if offered.

Here are the top five coaches that are most likely to comprise tOSU’s want-list.


Number Five - Mark Dantonio

The Michigan State head coach was the defensive coordinator at OSU before taking the gig in East Lansing.

Under Dantonio, the Spartans have closed the gap on Michigan as the state’s premier college football program, but Michigan may finally be back on track and coming back to Columbus to run the Big Ten’s best team over the past decade would be hard to pass up.

Considering what he was able to do at MSU, the sky is the limit with the resources and recruiting advantage Ohio State over practically every other Big ten school.


Number Four - Bo Pelini

Pelini is from Ohio and was a team captain of the 1992 Buckeyes football team, so it’s obvious that he’s a guy who will value the tradition of Ohio State football and, especially, the rivalry with Michigan.

He is, however, a complete contrast from Tressel, in that, he seems to be a bit of a hot-head, and if he thinks there’s pressure to win in Lincoln, he ain’t seen nothing yet.

Yes, he played here, but coaching here and trying to meet the expectations of the rabid Buckeye fanbase is a whole different animal.


Number Three - Luke Fickell

Fickell is a Buckeye through-and-through. He is a Columbus native and was a four-year defensive starter for Ohio State in the early to mid-1990’s.

He’s been an assistant coach for nine seasons and the assistant defensive coordinator since Dantonio headed north to MSU. He tops Pelini and Dantonio on the list as of right now because each of them are already head coaches in the Big Ten that may not be as available as Fickell is at the end of the 2011 season -- and, Fickell has a full year to audition for the job.

If he can lead these players to another Big Ten title in the face of all the adversity and against the mountain of turmoil the team must overcome, he will be considered a legitimate top-five candidate .


Number Two - Jon Gruden

The ESPN Monday Night Football commentator and former Super-Bowl-winning coach of the Tampa Bay Bucs has recently been rumored to be “getting the itch” to coach again.

The Sandusky, Ohio native played his college ball at Dayton and has been quoted as saying he is immensely proud of his Buckeye roots. It just feels safe to believe that Gruden would run a clean program with the right kind of players.

A lot can change in nearly a year and a half, but according to Sports Illustrated, Gruden, who would absolutely deny any and all rumors linking him to Ohio State until something was official, would almost definitely take the job too, if offered.


Number One - Urban Meyer

Health issues and family commitments aside, practically all speculation about who might take over as head coach of the Buckeyes in 2012 is centered on former Florida/Utah/BGSU head coach Meyer.

Meyer currently works as a college football analyst for ESPN and stated he isn’t looking to leave the network for the sidelines -- not this season, anyway.

Born in Toledo, Ohio, Meyer’s family moved to Ashtabula, Ohio when he was just a child. He played football at the University of Cincinnati and was on Earle Bruce’s OSU staff in the mid-1980’s as a graduate assistant -- making Meyer the one coach that makes the absolute most sense to the pundits and the fans of Buckeye Nation alike.

One issue that does create some concern is the number of player arrests during Meyer’s tenure at Florida. With Ohio State looking to salvage and rebuild their image, that issue could be a deal-breaker if and when Meyer shows interest in what he has been quoted as saying is one of his all-time dream jobs.


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BREAKING NEWS: Jim Tressel Officially Out as Head Man at Ohio State

Memorial Day, 2011—A day that will live in infamy for every fan of Ohio State football.

It's the day former-Buckeye head coach Jim Tressel's resignation from THE Ohio State University became official.

Yes, you read that correctly. Jim Tressel is no longer the head coach of Ohio State.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, after nearly three months of speculation and multiple reaffirmations that he had no intention of stepping down, it seems apparent now that Jim Tressel has been forced to tender his resignation.

Perhaps the school had finally had enough of the daily revelations and ESPN lead-ins of more news of potential violations swept under the rug by coach Tressel.

No immediate information has been released on a coaching search, but the general consensus for now seems to be that Luke Fickell, whom had previously been named the coach for the first five games of the upcoming season, may very well coach the entire 2011 season before the position is evaluated and a national search begins.

Let the Urban Meyer and Jon Gruden to Ohio State rumor-mill start spinning....


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College Football Live: ESPN's Roundtable Discussion on Ohio State Football

I've been getting lots of hateful, venomous comments recently directed at me personally in response to one of my latest CFN.Scout.com articles, regarding the 2011 OSU quarterback situation. It's not uncommon as a blogger to receive such feedback, but usually it's from SEC fans or fans from Michigan or Wisconsin.

Somewhat surprisingly however, these recent comments have been from other Buckeye fans on the Scout.com HineyGate message boards—all for saying exactly what Herbie and Urban Meyer said on Monday during the College Football Live "Roundtable" segment about Ohio State.

I just happened to say it first, which apparently makes me a pariah for not wearing my Scarlet and Gray homer glasses when it comes to Jim Tressel, Terrelle Pryor, and the rest of the Tat-5.

Clearly, the truth hurts, and it upset many a Buckeye fan on the aforementioned forums when I spoke it. I'm sure many of them will say ESPN hates Ohio State so it's no surprise that Herbie and Meyer agreed with me.

To that I reply that yes, ESPN does have a certain negative agenda more often than not when it comes to the Buckeyes—for which I have called them out on more than one occasion in the recent past—but anyone with any common sense and objectivity knows that the roundtable segment was done tastefully and truthfully. Three of the four roundtable members are from Ohio with direct ties to Ohio State. so I do not want to hear how it was unfair and biased!

In case you missed it, here is the video of the segment.


If the Buckeyes are 4-1 or [especially] 5-0 before the Nebraska game, do you believe it is a given that Braxton Miller, Jaamal Berry, Jordan Hall, or whomever it was that filled in for Terrelle Pryor, Boom Herron, DeVier Posey, and Mike Adams, should have had to work so hard and play so well the first half of the season, only to lose their starting jobs to players who knowingly and carelessly broke the rules and put themselves before the team over the past two to three years?

Contrary to what many believe, I'm not a Pryor hater—he is a great college player—but I sure as hell don't believe the players who go into fall camp and earn those starting jobs should lose them in week six solely because Pryor and the rest of the Pawn Stars come off of their suspensions.

Let me know what YOU think via email, below in the article comment section, on Twitter, or on Facebook.


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Scout.com: BlockONation's Buckeye Blog - The Ohio State QB Situation

What's the Ohio State quarterback situation for the first half of the year without Terrelle Pryor?

From the moment he committed to Ohio State, freshman phenom QB Braxton Miller knew what his undeniable destiny would be—to succeed Terrelle Pryor as the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes beginning in 2012 after taking a redshirt season his first year....

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Click here to read the full story at

Partners in the Scout.com/FoxSports.com Network

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Ohio State "Car-gate" Situation Real News or Overblown Sensationalism, Plus, and More Importantly, The 2011 QB Situation

Is there really a story here and real reason for concern, or is the media just overplaying every little blip and milking Ohio State for all they can get, plus are we really going to have to watch Joe "the career backup" Bauserman lead our Buckeyes this fall?

These are the articles that are coming very soon from BlockONation over on CollegeFootballNews.com.

Links will be forthcoming -- Just wanted to give a heads-up to BlockONation readers and all Buckeye fans.

HD


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Despite ESPN's Biased Tressel Coverage, There's Nothing To See Here Folks...Well, Not Yet Anyway

NEWSFLASH (not really): The latest news on the NCAA's investigation involving Jim Tressel isn't anything new.

Everything that the NCAA is now "officially" accusing Tressel of had already come to light and Tressel has copped to his crimes—and all before Monday's "breaking news" as it was so-coined by the ESPN bottomline.

We already knew that he didn't come forward last April, and that he didn't contact OSU's compliance department at any point before Yahoo ran their story about the emails, and that he notified Terrelle Pryor's mentor, and that he knowingly signed the compliance report with no mention of the violations he had been made aware of.



It's no secret that ESPN continually recycles the same negative reports as if there is something new in its' crusade to bring down Ohio State, but there really is nothing new here, period.

As of now, the majority of Ohio State fans still support Tressel as does the University. If the potential NCAA penalties will be the same regardless of Tressel staying or going, he will without-a-doubt remain the head coach at OSU.

The only way Tressel's job security changes is if the NCAA (essentially) forces Ohio State to fire him by basing the severity of additional penalties they could decide to levy against OSU on whether or not Tressel is retained.

Then, and only then, will a real story worthy of this ridiculous amount of coverage by ESPN and CBS (coincidentally both $EC bedfellows) exist.


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Video Highlights From Ohio State's 2011 Spring Game / Scrimmage

These Hi-Def highlights were produced by lednerk exclusively for BlockONation.com.




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Ohio State Spring Football 2011: 5 Questions And 5 Answers On What to Watch For

Ohio State's annual spring game -- one of the last to be played among FBS schools -- takes place this Saturday afternoon at 1:30 PM in Ohio Stadium, and can be seen on the Big Ten Network if you can't make it to the stadium. This annual spring scrimmage is taking on a new format -- offense vs. defense -- instead of a split-squad scrimmage as is the norm.

And for fans and the media that have been hungry from some spring practice updates that we haven't gotten much of, this is a good chance to get an early look at the team we will see during the 2011 season.

But what exactly should Buckeye fans be watching for?

How Much Will The Weather Affect Play?

For the third time in the past four springs, rain is in the forecast, along with a flash flood watch for the Columbus area. The amount of rain can certainly have an effect on how Jim Tressel wants his offense to operate, as they may run the football more than throw it.

And in a situation where the battle for the starting job at QB, at least temporary, is the biggest question mark around the Buckeyes, this is the worst type of weather to have.

Wet weather affects the grip of the ball from everyone to the center to the QB throwing it, and the receivers that need to catch it.

It might not be a downpour, but consistent rainfall would certainly have an impact on the playcalling of the offensive coaches in the game.

Which Running Back(s) Will Get The Most Carries?

The starting job at RB may or may not be a lock for Dan Herron starting October 8 at Nebraska. The first five games, however, will have quite an interesting playing-time battle.

All eyes will be on the two young studs in the elusive Jordan Hall and lightning fast Jaamal Berry.

The two young backs anchored the No. 5 kickoff return average unit in the country, and saw plenty of carries as well last year.

Some conjecture that the starting job will come down to those two due to experience, but redshirt freshman Roderick Smith has drawn rave reviews from the coaches, his teammates, and other media members.

Whoever gets the most carries between Hall, Berry and Smith, and whomever takes the most advantage of those opportunities will certainly have the inside track to starting the season as the No. 1 back.

How Will The Running Backs Fit Into The Passing Game?

New WR coach Stan Drayton, formerly the running backs coach at Florida, was brought in to help make the passing game more explosive.

His biggest contribution to date would be something that Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid would be proud of -- the screen pass.

The OSU offense has rarely used screens, but the lack of depth at the WR position and the strength at the RB position makes this an intriguing addition to the passing game.

If Drayton has high hopes for any player in the screen attack, it's Hall, whom Drayton likens to a poor man's Percy Harvin, quite a high praise for the elusive back.

While Hall lacks the overall pure speed of Harvin, his elusiveness and burst do make him a formidable target out of the backfield. A la Brandon Saine last season, Hall may also line up on occasion in the slot.

Hall's versatility might mean that the OSU offense can have a back in the backfield and another out wide as a receiver. In year's past, the Buckeyes have been called predictable but these additional wrinkles in the offensive game plan will provide some much-needed punch to start off the 2011 season that will begin without Terrelle Pryor and three other offensive starters.

Who Will Emerge As The Seven New Defensive Starters?

The concern most Buckeye fans have pushed slightly aside due to the suspensions from Tattoogate is the fact that the defense must replace seven starters.

While most of the players vying for starting gigs have some experience on the field, some battles are still very much worth your attention.

The thing that should be noted most is who comes out with the first-team defense and who are the first players off the bench. Those players will be among the most likely to be inline for a starting role on the OSU defense this fall.

The new starters will have earned the job because of the tough competition. That competition is why most people say the OSU defense doesn't rebuild -- it reloads.

Be sure to keep a close eye on the LB and CB positions where four of five starting jobs are up for grabs.

Which QB (If Any) Shines In Pryor's Absence?

The biggest storyline of Saturday's spring scrimmage is which of the four QBs vying for the starting job -- Joe Bauserman, Kenny Guiton, Taylor Graham and Braxton Miller -- makes a statement?

By various accounts, the competition has been interesting to watch, as the early favorite to start (Bauserman), has been shaky at best -- throwing multiple interceptions in the spring practices.

In addition, Miller has reportedly turned out to be worth the praise given to a five-star recruit and has grown through every practice as he continues to grasp the offense.

But don't discount Guiton and Graham just yet as both have done pretty well at times for themselves. Guiton was strong in the spring game a year ago and Graham has quietly impressed the staff throughout the 2011 spring session.

While the depth chart at QB is expected to likely be Bauserman, Guiton, Graham, then Miller, any one of the four could be named the starter come the fall. With a strong showing on Saturday, Miller will have the fanbase buzzing more than they are already. Unfortunately for them, they don't get the final decision on who starts, or it would almost undoubtedly be Miller.


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Original article by Tim Beilik - BlockONation Featured Contributor

Reload Overload: Ohio State Stacked With Young Talent AND Depth

To all you casual college football fans and/or Ohio State haters outside of the great state of Ohio—specifically those who have no idea what goes on along the banks of the Olentangy in Columbus—just thought you may want to know that those nasty rumors forecasting the demise of Buckeye football have been greatly exaggerated.

No, in fact, surely much to your chagrin, it's quite the opposite actually.

Despite the skewed and misleading "breaking news" and "inside info" you hear and read on ESPN, ESPN.com, and CBSSports.com, just to name a few culprits, Buckeye football is alive and well, and the Buckeyes are STILL the big fish in the Big 10 pond.

But you heard that Jim Tressel cheats and that without Terrelle Pryor and the rest of the Tat-5 thugs, the Buckeyes are going to be horrible, and now the program won't be able to recruit anymore, etc, etc...Sorry kids, but you are grossly misinformed.

Whether or not QB Braxton Miller is named the starter at some point during the 2011 season makes no difference since originally he would have been a definite redshirt this season. He's here, and now he gets to learn on the job early this season which will prepare him to lead OSU in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

The general consensus on Miller is that he is already a better passing QB than Pryor, while also possessing the same dual-threat capabilities that will give opposing defenders night terrors. If you somehow don't know who Miller is, come out from under your rock and watch this:



Of course, every great quarterback needs a running game to set up the pass. With Dan "Boom" Herron suspended until October, Jordan Hall, Jaamal Berry, Carlos Hyde and Rod Smith will all be called upon to carry the load in his place.

Four reasons NOT to worry in 2011:

Jordan Hall


Jaamal Berry


Carlos Hyde


Rod Smith (also pictured top right)


And as if those guys weren't enough to excite you or scare you to death (depending on your team affiliation), check out these running backs / 2012 Buckeye commits:

Warren Ball


Brionte Dunn


Yes, but without DeVier Posey, who is also out until October, Ohio State has no wide receivers....right?

WRONG.

Corey Brown


Chris Fields


James Louis


T.Y. Williams


While many of you are in the club that was hoping for the Buckeyes to crumble in the wake of recent events, they instead continue to thrive—much to your dismay—and FYI, that won't be changing anytime soon as you can see.

In the words of Wisconsin basketball coach Bo Ryan, "DEAL WITH IT."


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10 Reasons Why Urban Meyer Could Replace Jim Tressel

By Tim Beilik - BlockONation Featured Contributor


Admittedly, I have been very critical of Urban Meyer in the past as evidenced here.

But considering the scandal surrounding Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, there is a chance the Vest will be forced out of his job.

Although he might not be considering resigning, the NCAA might force a show-cause ruling on Ohio State, all but forcing the university to let him go.

While Urban Meyer resigned his position as head coach at Florida due to health issues, he will almost certainly coach again, possibly at Ohio State.

Here's why:

10—Coaching in the Big 10 is less stressful than coaching in the SEC

Big Ten football fans don't want to admit it, but the amount of quality teams in the SEC is just higher than the Big Ten at this point, even with Nebraska.

For Meyer, most of his stress had to come with playing against a gauntlet week in and week out in the SEC schedule.

If he came to Ohio State, he would at least get a couple of cupcakes with Purdue and Indiana both in the Leaders Division with the Buckeyes.

While he will have to deal with the most volatile fanbase in college sports, the fact that Ohio State plays an overall lighter conference schedule than Florida might be appealing to Meyer if he's looking for a little less stressful October and November.

9—Ohio State can afford to pay him

It's no secret that Ohio State is quite the revenue powerhouse, annually finishing in the top three in athletic revenue in the NCAA.

In this case, whatever money Meyer might want, he might get as long as it's somewhat reasonable.

But for Ohio State, which has a nine-figure revenue, money is not exactly an object.

Jim Tressel already makes over $3.5 million. It's possible that when his career's over, Urban could get around $4 million as his replacement.

8—Meyer can recruit as well as Tressel

When Jim Tressel came to Ohio State, the first thing he did was build an iron fence around the state of Ohio making sure that he had his first choice of high school prospects.

Meyer is a more aggressive recruiter than Tressel in many different ways, but both men produce great results.

The difference between the two is that Meyer is better at getting guys at the end of the process, while Tress gets who he wants at the outset of recruiting.

But if Meyer gets the Buckeye coaching job eventually, there is no doubt they will still be bringing in the talent Buckeye Nation is accustomed to receiving year in and year out.

7—Surely, Meyer will coach again

Even though Meyer has stepped away from the game, he won't be gone forever.

At 46, Meyer may take some time to get his health back in check and be able to figure out how to manage his esophageal spasms.

Eventually, he will find a way back to the sidelines.

With Tressel's long-term Ohio State future in doubt, if and when Meyer is ready to to come back, Ohio State could be calling his name very soon.

6—Like Tressel, Meyer has been part of a winning culture

One thing Ohio State football does and does well is win games, both conference games and BCS games, especially in the previous two seasons.

Both Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel have been big winners in the past 10 seasons, with Tressel recording 106 victories and Meyer right behind at 104.

Meyer, like Tressel, knows how to win big games and has done that consistently as he rose through the ranks from BGSU, to Utah, to eventually top man at the University of Florida.

That type of personality and career would fit in beautifully with the culture of Ohio State football.

5—Meyer has a championship pedigree

Two SEC championships and two BCS national championships in his first four seasons as Florida head coach is a good start to anyone's career at a power conference school.

Meyer, like Jim Tressel, came in and replaced a coach underperforming with great talent, and led their teams to a national championship in their second season.

Tressel has not been able to win another one since, but Meyer did and came within one game from a third in four seasons.

Although Meyer will not have Tim Tebow in Columbus, he certainly has the ability to win a couple more national championships, especially with an easier road to get to the BCS each season.

4—Ohio State's cupboard is far from bare

Even with the Suspended Tat-Five out for most of the first half of the season, the Ohio State roster is still one of the more loaded groups in the country.

Ohio State has pulled in top five recruiting classes in three of the past four years, and could get another one this season with the home state full of blue-chip prospects, especially at defensive end and wide receiver.

The Buckeyes are one of the few programs that doesn't rebuild, but reloads year in and year out.

Urban Meyer in his first season, despite a schematic change from a pro-style attack to more of a spread look, could still be very good.

Which leads to the biggest difference between the Senator and Meyer...

3—More flash, same results

From a philosophical standpoint, Urban Meyer and Jim Tressel could not be any more different.

While we all know about the pros and most especially the cons of Tresselball, Meyer's gameplan is all about explosive plays and making big plays with frequency on both sides of the ball.

The only problem with that idea is that Meyer has been accused quite a bit of running up the score at certain times.

It may feel like the Cooper days if Meyer is hired at least from an offensive standpoint, but that would work best if he carried on the Tressel mentality when it comes to the Michigan games every year.

2—Braxton Miller

Although Braxton Miller may never reach the level of Tim Tebow, the thought of him being in Meyer's explosive spread offense could be very intriguing.

Miller, who enrolled at OSU in January and could start the first five games of the season, has that type of dual-threat ability that would make him dangerous in a spread-type offense.

While Miller is a very different player from most of the players Meyer has coached, he altered his offense to Tebow's skills. He can certainly work the offense to fit Miller's elusive running game.

If he can throw the ball well, the OSU offense under Meyer with Braxton operating out of the shotgun might be quite a dangerous thought for anyone to imagine.

1—Like Tressel, Meyer is a Buckeye at heart

In the same idea that Michigan had when they were looking for a "Michigan Man" to become head coach with Brady Hoke for this season, OSU would be considering something along those lines.

And oddly enough, Urban Meyer fits the model of an "Ohio State Man" almost to a T.

A native of Ashtabula, Ohio, Meyer was a lifetime OSU fan, a graduate student at the university and was a graduate assistant in the mid-80's under Earle Bruce.

Much like Brian Kelly at Notre Dame, Ohio State's coaching job is one of Meyer's dream jobs along with the Irish gig.

Whether or not Meyer opts to take the job whenever Tressel leaves Columbus remains to be seen (pending the outcome of the NCAA investigation).

But if he is able to overcome his health and personal problems, there may be a headset back in Ohio, at Ohio State, with his name on it very soon.


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Tressel to Announce Resignation From Ohio State Today at Noon

Two days ago, Jim Tressel said he has never once considered stepping down as the Ohio State Buckeyes football coach.

Today, he appears to have had (a forced) change of heart...

With all the turmoil and controversy regarding his actions over the past 12 months, this ultimately comes as no surprise.

His legacy at OSU and the football program are tarnished, both with black eyes and each are a national punchline and media punching bag.

So, the time has finally come to part ways. I wish Tress all the best.

Let the Urban Meyer watch officially begin in a little over 5 hours from now...


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GOTCHA -- APRIL FOOL'S!

Is the End Near? Looking Back—An Ohio State Coaching Career Retrospective

Embattled Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel confirmed today that he has never considered resigning or stepping down, and that he would not do so unless he believed the University and his players would be better off.

Don't mistake that to mean, however, that he still can't be forced to resign or be fired; it is still a possibility once the NCAA finishes their investigation.

Now with that out of the way, please take a look at my latest offering if you would be so kind. I think you will find it most interesting...

Here's the rundown of our beloved Buckeye coach

• Was born in a small Ohio town.


• Coached and compiled a fine record at small colleges in Ohio before becoming head football coach at the Ohio State University.


• Is among the most respected and recognized college football coaches in the country.


• As coach of Ohio State, compiled an unprecedented winning record against football teams from the University of Michigan.


• After leading Ohio State to a national championship, led a 10-year run of tremendous success marked by appearances in major bowl games in 8 out of the 10 years.


• Coached Ohio State to 6 consecutive Big Ten Championships in those 10 years.


• During that decade, his teams nearly won several other national championships, falling just short by one game on several occasions.


• In that span, his Ohio State teams twice lost major bowl games that would have completed undisputed national championship seasons.


• Universally loved by Ohio State fans everywhere.


• Recognized for his off-the-field contributions to Ohio State and central Ohio as much as for his football record.


• Nine years after winning a national championship, committed a serious conduct violation.


• Despite never losing the adoration of the Buckeye Nation, that violation led to his firing, and he never coached another football game at Ohio State or anywhere else.

Despite the intentionally misleading image at the top right of this article, you may or may not have figured out by now that the coach this article is about is the one-and-only, Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes, NOT Jim Tressel.

But, everything Hayes did, Tressel also has done exactly to the mark, except for the getting fired part—well, so far at least.

You know how they say history repeats itself?

They're right...


Special thanks to TheShoe78   for his post on the Ohio State/Scout.com "Hineygate" Football Forum, which included all of this info.



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