2011 Ohio State spring football: Riddles, Mysteries, & Enigmas, Part 2

Trying to determine the top five questions confronting Ohio State's football program is no easy task. The looming controversy of Coach Jim Tressel's involvement in "Tattoo-Gate" overshadows all of the on the field concerns facing the Buckeyes.

5. Who will emerge on the offensive line? - While many Ohio State fans would look at this question as a relatively easy question, it is important to remember that Ohio State is not only losing both starting guards (Justin Boren, Bryant Browning), but will also be without the services of left tackle Mike Adams for the first five games of the season. Throw in the fact that starting right tackle J.B. Shugarts battled injuries the majority of last season, and Ohio State is essentially only returning one certain starter in center Mike Brewster.

If Shugarts is healthy, look for Shugarts to stay at right tackle. The left tackle battle will rage between Andrew Norwell and Marcus Hall. Norwell impressed in his limited playing opportunities last season, while Hall will try to regain his stature after his redshirt season of 2010. It would not surprise me if Hall is moved to a guard spot, as he is a strong run blocker, and I believe Ohio State will look to run the ball early and often next season. Jack Mewhort and Corey Linsley would seem to be among the likely candidates to fill the guard spots as well. Maintaining good health is important for the offensive line, as the depth will be an issue all season long in 2010. There are rumors redshirt freshman Darryl Baldwin may be moved from defensive line over to the offensive line, to help with the depth issues.

4. Who will be the starters in the secondary? - Ohio State lost starting cornerbacks Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence, as well as Jermale Hines from one of the safety positions. Fortunately for Ohio State, there is depth at the position, but it is relatively inexperienced. Tyler Moeller returns for a sixth year, and will be provided an opportunity to play at one of the safety spots, if not the Star position. C.J. Barnett was a starter at safety until sidelined by injury, allowing Orhian Johnson the opportunity to play last season. No matter who emerges at safety, Ohio State fans know there are players with some playing experience. Darkhorses in the race include Jamie Wood, Zach Domicone, Chad Hagan, and Nate Oliver. True freshman Jeremy Cash will also try to win the spot this spring, as an early enrollee.

At corner, look for Christian Bryant, Dominic Clarke, Travis Howard, and transfer Dionte Allen to battle for the two spots. Bryant, Clarke, and Howard all played meaningful snaps in the Sugar Bowl against Arkansas. Bryant may even get an opportunity at safety, as he played the Star position after Moeller was injured last season. Others who will battle for playing time are Donnie Evege, Corey Brown, Adam Griffin, and Bradley Roby.

3. Who will emerge as Ohio State's starting quarterback? - In the wake of Terrelle Pryor's five game suspension, many Ohio State fans forgot that Pryor sustained an injury in the waning moments of the Sugar Bowl, requiring surgery. Pryor was going to miss the spring, suspension or otherwise. Joe Bauserman seems to be next in line, and may line up under center against Akron in the season opener on September 3rd, but will Bauserman hold onto the job? Kenny Guiton, Jr. also had playing opportunities last season, and pushed Bauserman for the backup position well into fall camp in 2010.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Graham has supposedly looked good on the scout team. Throw in early enrollee Braxton Miller, and the quarterback battle will likely rage throughout spring, and possibly into the fall.

2. Who will start at wide receiver? - Many times in 2010 I made the statement that Dane Sanzenbacher would be truly missed in 2011, and that was before DeVier Posey's suspension came to pass. Add in the fact that Ohio State lost Darrell Hazell as its wide receivers coach to the head coaching job at Kent State, and will be breaking in new wide receivers coach Stan Drayton, and you can understand why I rank this area so highly in terms of concern. Drayton has never coached the position, either. It is not as though Ohio State is bereft of talent at the position.

Rising sophomore "Philly" Brown returns as the leading wide receiver with eight receptions. Yes, you read that right - eight. Chris Fields had three receptions last season, and could also stake a claim for a starting position. Redshirted players James Louis, Verlon Reed, and T.Y. Williams will all have opportunities to impress this spring, as well as James Jackson. With such a strong stable of running backs, plus an inexperienced quarterback, it would not surprise me if Ohio State used a two tight end set with Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel. Stoneburner had a solid 2010 season, and could line up in the slot on passing downs. Stoneburner had twenty-one receptions, and could be a reliable receiver in the intermediate routes.

Ordinarily, the wide receivers and its inexperienced position coach would rank as my top concern heading into spring football. But my top concern facing Ohio State is...

