sports
Thursday September 23, 2010
thelantern www.thelantern.com upcoming FRIDAY Field Hockey v. Northwestern 3pm @ Columbus, Ohio Women’s Volleyball v. Wisconsin 7pm @ Madison, Wisc.
SATURDAY Football v. Eastern Michigan 3:30pm @ Columbus, Ohio Women’s Volleyball v. Illinois 7pm @ Champaign, Ill. Men’s Soccer v. Michigan 7pm @ Ann Arbor, Mich.
SUNDAY Men’s Golf: Windon Memorial Classic All Day @ Glenview, Ill. Women’s Soccer v. Michigan 2pm @ Ann Arbor, Mich.
big ten schedule SATURDAY’S GAMES Northwestern v. Central Michigan 12pm Michigan State v. N. Colorado 12pm Michigan v. Bowling Green 12pm Wisconsin v. Austin Peay 12pm Iowa v. Ball State 12pm Purdue v. Toledo 12pm Ohio State v. Eastern Michigan 3:30pm Penn State v. Temple 3:30pm Indiana v. Akron 7pm Minnesota v. N. Illinois 8:30pm
BUCKEYE BULLETS OSU – E. Michigan: What to watch for ZACK MEISEL Sports editor meisel.14@osu.edu Week 4 of Ohio State’s season is being brought to you by cupcakes, the ofÿcial dessert of the Buckeyes’ schedule for the next couple of weeks. After hosting Eastern Michigan, winless during the last 22 months, OSU plays Illinois and Indiana, who combined for just three conference wins in 2009. The Buckeyes shut out the Illini in the rain last September, 30-0. A week later, they crushed the Hoosiers 33-14. So far this year, Illinois is 2-1, having knocked off in-state rivals Northern and Southern Illinois. Indiana, at 2-0, beat Towson and Western Kentucky. Obviously, neither Big Ten lowlife has faced an opponent anywhere near OSU’s caliber. Don’t expect coach Jim Tressel to keep Terrelle Pryor and the ÿrst-team offense in the game for as long as he did last Saturday against Ohio. He’ll probably pull the plug on the starters at halftime, as he did a year ago against overmatched New Mexico State. Tressel wasn’t his usual conservative self last week. Pryor was still rolling out and throwing the ball deep downÿeld despite a 36-point lead in the third quarter. Look for OSU to rely more on the run game Saturday. It could be the ÿrst extensive backÿeld action for Jaamal Berry, once Dan Herron, Brandon Saine and Jordan Hall get their touches during the ÿrst three quarters. Eastern Michigan allows an average of 253 rushing yards per game. Expect Tressel to take advantage of that and give his Heisman-contending quarterback a bit of a week off. The defense should feast on Eastern Michigan’s tendency to commit turnovers. OSU picked off Miami (Fla.) quarterback Jacory Harris four times, then forced ÿve Bobcat turnovers last week. Eastern Michigan has turned the ball over eight times in three games.
The life of an NFL practice squad player Former Buckeyes Jim Cordle and Jake Ballard practice, travel but don’t play in games ROBERT GARTRELL Senior Lantern reporter gartrell.7@osu.edu
Living on the edge
Four 2009 Buckeye graduates are on NFL practice squads
They take punishing hits in practice, bury their heads in playbooks and spend hours watching game ÿlm. But they don’t play in games. So goes a season or more for NFL players designated to their team’s practice squad. The practice squad, a small, separate unit from a team’s active 53-man roster, is composed of players living in NFL purgatory. Although they’re essentially too good to be released from the organization, they aren’t quite good enough or ready to ÿll a spot on the team’s ofÿcial roster. With only eight available spots, the practice squad is usually ÿlled by rookies and other younger players to help them adjust to the NFL. Being relegated to the practice squad is often a sobering experience for players who have grown accustomed to playing key roles for their high school and college teams. “It is a little different,” said Jake Ballard, former Ohio State tight end who is now a rookie on the New York Giants practice squad. “I’ve been playing for eight years and started as
continued as Practice on 2B
Player
Team
Jim Cordle
New York Giants
Jake Ballard
New York Giants
Anderson Russell
Washington Redskins
Austin Spitler
Miami Dolphins
Despite age, former Buckeye continues to leave mark as NFL defensive coach JAMES OLDHAM Lantern reporter oldham.29@osu.edu At 73, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive mastermind Dick LeBeau is the oldest coordinator roaming the sidelines of the NFL. But it’s best to keep from mentioning that to LeBeau. When his brother, Bob, called on Sept. 9 to wish him a happy birthday, Dick LeBeau reminded him of a recent family tradition. “He’s 73,” Bob said. “But he said, ‘We don’t count them anymore,’ and I told him, ‘No, we don’t.’” Despite his age, LeBeau continues to add to his growing list of achievements. At perhaps the top of that list sits enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Growing up in London, Ohio, his biggest dream was to be an Ohio State Buckeye. “Ohio State was like Valhalla for football players in Ohio, and it was always a dream of mine to play in Ohio Stadium,” LeBeau said. “So when that dream came
continued as LeBeau on 2B
Photo courtesy of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Dick LeBeau, defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers, diagrams a play on the sidelines.
Winless since ‘08, just how bad is Eastern Michigan football?
Eastern Michigan
(0-3)
vs.
Ohio State (3-0)
Saturday, 3:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium EVAN CLOSKY Senior Lantern reporter closky.2@osu.edu A national football powerhouse such as Ohio State expects to win every game.
That’s a stark difference from the aura that surrounds the Eastern Michigan program. The Eagles have lost 15 straight games. In the time since Eastern Michigan’s last victory, President Barack Obama was inaugurated, LeBron James “took his talents to South Beach” and the Jersey Shore became a popular tourist site. The last time OSU lost consecutive games was in 2004, when they lost to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa. That was the last season in which OSU did not play in a BCS bowl game. Safety Tyler Moeller doesn’t care that Eastern Michigan has not won since Nov. 28, 2008. “Any team can beat us any day,” Moeller said. “Ohio University proved that in 2008. They gave us a great game. We need to play our game every week and not let go of the throttle.” Are the Eastern Michigan Eagles really as bad as they seem?
The team is led by senior linebackers Neal Howey and Tim Fort, who are both in the top ÿve in tackles in the Mid-American Conference. Second-year coach Ron English, former defensive coordinator at Michigan under Lloyd Carr, leads a team that is predominately underclassmen. “He knows us better than his players know us, having been on Lloyd’s staff for all those years, coaching the secondary there at Michigan, and he knew the challenge when he took over,” said OSU coach Jim Tressel. Five of Eastern Michigan’s 15 consecutive losses have come in games decided by a touchdown or less. The Eagles’ losing streak is second behind Western Kentucky’s 23-game drought. Despite the disparity in team success, the message in the OSU locker room is quite simple. “We can’t have any letdowns,” defensive end Cameron Heyward said.
thelantern
weekly football
predictions
James Laurinaitis Played linebacker for Ohio State ‘05 – ‘08
Dallas Lauderdale Senior center for Ohio State basketball
Justin Zwick Played quarterback for Ohio State ‘03 – ‘06
Quinn Pitcock Played defensive line for Ohio State ‘03 – ‘06
Zack Meisel Sports editor for The Lantern
Last week:
1–2
2–1
2–1
1–2
2–1
Overall record:
6–4
6–4
8–2
6–4
5–5
Eastern Michigan @ No. 2 Ohio State
No. 1 Alabama @ No. 10 Arkansas
No. 22 West Virginia @ No. 15 LSU
“Like” The Lantern on Facebook MOLLY GRAY / Lantern designer
1B