I have not done a summary in a long time. I had a LOT going on. However, now my season is over so I finally have some time to look at things.
- Obviously the biggest story, unfortunately, is Chase Young. I have been all over the place on this. First off, the reporting on it has been disgusting. We got to see first hand how guys were just throwing stuff out there without verifying it at all. It is a shame that things have come to this. I do find it very refreshing that this site is not willing to throw kids under the bus in order to get a scoop or be first. Name me another media site that does that.
- From there, this is my opinion on what has happened. He broke a rule and he has to pay for it. Its that simple. Now, what we think about the rule and what his sentence will be is definitely a good debate to have. I think the rule is dumb but I do get why it exists. I don't think he should get more than 2 games. However, while we all know the rule is outdated and such, its still a rule. He knew that. He broke it. As a coach who is trying desperately to get kids to learn that lesson, I can't then say that Chase shouldn't be suspended. There are all kinds of stupid rules out there. We just have to live with them or change them. However, we can't break them just because we do not like them.
- With Chase out of the game, we got to see other players shine. Many of them did that. Devon Hamilton was outstanding in limited snaps. I have been a fan of his for two years now. He has reshaped his body and is playing at a high level now. Honestly, I don't think he gets enough snaps. I was VERY impressed when they put him in a 3 tech and he bulled his way to a sack. Malik Harrison was also impressive. He did it all phases of LBer play. He got to the QB. He made hits against the run. He even dropped into coverage and made plays there. Not much more he could have done. Both of those guys are two of the more underrated players in the country. When you win 73-14, lots of guys played great. I just really liked those two.
- OSU needed guys to step up at DE and they did. Tyreke Smith, Tyler Friday, and and Zach Harrison showed the future is bright there. All three showed me some nice burst off the edge while also showing they are starting to master the handwork part of the game. What they really showed me is that Larry Johnson is just an incredible coach and teacher. If any of you have ever met him, he just has this way of talking that people focus on him and listen. The kids are responding to it. I don't really think OSU can pay him enough.
- It would be interesting to know the weight room numbers on Master Teague. He just runs through tackles and falls forward all the time. His strength on the field is his biggest asset. He is such a compliment to JK. I can't imagine being a LBer trying to track down Dobbins, who you can't even see behind that line, and then suddenly Teague is in and running right at you. Its a very effecting 1-2 punch.
- Going into the season, there were two players on defense who many wanted replaced. Tuff Borland and Peter Werner were those two guys. Well, they have proven they should be on the field. Their turnaround really has been why this defense has been as good as it has. No longer are they overshooting plays, losing gap integrity, or missing tackles. I have to say that the coaching of Al Washington might have been the biggest pickup of the whole offseason. And that is saying something because there were some big pickups. He took three guys who looked lost at times last year and has them playing at an elite level. Malik
- The offensive line has just been incredible. It hasn't just been the starters either. Those guys have been great. However, the reason the OL has been great has been competition for spots and guys stepping up when needed. OSU has played without guys and not lost a step. You just do not see that much. Also, how many times has Fields sat back there with 5 seconds to throw the ball. That has just been amazing to me.
- I loved seeing OSU use those two TE sets. That was a real problem for Maryland. They had some kids like Keandre Jones who are fast players with not great size. By bringing in Berry and Ruckert, those guys got nullified. Then OSU even threw the ball to the TE and now teams are going to have to prepare for that. You don't want to take those WRs off the field, but that look was nice to see and has been good to OSU over the years.
- There isn't anything I can say about the past month of OSU football that hasn't already been said. They have been terrific. Sure I can find some things to work on. However, they have done what has been needed and done it at a high level. What they need to do is be mentally tough enough to keep it going. Urban called it "the grind" and he was right. Now it is pressure to keep doing it. There are two good teams left on the schedule and they have to prove they can win those game. Their biggest opponent will not be scUM or PSU. It will be themselves. That is the test.
- Of course, I didn't think that Maryland even tried to win that game. Their effort was poor and embarrassing to their program. As some may remember, I really questioned the hiring of Locksley. I still don't like it. Can he rebuild this without cheating in recruiting? We shall see. He knows X's and O's. That is for sure. Can he lead young men to be successful?
- OSU gets another tune up game and then it is a sprint to the finish. They need to take care of business. So far, they have won nothing of value. These next 4 weeks will determine where they stand. Everything they have done till now has set this up. They need to finish.
- I loved being able to see Minnesota play. I know that PJ Fleck has a style that some do not like. However, you can not argue with the results so far. We were all saying they hadn't actually had an impressive win against a good opponent. Well, that one thing they were missing they now have. And it was impressive. PJ has sneakily assembled some talent and more importantly has those guys believing. That is what he does. His whole SkiUMah and Row the Boat is cheesy, but it works. Our society has a style right now where if you tell us something enough times, we believe it without even checking on it. That has been both bad and good. However, for Minnesota, it has been good. PJ bombards them with stuff. The guy talked a million miles an hour. He always seems to be on cocaine really. However, he has bombarded those kids with positive messages and gotten them to believe in them. And if you thought he did it well before, imagine what he can do now that he has this win as a trophy. That win has given his style the legitimacy it needed. They are dangerous. Now he must get them to deal with the one thing they have never had to deal with............ expectations.
- Overall, the BIG has been tough. However, there have definitely been some disappointments. I can't decide if Nebraska, Northwestern, or MSU have been the biggest disappointment. I was drinking the Koolaid on Nebraska before the season. I thought they had some weapons on offense to get things done. I really like Frost as a coach. For whatever reason, it hasn't happened. They can still make a bowl game but it will be close. Then we have NW. They have gone from division champ and conference title game to winless in the conference. Wow, that is a fall.
- Now, who has been the biggest surprise of the B1G season? Minnesota jumps out at us. They are undefeated. They now have the win over PSU on national TV. We will be hearing PJ Fleck soundbites every day until they lose. However, I do want to recognize what Lovie has done at Illinois. That comeback was amazing. He has that win over Wisky. They are going bowling. No one saw that coming. I said last week, they have the most opportunistic defense I have seen in some time. You know going in they get turnovers. Teams tell their players to protect the ball. Yet, they still get turnovers. MSU knew if they didn't turn it over, they would win. So, they went out and turned it over 4 times and lost. Its amazing to watch.
- The Bama vs LSU game was just a great game. It had everything. LSU was a beast and took a big lead. Bama with their Heisman QB candidate mounted a comeback. Both teams had future NFL players all over the field. And there was this kid from Athens, Ohio leading LSU to the win. He was very impressive in the game. It will be a neat story if he finishes the season like he has been so far. Athen to OSU to LSU to Heisman?
- OSU needs UC and the Fighting Fickells to keep doing what they have been doing. Nothing will look better for the Buckeyes than to have a win over an 11 win UC team. The Bearcats have a tough 3 game stretch to finish that ends with a game at a rank Memphis. Good luck to Luke and the Bearcats.
- I had some hope that South Carolina could expose Clemson at the end of the season. Then I watched them and remember Will Muschamp is their coach. I said it last year, that dude is overrated. Just because you have a mean look on your face and can yell doesn't mean you are good coach. He was a great DC. Some guys need to know their limits and what they are good at.
- For those that want to know, my team finished 3-7. That isn't great. However, last year we were 0-10 with 8 of those games getting a running clock. We were also shut out 3 times. This year we had 2 games with a running clock and were only shut out once. So while it wasn't what I had hoped for, it was a dramatic improvement. We lose 13 great seniors. However, 5 of those guys were my OL. So if you know of any kids who are good offensive linemen, send them my way.
- Obviously the biggest story, unfortunately, is Chase Young. I have been all over the place on this. First off, the reporting on it has been disgusting. We got to see first hand how guys were just throwing stuff out there without verifying it at all. It is a shame that things have come to this. I do find it very refreshing that this site is not willing to throw kids under the bus in order to get a scoop or be first. Name me another media site that does that.
- From there, this is my opinion on what has happened. He broke a rule and he has to pay for it. Its that simple. Now, what we think about the rule and what his sentence will be is definitely a good debate to have. I think the rule is dumb but I do get why it exists. I don't think he should get more than 2 games. However, while we all know the rule is outdated and such, its still a rule. He knew that. He broke it. As a coach who is trying desperately to get kids to learn that lesson, I can't then say that Chase shouldn't be suspended. There are all kinds of stupid rules out there. We just have to live with them or change them. However, we can't break them just because we do not like them.
- With Chase out of the game, we got to see other players shine. Many of them did that. Devon Hamilton was outstanding in limited snaps. I have been a fan of his for two years now. He has reshaped his body and is playing at a high level now. Honestly, I don't think he gets enough snaps. I was VERY impressed when they put him in a 3 tech and he bulled his way to a sack. Malik Harrison was also impressive. He did it all phases of LBer play. He got to the QB. He made hits against the run. He even dropped into coverage and made plays there. Not much more he could have done. Both of those guys are two of the more underrated players in the country. When you win 73-14, lots of guys played great. I just really liked those two.
- OSU needed guys to step up at DE and they did. Tyreke Smith, Tyler Friday, and and Zach Harrison showed the future is bright there. All three showed me some nice burst off the edge while also showing they are starting to master the handwork part of the game. What they really showed me is that Larry Johnson is just an incredible coach and teacher. If any of you have ever met him, he just has this way of talking that people focus on him and listen. The kids are responding to it. I don't really think OSU can pay him enough.
- It would be interesting to know the weight room numbers on Master Teague. He just runs through tackles and falls forward all the time. His strength on the field is his biggest asset. He is such a compliment to JK. I can't imagine being a LBer trying to track down Dobbins, who you can't even see behind that line, and then suddenly Teague is in and running right at you. Its a very effecting 1-2 punch.
- Going into the season, there were two players on defense who many wanted replaced. Tuff Borland and Peter Werner were those two guys. Well, they have proven they should be on the field. Their turnaround really has been why this defense has been as good as it has. No longer are they overshooting plays, losing gap integrity, or missing tackles. I have to say that the coaching of Al Washington might have been the biggest pickup of the whole offseason. And that is saying something because there were some big pickups. He took three guys who looked lost at times last year and has them playing at an elite level. Malik
- The offensive line has just been incredible. It hasn't just been the starters either. Those guys have been great. However, the reason the OL has been great has been competition for spots and guys stepping up when needed. OSU has played without guys and not lost a step. You just do not see that much. Also, how many times has Fields sat back there with 5 seconds to throw the ball. That has just been amazing to me.
- I loved seeing OSU use those two TE sets. That was a real problem for Maryland. They had some kids like Keandre Jones who are fast players with not great size. By bringing in Berry and Ruckert, those guys got nullified. Then OSU even threw the ball to the TE and now teams are going to have to prepare for that. You don't want to take those WRs off the field, but that look was nice to see and has been good to OSU over the years.
- There isn't anything I can say about the past month of OSU football that hasn't already been said. They have been terrific. Sure I can find some things to work on. However, they have done what has been needed and done it at a high level. What they need to do is be mentally tough enough to keep it going. Urban called it "the grind" and he was right. Now it is pressure to keep doing it. There are two good teams left on the schedule and they have to prove they can win those game. Their biggest opponent will not be scUM or PSU. It will be themselves. That is the test.
- Of course, I didn't think that Maryland even tried to win that game. Their effort was poor and embarrassing to their program. As some may remember, I really questioned the hiring of Locksley. I still don't like it. Can he rebuild this without cheating in recruiting? We shall see. He knows X's and O's. That is for sure. Can he lead young men to be successful?
- OSU gets another tune up game and then it is a sprint to the finish. They need to take care of business. So far, they have won nothing of value. These next 4 weeks will determine where they stand. Everything they have done till now has set this up. They need to finish.
- I loved being able to see Minnesota play. I know that PJ Fleck has a style that some do not like. However, you can not argue with the results so far. We were all saying they hadn't actually had an impressive win against a good opponent. Well, that one thing they were missing they now have. And it was impressive. PJ has sneakily assembled some talent and more importantly has those guys believing. That is what he does. His whole SkiUMah and Row the Boat is cheesy, but it works. Our society has a style right now where if you tell us something enough times, we believe it without even checking on it. That has been both bad and good. However, for Minnesota, it has been good. PJ bombards them with stuff. The guy talked a million miles an hour. He always seems to be on cocaine really. However, he has bombarded those kids with positive messages and gotten them to believe in them. And if you thought he did it well before, imagine what he can do now that he has this win as a trophy. That win has given his style the legitimacy it needed. They are dangerous. Now he must get them to deal with the one thing they have never had to deal with............ expectations.
- Overall, the BIG has been tough. However, there have definitely been some disappointments. I can't decide if Nebraska, Northwestern, or MSU have been the biggest disappointment. I was drinking the Koolaid on Nebraska before the season. I thought they had some weapons on offense to get things done. I really like Frost as a coach. For whatever reason, it hasn't happened. They can still make a bowl game but it will be close. Then we have NW. They have gone from division champ and conference title game to winless in the conference. Wow, that is a fall.
- Now, who has been the biggest surprise of the B1G season? Minnesota jumps out at us. They are undefeated. They now have the win over PSU on national TV. We will be hearing PJ Fleck soundbites every day until they lose. However, I do want to recognize what Lovie has done at Illinois. That comeback was amazing. He has that win over Wisky. They are going bowling. No one saw that coming. I said last week, they have the most opportunistic defense I have seen in some time. You know going in they get turnovers. Teams tell their players to protect the ball. Yet, they still get turnovers. MSU knew if they didn't turn it over, they would win. So, they went out and turned it over 4 times and lost. Its amazing to watch.
- The Bama vs LSU game was just a great game. It had everything. LSU was a beast and took a big lead. Bama with their Heisman QB candidate mounted a comeback. Both teams had future NFL players all over the field. And there was this kid from Athens, Ohio leading LSU to the win. He was very impressive in the game. It will be a neat story if he finishes the season like he has been so far. Athen to OSU to LSU to Heisman?
- OSU needs UC and the Fighting Fickells to keep doing what they have been doing. Nothing will look better for the Buckeyes than to have a win over an 11 win UC team. The Bearcats have a tough 3 game stretch to finish that ends with a game at a rank Memphis. Good luck to Luke and the Bearcats.
- I had some hope that South Carolina could expose Clemson at the end of the season. Then I watched them and remember Will Muschamp is their coach. I said it last year, that dude is overrated. Just because you have a mean look on your face and can yell doesn't mean you are good coach. He was a great DC. Some guys need to know their limits and what they are good at.
- For those that want to know, my team finished 3-7. That isn't great. However, last year we were 0-10 with 8 of those games getting a running clock. We were also shut out 3 times. This year we had 2 games with a running clock and were only shut out once. So while it wasn't what I had hoped for, it was a dramatic improvement. We lose 13 great seniors. However, 5 of those guys were my OL. So if you know of any kids who are good offensive linemen, send them my way.