1. How will Jim Tressel's suspension affect the Buckeyes? - With no news forthcoming from the NCAA, rumors run rampant on Tressel's 2011 season and fate. Will he be suspended for all of 2011? Will Tressel be fired? Will Tressel resign under pressure? While Jim Tressel may do his best to focus his energies on the tasks at hand on the field, it remains to be seen if his players have the same abilities. Ohio State fans may find out when the spring game concludes spring practices on April 23rd in Ohio Stadium.

2011 Ohio State spring football: Riddles, Mysteries, & Enigmas

Winston Churchill once made a comment regarding Russia as being "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma". While Ohio State, like other football programs around the nation, usually has questions to answer about their teams during spring football practice, I cannot imagine another program having nearly the depth of concern and confusion as the Buckeyes do as they begin spring practice on March 31st.

The revelation of Coach Jim Tressel's involvement in "Tattoo-Gate" has shaken Ohio State's program to the core. Rumors continue to swirl of Coach Tressel's firing or resignation, despite public support from Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee and Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith. The NCAA has not, to the best of my knowledge, provided any timetable for their final judgment of Coach Tressel's violations. At best, Coach Tressel will miss the first five games of the 2011 season, along with QB Terrelle Pryor, RB Daniel "Boom" Herron, WR DeVier Posey, OT Mike Adams, and DE Solomon Thomas. LB Jordan Whiting will only miss the opening game against Akron.

While Jim Tressel's punishment lies in the hands of the NCAA, looming over the program, other football-related issues need to be addressed before the spring game on April 23rd in Ohio Stadium concludes spring football~

10. Who will emerge as Ohio State's starting running back? - Considering how Ohio State traditionally has a strong running game, it could be surprising to some that I list this question as the least of my worries heading into spring practice. My reasoning - Ohio State is loaded at this position, with arguably four players worthy of being the starting tailback.

Jordan Hall, Jaamal Berry, Carlos Hyde, and Rod Smith will all vie to win the starting tailback spot, in lieu of "Boom" Herron's five game suspension. Hall and Berry have primarily made their marks as special team players, Hyde saw minimal action last season, and Smith was redshirted last season.

My guess is Hall will be the first player in the rotation, but word out of the Sugar Bowl practices was that Smith was emerging as a player to keep an eye out for at tailback. The challenge for the coaching staff will be keeping all players happy, as Ohio State will undoubtedly rely upon its running game during the opening five games, when both Herron and QB Terrelle Pryor will be out of the lineup.

9. Can the punting and place kicking be improved this spring? - Punter Ben Buchanan returns, after averaging a little over 41 yards a punt. In several games last season (Miami (FL), Eastern Michigan, @ Illinois, @ Wisconsin, @ Minnesota), Buchanan had games where he was under a 40 yard average. The last memory Ohio State fans have of Buchanan for the 2010 season was a crucial punt block that nearly cost Ohio State the Sugar Bowl.

Placekicker Drew Basil earned playing time last season kicking off for Ohio State. Basil's placekicking were for designated long field goals, and Basil was 0-2 on those attempts. Remembering that former PK Devin Barclay was often called upon in clutch situations to win the game for Ohio State, it is imperative that Basil rises up this spring as Barclay's replacement.

8. Can the special teams units be improved this spring? - Last year's coverage units repeatedly cost Ohio State precious field position. The opening kickoff returned for a touchdown by Wisconsin put Ohio State behind, never to be able to regain the momentum. Is it scheme? Personnel? No matter the answer, I expect Ohio State to continually work on this nagging problem throughout the spring, and probably well into summer camp in August.

7. Who will emerge at the linebacker position? - Ross Homan and Brian Rolle, two solidly dependable players for Ohio State at linebacker, have exhausted their eligibility and hope for their NFL dreams to be realized in the 2011 NFL Draft. Andrew Sweat returns to probably fill one of the spots (Sweat was a starter at SAM linebacker in 2010, but could move to another linebacker position), leaving two spots open.

Ohio State has recruited well at this position for a number of years, with candidates such as Etienne Sabino, Storm Klein, Dorian Bell, and Jonathan Newsome all eager to stake their claim. With incoming freshmen Ryan Shazier, Curtis Grant, Ejuan Price, and Conner Crowell arriving, Ohio State's returnees need to step up this spring, to avoid being bypassed by the talented freshmen.

6. Who will replace Cameron Heyward and Dexter Larimore on the defensive line? - Heyward earned playing time as a true freshman in 2007, and was a steady performer throughout his career at Ohio State, saving his best for last against Arkansas in the 2011 Sugar Bowl. Larimore was never a dominant interior lineman, but was a reliable run-stopper.

