18
BUCKEYES
Friday, September 30, 2011
WWW.DAILYCALL.COM
• PIQUA DAILY CALL
Buck Eyes An inside look at Ohio State football WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
BUCKEYE BRAIN BUSTERS
NAME: Justin Zwick HOMETOWN: Massillon OHIO STATE YEARS: 20032006 HIGHLIGHTS: Zwick’s high point was quarterbacking Ohio State to an Alamo Bowl win in 2004 after Troy Smith was suspended. He was a highly touted recruit after throwing for 10,500 yards in high school. He started the first six games in 2004 at quarterback before Smith became the starter. AFTER OSU: Zwick is a sales representative for Smith and Nephew Orthopaedics in Columbus.
1: How many Ohio Athletic Conference football titles did Ohio State win before joining the Big Ten? 2: What year did the annual Ohio State captains breakfast begin? 3: What year did the Ohio State band first play “Hang on Sloopy” during a football game?
SAY WHAT?
RECRUITING UPDATE
“He’s an exciting guy. He can make something out of nothing.”
Bri’onte Dunn, a 2012 Ohio State verbal commitment, has kept in contact with Michigan and Penn State despite that commitment. But he has not said he is backing away from OSU. His cousin, Dymonte Thomas, a 2013 recruit as a safety, verbally committed to Michigan last week and says he will try to convince Dunn he would look good in maize and blue. Dwayne Stanford, a 2012 wide receiver recruit from Cincinnati Taft, has listed Ohio State, Alabama, LSU, Michigan and Cincinnati as his favorites. Derrick Green, a running back from Richmond (Va.) Hermitage, in the 2013 class, has offers from Ohio State, Penn State, Tennessee, Virginia, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.
4: What position did Michigan State
coach Mark Dantonio play when he was in college at South Carolina? 5: Who is the only Michigan State
player chosen No. 1 overall in the NFL draft? Answers: 1. Two; 2. 1934; 3. 1965; 4. Defensive back; 5. Bubba Smith, 1967
— Ohio State running back Jordan Hall talks about freshman quarterback Braxton Miller.
Michigan State at Ohio State, 3:30 Saturday, ABC QUARTERBACKS >
RECEIVERS >
Braxton Miller (two touchdown passes, 83 yards rushing) was a definite upgrade at QB for Ohio State against a weak Colorado team last Saturday. Now he has to do it against a Michigan State team looking to repeat its Big Ten co-title of 2010 and get coach Mark Dantonio’s first win against OSU. Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins has completed 68 percent of his passes for 947 yards and five touchdowns this season and is a 65-percent career passer. He is a three-year starter and one of only two three-time captains in MSU football history. Advantage: Michigan State
Freshman Devin Smith (8 catches for 183 yards) has been impressive since his first game, something some other highly touted recent receivers at OSU never accomplished. Three of his eight catches have been for touchdowns, including two against Colorado. The search is still on for a consistent second receiver, though. B.J. Cunningham has caught more passes (168) than any receiver in Michigan State history and has a reception in 38 straight games. He has 29 catches for 428 yards and a touchdown this season. Keshawn Martin (14 catches, 132 yards, no TDs) is MSU’s No. 2 option. Advantage: Michigan State
< OFFENSIVE LINE Ohio State’s 226 yards rushing against Colorado was its second straight solid performance in the running game. The line’s ability to play well despite the absence of All-Big Ten tackle Mike Adams because of a five-game suspension might be one of the overlooked stories of the season so far. Injuries have left Michigan State scrambling on its offensive line. Guards Joel Foreman and Chris McDonald have combined for 51 starts, but the other three spots have been filled by players short on experience. In their only game that wasn’t against overmatched competition, the Spartans ran for 29 yards in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame. Advantage: Ohio State
< DEFENSIVE LINE The absence of Nathan Williams the last two games because of arthroscopic knee surgery revealed John Simon’s versatility when he was used more as a pass rusher. Williams’ injury has also meant more playing time for redshirt freshman J.T. Moore. Jerel Worthy, a three-year starter, is the leader on the line for MSU. The Spartans rank first in the country in total defense (172.5 yards per game), but playing Youngstown State, Florida Atlantic and Central Michigan could have something to do with that. They will try to put Ohio State and Miller in third-and-long situations and rely on a Dantonio favorite, the blitz. Advantage: Ohio State
LINEBACKERS Returning starter Andrew Sweat could be spending more time on the field with young linebackers. Freshman Ryan Shazier has caught on in a hurry and was in on nearly 30 plays against Colorado. His playing time could increase, as could that of another freshman, Curtis Grant. For Michigan State, linebackers Max Bullough, Denicos Allen and Chris Norman are the team’s top three tacklers and Allen has a team-high five tackles for losses. Advantage: Even
JORDAN HALL The 5-foot-9, 195-pound senior running back from Jeannette, Pa. has been an explosive weapon since returning. In two games he has 171 yards rushing and has returned two kicks for 135 yards and three punts for 44 yards.
RUNNING BACKS > Jordan Hall has shown he is much more than Terrelle Pryor’s high school teammate the last two weeks since returning from a two-game suspension. He led OSU in rushing for a second straight week against Colorado with 84 yards on 18 carries and had kickoff returns of 90 and 45 yards. Le’Veon Bell (217 yards) and Edwin Baker (216 yards) share the rushing duties for Michigan State. Baker was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season. Bell, from Groveport Madison High School, is one of 24 Spartans who come from Ohio. Advantage: Michigan State
BIG TEN STANDINGS Leaders Division Big Ten Overall W L W L Illinois 0 0 4 0 Wisconsin 0 0 4 0 Ohio State 0 0 3 1 Penn State 0 0 3 1 Purdue 0 0 2 1 Indiana 0 0 1 3 Legends Division Big Ten Overall W L W L Michigan 0 0 4 0 Nebraska 0 0 4 0 Iowa 0 0 3 1 Michigan State 0 0 3 1 Northwestern 0 0 2 1 Minnesota 0 0 1 3
WEEKEND SCHEDULE BIG TEN SATURDAY Michigan State at OHIO STATE, 3:30 p.m. Minnesota at Michigan, Noon Northwestern at Illinois, Noon Penn State at Indiana, Noon Nebraska at Wisconsin, 8 p.m. Notre Dame at Purdue, 8 p.m. TOP 25 Kentucky at LSU, 12:21 p.m. Boise State at Nevada, 2:30 p.m. Clemson at Virginia Tech, 6 p.m. Ball State at Oklahoma, 7 p.m. Alabama at Florida, 8 p.m. UCLA at Stanford, 10:30 p.m.
< DEFENSIVE BACKS This appears to be one of the deepest areas for the Buckeyes. Christian Bryant played his way into the starting lineup for the first time last week at safety and already has drawn comparisons to Jermale Hines, one of the standouts of last year’s defensive backfield. MSU’s Cousins will be their toughest challenge of the season so far, though. Isaiah Lewis, a first-year starter at safety, leads Michigan State with two interceptions, which ties him for the Big Ten lead. The other safety Trenton Robinson is in his third year as a starter and cornerback Johnny Adams has been in the lineup for two years. Advantage: Ohio State
SPECIAL TEAMS Whatever the problem was with kicker Drew Basil early in the season, he seems to have corrected it and has hit his last five field goal attempts. Jordan Hall’s kick returns add another dimension to OSU’s offense. MSU kicker Dan Conroy was almost automatic last season when he hit 14 of 15 field goal attempts. He has two misses already this season, both inside 30 yards. He is working with a new long snapper and new holder. Advantage: Even
2011 OSU LEADERS
OSU SCHEDULE
Passing Yards Joe Bauserman ......................365 Braxton Miller.........................238 Rushing Yards Carlos Hyde ...........................263 Jordan Hall ........................... .171 Receiving Yards Devin Smith ...........................183 Jake Stoneburner .....................93 Field Goals Drew Basil..............................5/7 Punting Ben Buchanan.......................41.9 Tackles Andrew Sweat ..........................24 Etienne Sabino.........................19 Interceptions Four tied with 1
Sept. 3 ............................. Akron 42-0 Sept. 10 ....................... Toledo, 27-22 Sept. 17 ............ at Miami (Fla.), 6-24 Sept. 24 .................... Colorado 37-17 Oct. 1 ......................... Michigan State Oct. 8 ................. at Nebraska, 8 p.m. Oct. 15 ................................ at Illinois Oct. 29 .................. Wisconsin, 8 p.m. Nov. 5 .....................................Indiana Nov. 12............................... at Purdue Nov. 19............................. Penn State Nov. 26............................ at Michigan Content compiled by Jim Naveau and design by Ross Bishoff • The Lima News Copyright © 2011 The Lima News. Reproduction of any portion of this material is prohibited without express consent.
Jim Naveau The Lima News jnaveau@limanews.com 419-993-2087
Miller still learning on the job COLUMBUS — How much is too much? How often is too often? Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller brought some excitement to Ohio State’s offense in his first start last week against Colorado. But he also brought some fear because he ran the ball 17 times. If Miller, who missed several games in high school at Huber Heights Wayne because of injuries, runs that much every game, can he survive a whole season? Even his teammates have wondered the same thing, most notably when a tackler flipped him during a run in the first half against Colorado. “It was like a car wreck in slow motion,” offensive lineman Jack Mewhort said about watching that play. “I saw it out of the corner of my eye and was like, ‘Wow, he shouldn’t be doing that.’” What running quarterbacks should and should’t be doing is always open for debate. Even in their coaches’ minds. Earlier this week, Ohio State coach Luke Fickell said, “Obviously, we’ve got to be conscious of it. I’m not sure that’s the amount of times we’d like to have. But there are situations where he’s going to run. “What’s the perfect number? I don’t know,” he said. “Knowing when to take off, when to get down, when to go for the extra yardage, those are things you have to learn.” Judging by past Ohio State quarterbacks who could attack defenses with their feet, that lesson does come with experience. In Troy Smith’s first year as a starter in 2004, he averaged 14 rushes per game. By the next year, it was down to 12 rushes per game, and by 2006, he was running the ball an average of only six times a game. Terrelle Pryor’s fewest rushing attempts in a season came last year in his third year as a starter. That’s probably Miller’s future, too. Ohio State just needs to get him to that future in one piece.
COUNTDOWN
Michigan vs. Ohio State
64
Days until kickoff
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