Another thing to keep in mind is Solomon Thomas is one of the players who will serve a five game suspension, so Ohio State's vaunted defensive line depth, a key to the success Ohio State's defenses have had under defensive coordinator Jim Heacock, will be put to the test.

Look for massive Johnathan Hankins to be given the first opportunity to replace Larimore in the interior defensive line. If Hankins has the stamina, he should form a strong compliment to returnee John Simon. Adam Bellamy and Garrett Goebel will also be in the rotation at defensive tackle.

Nathan Williams will return at one defensive end position, leaving the other spot open for players such as Melvin Fellows (if free from injury), David Durham, and J.T. Moore opportunities for playing time during Thomas' suspension. True freshmen Steve Miller, Kenny Hayes, and Chase Faris will all enroll over the summer - like the linebacker spots, the returning players need to make a strong impression now, lest they are bypassed by the incoming talent.

Part Two will focus upon what I consider the top five pressing questions this spring for Ohio State.

[ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog]: Will Jim Tressel's p.r. move limit damage?

As soon as this scrolled across the bottom of the TV screen last evening, I said that I felt this was a good PR move by Coach Tressel and Ohio State. We shall see if the NCAA feels the same way…

**

The 2011 season is still more than five months away, but Ohio State coach Jim Tressel made his first tactical decision Thursday night. It came of the public relations variety. By choosing to increase his suspension from two games to five games -- the same punishment the NCAA upheld for five Ohio State players who sold memorabilia for money and tattoos -- Tressel is hoping to improve his image with the NCAA and the outside world. Will it work? We'll have to see. Ohio State had been justifiably ripped nationally for an extremely soft initial punishment for the coach, who withheld information about the players selling memorabilia items for eight months last year. No one bought Tressel's explanation at last week's news conference in Columbus, and the school's decision to ban the coach from two games against MAC opponents increased the p.r. nightmare. Tressel's decision to increase his own punishment came in response to the backlash. You have to wonder why Ohio State didn't initially come out with a stronger reprimand -- many feel even five games isn't enough, given Tressel's actions -- but at least the school didn't bury its head in the sand and hope this all would just go away. "Throughout this entire situation my players and I have committed ourselves to facing our mistakes and growing from them; we can only successfully do that together," Tressel said in a prepared statement. "I spoke with athletics director [Gene] Smith, and our studentathletes involved, and told them that my mistakes need to share the same game sanctions. Like my players, I am very sorry for the mistakes I made. I request of the university that my sanctions now include five games so that the players and I can handle this adversity together." It's a shrewd p.r. move, albeit a late one. Tressel and Ohio State hope the increase will help his case with the NCAA, which has the ultimate say on how long the coach could sit out in 2011 (or beyond). The NCAA continues to investigate the situation at Ohio State and still could come down much harder on Tressel, as it did with Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl and former USC football assistant Todd McNair. The possibility of Ohio State vacating its wins from the 2010 season is a very real one, and Tressel could face more severe individual penalties. This ain't over yet, but Tressel might have helped himself Thursday. It comes as no surprise that the NCAA upheld the five-game ban for the players. In light of Tressel's recent admission and after being labeled soft regarding the Cam Newton saga and the Ohio State-Sugar Bowl situation, the NCAA would have had its own p.r. mess if it reduced the initial suspension. "While we are disappointed that our appeal request was denied, we respect the NCAA and accept its ruling," Smith said in a prepared statement. "The players are sorry for the disappointment they have caused, will learn from their mistakes, and will strive to earn the confidence and support of everyone associated with the university through their future conduct." Thursday's news certainly impacts the 2011 Big Ten race and creates the biggest challenge for Ohio State in the Tressel era. How will this team respond to not having its head coach, its starting quarterback and four other players for nearly half the season? The fifth game is a big one, the Big Ten opener against Michigan State in Columbus. The Spartans shared the league title with Ohio State in 2010 and return a strong team. Can the Buckeyes, despite their recent dominance of the Big Ten, still be labeled conference favorites after all of this? But that's all in the future. Tressel made a controlled, calculated move Thursday, but his fate now rests with the NCAA.

View article...

---

Interesting article from Kentucky Post re: Jim Tressel

I found this article and thought it gave a different perspective on why Coach Tressel withheld information. I am not suggesting that what he did was right, but I think it gives people an opportunity to contemplate what possibly went into his decision...

**

Memories of Jermaine Hopkins' death in a gang dispute in 1996 still haunt Jim Tressel. The Youngstown State star defensive end was shot in the head as he tried to quell a disturbance near campus. He was and always will be 21.

A long time friend of the Ohio State coach told me tonight that the incident and hope of heading off future tragedies led him to quickly comply with federal authorities' requests to keep quiet about their investigation of a tattoo shop owner. I'm told that Tressel was inclined to feel that playing along, even though Ohio State and the NCAA were technically entitled to know, would help take dangerous criminals off the street. He naively thought a greater good was being served by his discretion.

Naturally the Buckeyes' coach is deeply troubled by this mar on his reputation. I'm told that while he didn't mention it Tuesday night to possibly mitigate the headlines, much more will eventually be revealed about the situation. At which time I'm assured, Jim Tressel will be proved to have done the right thing, if not in the correct manner.

Jim Tressel Forced To Take Tough Medicine

Watching The Big Ten Network's coverage tonight of Jim Tressel's suspension, it was visibly evident to me how distraught and distressed Coach Tressel was at that press conference. For a man who prides himself on maintaining an even keel, I have to confess that Coach Tressel's facial expressions demonstrated a man tremendously fatigued, both physically and emotionally.

Despite being a huge Coach Tressel fan, I am not going to suggest that what Coach Tressel did was right. Quite honestly, nobody, with the exception of those privy to the sensitive information associated to this NCAA investigation, can accurately describe what the correct course of action was with regards to the e-mails Coach Tressel received last spring and did not report. I truly believe Coach Tressel made a decision that he felt was in the best interest of the players involved.

I will suggest that Coach Tressel visibly demonstrated to me, and I am presuming other Ohio State fans, a true sense of remorse and regret during the course of the press conference. And I am anxious to see going forward how this will affect Coach Tressel in not only the 2011 season, but beyond.

While Ohio State has suspended Coach Tressel for the first two games of the 2011 season, fined him $250,000, required attendance at a compliance seminar as well as a public reprimand of him, it is entirely possible the NCAA is not done with Ohio State. Make no mistake about Gene Smith's complimentary tones at the onset of the press conference towards the NCAA - those were classic examples of someone throwing themselves at the mercy of the judge.

The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated that "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and conveniences, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." It will be interesting to see how Coach Tressel, as well as the collective Ohio State community, stand going forward into the 2011 college football season.

[Bucknuts.com] ~ Instant Analysis: Tressel Suspension, What Happens From Here

Dave Biddle of Bucknuts.com has written a pretty good analysis of where Ohio State goes forward in 2011, following the suspension of Coach Jim Tressel for the first two games of the season...

Instant Analysis: Tressel Suspension, What Happens From Here | Football Article

[Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com]: Tressel knew of gear sales in April

I respect Ivan Maisel of ESPN, and he wrote what I have been saying all along today. Show me the proof, and then we'll see what the consequences will be. Using an unnamed source as the basis of the story begs for that unnamed source to come forward with evidence.

Looking forward to tonight at 7pm…

Feed: ESPN.com - Big Ten Blog
Posted on: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 12:01 PM
Author: Ivan Maisel
Subject: Report: Tressel knew of gear sales in April

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel, teasingly or not, is known as "The Senator" for his stately carriage and general attitude. And we learned long ago in Washington that it's often the cover-up, not the transgression, which brings us to the story. According to a Yahoo! Sports report on Monday, Tressel was informed that some of his players had sold memorabilia more than eight months before the school said it was made aware of the violations. Ohio State did not immediately respond -- and there's no reason for Ohio State to immediately respond. That is, unless the source of the story has physical evidence that demands to be answered. If it comes down to a war of words, Ohio State is likely to believe its longtime coach and defend him against any inquiry by the NCAA. Don't expect to hear a lot from athletic director Gene Smith. As a member of the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee, Smith is a little busy this week.

View article...

(Bucknuts.com) ~ Gee, Smith, Tressel To Meet Media at 7 p.m.

Click on the link below to learn details about the upcoming media session involving the Jim Tressel allegations...

Gee, Smith, Tressel To Meet Media at 7 p.m. Ohio State Buckeyes College Football Recruiting, OSU Big Ten Football, OSU Basketball – Bucknuts.com

[Bucknuts.com] Ramzy: Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea

Very enjoyable read by Ramzy Nasrallah of Bucknuts.com on the state of affairs for That Team Up North...

Ramzy: Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea