Fall Practice updates!!! [Archive] - Ohio Sportsman.com

Deehntr56

08-06-2008, 12:26 PM

Some perhaps slightly more interesting observations from the practices this week.

* It looks like the first-team defensive line is Lawrence Wilson and Cameron Heyward at end and Nader Abdallah and Todd Denlinger at tackle. The second team is Robert Rose and Thaddeus Gibson at end and Dexter Larimore and Doug Worthington at tackle.

* In at least one passing drill, Tyler Moeller was on the field with the first team defense, joining James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman at linebacker. Moeller is somewhere between a safety and a linebacker and could wind up as a good fit on passing downs.

* Donald Washington, still facing a possible suspension, did not seem to be running with the first team defense. Chimdi Chekwa looked to be working as the starting corner opposite Malcolm Jenkins.

* Running back Brandon Saine wore a yellow jersey that signifes limited practice contact and didn't seem to work into most of the drills with the other running backs. Jim Tressel did not mention Saine when asked about injuries on Monday.

* Big Ten Network analyst, and former Vanderbilt, LSU and Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo, on Terrelle Pryor.
"He's all arm," DiNardo said, noticing that Pryor was not striding toward his target on his passes. "He has a lot of mechanical work to do, as all freshmen do."
Pryor did hit fellow freshman DeVier Posey on a nice crossing route on one play. Hold that memory for 2009.

* Curtis Terry, now at fullback for good, appeared to be working with the first-teamers on offense.

* It looked like the Buckeyes were working out of the pistol formation at times, a formation they haven't used in the past. It puts the quarterback in sort of a shortened shotgun, with the running back lined up behind the quarterback instead of next to him.

* Jamario O'Neal made a nice leaping interception.

* Freshman J.B. Shugarts looked to be backing up Bryant Browning at right tackle.

on a side note........* Both DiNardo and fellow Big Ten Network analyst Howard Griffith, when asked by host Dave Revsine, predicted that Ohio State would win the national title this year. But really, it's not the SEC Network, right?

Fish-n-Fool

08-06-2008, 02:27 PM

Moeller will be out there on passing downs - kid can fly. Freeman has coverage speed, but has struggled at times - expect to see Homan, JL & TM get a look as a package also. Homan is big, but he can drop back and cover too - he has a nose for the ball much like JL. Whichever package looks best early in the season will get the nod.

Saine - he's fine; he tweaked his leg that's all. We won't be taking chances as he looks to be a larger part of the plan this year.

Washington will have his work to do to win his job back. Unofficially he's on 2 game suspension, but Chekwa could make it tough on him to get that spot back. I think DW will win the job back as he is a really under rated corner and has NFL skills. (I like Chekwa too, but he is currently a notch below DW)

I love that we have some young OL - Shuggarts will push BB all year and may very well win that job if BB doesn't step it up.

Deehntr56

08-06-2008, 08:58 PM

Washington will have to earn his job back, and time will tell if he will. I agree he has NFL skills, but he will have to re-earn the ability to show them, and Tressel will monitor that.

Chekwa is good, and I also agree he may be a year away, if he continues progressing....he has shown some potentail this past year..

Saine will be a factor...no doubt about that....I also believe he will break out some this year and show some of that speed that made him all Ohio.

They are being careful with him.

Moeller..no doubt.....he has some ability to make some game changing plays....I like him a lot.

Watch out for Rose. His shoulder is much better and I think he will do very well this year. Their using him on the inside as a pass rusher on the nickel defense and also on the outside as an end...if he stays healthy, but he should be able to excel this year!! They want to use him inside since of the emphasis is to get a good push up the middle to disrupt the pocket this year and get more penetration then the past. Lichter loved him last summer...called him the Summer workout Stud of the team.

and..............................as a few of us mentioned earlier about Lichter and him working the Buckeyes to pukeville.......

Doug Lesmerises
Reporter

Columbus- The question of who worked harder can be better answered in 110 days, so for now, Ohio State and Michigan's Regurgitation Rivalry must be declared a draw.

There's no way to know which players truly gave up more of themselves this summer in the name of better conditioning, with each side claiming efforts to the edge of exhaustion.

"It was the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen," Ohio State senior tackle Alex Boone said Sunday of the Buckeyes' summer routine. "People keeling over, and just vomiting everywhere. It was sick.

"If people are going to say they outran us or outworked us, I don't believe that."

The Wolverines probably would disagree.

"Our players have seen the difference in their bodies and have bought into it," Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said at the Big Ten meetings. "They like the results so far, and I think it will translate onto the field as well."

In Columbus, OSU Director of Football Performance Eric Lichter, in his third season, sought new levels of agony. Lichter was in lockdown Sunday after the team reported for the start of preseason camp, with practice beginning today. But it's safe to say his familiarity with the players gave him the freedom to break them down.

"I don't know if you could have had a tougher summer than us and been able to walk," senior linebacker Marcus Freeman said. "Guys were yakking, quitting, hurting, falling out - it was pretty bad out there this summer.

"Coach Lichter really pushed us to the point that you felt like every day you were tired and you couldn't go anymore. Most of the time you feel like, 'I'm getting in better shape,' but he did so much you felt like, 'Hey, I just can't do anymore. Does this ever get easier?' But that's what makes us better."

That process was bumpy, and included, according to the players, its fair share of fights and arguments, between players and between the players and Lichter.

"When you're exhausted, you get mad and you want to yell at somebody," Freeman said. "We have the utmost respect for him, but there are points where you say things to him."

"People were getting mad, and he tested everyone's will," junior safety Kurt Coleman said. "We had a meeting right before we got into workouts, and he told us it was about pushing ourselves to the limits."

Much has been made of the new weightlifting equipment Michigan acquired to aid Barwis. And the Woody Hayes Athletic Center's 17,000-square foot weight room is like an OSU testosterone factory. Yet, Lichter inflicted the greatest pain the old-fashioned way - on the steps of Ohio Stadium, in a sand pit and on a hill at the edge of Ohio 315.

"We did suicides up the hill, we ran sideways across the hill, we did backwards bear crawls up the hill," Boone said. "It doesn't look that bad, and then you run up it, and you're like, 'This is not going to happen.' "

It did happen, over and over again. Freeman said one result was many players passing a pre-conditioning last week that they failed at the same time a year ago. Another was that the Buckeyes believe they are in the best shape in the country.

"I heard that Michigan got a new strength coach who's supposed to be pretty tough," Freeman said. "But we feel like we have the best here." No Doubt about it, our facility is second to none and our commitment is to be the best!

Deehntr56

08-07-2008, 11:48 AM

http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/wellsmf.jpg

Turbo Charged Dump Truck.......I LOVE IT!!!:biggrin:

OSU's Wells says confidence was the key to his second-half surge in 2007
by Doug Lesmerises Wednesday August 06, 2008, 10:35 PM

Marvin Fong/The Plain Dealer
Chris Wells says confidence in his ability prompted his surge during the second half of the 2007 season for the Buckeyes.Columbus -- Really? That guy -- the turbo-charged dump truck -- lacked for confidence? What else would Beanie Wells have needed in order to feel like he could handle the load?
Seems like a 1,600-yard season has done it. All that talk last year about Wells finding a way to play through pain was more about his head than his ankle. Hurt or not, Wells said he didn't have it.

"It's good to have a year under my belt, because last year at the beginning of the season, I wasn't confident at all," Wells said before Ohio State practice started this week. "It was a big difference from being on the field periodically to being on the field all the time. I feel a lot more confident and a lot more comfortable now."

Confidence, or the expression of it, is a funny thing, though. Everybody has it in the present but lacked it in the past.

This was Wells before the opener against Youngstown State last season, as he readied for his first season as a No. 1 back.

"I feel more relaxed and more free when I'm on the field," Wells said then. "My thoughts are clear, and I feel like I could run all day."

And then he gained three yards on his first seven carries of the season against Youngstown State.

Part of that was a new offensive line finding its way. Part of certainly was the time Wells missed during the preseason with an ankle injury that continued to nag him through the season. But it's fair to guess now that part of that was a sophomore with a NFL body still uncertain about how to use it.

Now he's a junior who's ready and willing to exploit his 230-pound gift from the start.

"I think his confidence in his running is much better," said OSU legend Archie Griffin, who often talks with Wells about life as a back.

And the body is, well, the body. A year ago, Wells' voluntary double sessions during summer workouts was the story. Now his beastly ability is a given.

"You think about how strong Beanie is," OSU linebacker Marcus Freeman said, "I think Beanie is in the top five or 10 in strength on this whole team, including linemen."

And the body's in one piece. Off-season wrist surgery kept Wells out of spring ball, but he's rolling now.

"He's ready to go," Jim Tressel said at Monday's first practice. "Are we going to tackle his 600 times this preseason? No."

Tressel knows that wouldn't be healthy for anyone, including his linebackers. Because no matter what Wells said before or says now about his thinking, all that matters is the running. The second-half of last season, he ran like a man who knew were he wanted to go, even while he said his wrist "was going to fall off."

Surgery took care of that. Wells hopes to take care of the doubt himself.

A Better Beanie

Ohio State running back Beanie Wells averaged 92 yards per game in his first seven games last season, and 161 yards per game in his final six games.

First seven games: 118 carries, 642 yards, 5.4 yard average, 6 touchdowns

Last six games: 156 carries, 967 yards, 6.2 yard average, 9 touchdowns

Projection if Wells matches the second-half pace for all of 2008: 338 carries, 2,095 yards, 20 touchdowns

jeffmo

08-07-2008, 01:15 PM

and very possibly the heisman.

Deehntr56

08-07-2008, 05:19 PM

:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :bouncy: :bouncy: :bouncy:

Redhunter1012

08-07-2008, 08:16 PM

Beanie really reminds me of Eddie George. Was wondering if anybody had a report on Boom Herron. I remember really wanting him to sign for UM and he went to the darkside. Was just courious as to how he is progressing.

Fish-n-Fool

08-08-2008, 08:37 AM

Boom has impressed and has now moved directly into the mix for #2 TB slot.
Buckeye fans forget about Boom since he was a scout team player last year, but he can carry the rock as good as anybody. He has put on good weight, he runs low, and is very strong. He was a dominating and punishing runner in high school at Warren Harding; so he was playing tough competition. They say he was easily the second best RB ever out of Harding (Clarett #1).

Saine has been spending the majority of his time with the WRs and working on special teams as a returner. That is not to say Saine would not get the nod if something happened to Beanie, but IMO he and Boom would split carries with Mo getting a few reps here and there. I think the thought is that we have plenty of depth at RB that we should be working Saine into the spread formations and line him up all over to try to get him the ball in space. He is still working on offense too, just not exclusively with the backs.

It will be interesting to see if we get a clear cut starter next year at TB after Beanie is gone. Should be some tough competition with Saine, Herron, Hyde, (even Thomas & Hall) and most likely Berry all getting a look. Couple that with TP having some carries and I think we may run the ball by committee.

It would not shock me to see the lesser known Dan Herron emerge as the #1 guy out of that group in 2009.

Redhunter1012

08-08-2008, 03:42 PM

Thanks for the update FnF. I always liked his film that I watched. He never shies from a hit, and has the uncanny ability to slip through sure tackles. As far as next year, I would vote for Berry. One thing I just found out is that Berry's O-line averages only 200lbs in 6A competition in Fla (largest). Imagine what he could do with a good line?

Deehntr56

08-10-2008, 12:02 PM

Bucks mix in Football offense with Pistols, not shotguns!!!!!!!;) :biggrin:

Didn't some of us say there would be a wrinkle!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin:

Buckeyes are pondering a 'pistol' offense (but shhhh ... they're using a silencer)
by Doug Lesmerises

Terry Gilliam/Associated Press
Jim Tressel on dabbling in the 'pistol' offense: "I think it's just another evolution in how people are deploying."COLUMBUS -- It was just a question about an offensive formation, yet it made Todd Boeckman forget how to speak.
"Uhh-aaah-eeeeh," Boeckman groaned.

The pistol formation. Modified shotgun, with the running back behind the quarterback. Ohio State was running it in practice when the Big Ten Network cameras were present on Tuesday.

The pistol, Todd.

"It's something we're trying to add," the Buckeyes' senior quarterback finally admitted during Thursday's team photo day, which served as the backdrop for what turned into a pistol investigation.

Why might it be effective for Ohio State?

"I don't know," Boeckman said. "We're still working on it right now, so we'll have to wait and see."

The quarterback has been gagged.

"That's because Todd has to face Coach [Jim] Bollman," OSU coach Jim Tressel said.

So does assistant Nick Siciliano, who helps Joe Daniels work with the quarterbacks.

"I would like to defer all questions about the pistol to Coach Bollman," said Siciliano as Bollman walked past.

Fine. He's the offensive coordinator. Makes sense, except he can be a grunter, too.

"All it is is one guy lining up from over here to back there," Bollman said, beginning his vaguely dismissive nonanswer. "There's certain things I'm sure that could be good about it and certain things that could be bad about it. We'll have to figure it out, what's good, what's bad, and sort it out and see what we can do."

What were we talking about again?

Yes, the pistol.

"It gives you some more options in some different things," receivers coach Darrell Hazell offered while plastering on a smile.

So it's a secret then?

"Correct."

The only people willing to talk about something the Buckeyes have never tried before were the players too young to know any better and the guy at whom no one can get mad.

"I think it's just another evolution in how people are deploying," Tressel said, liberated by his status as Bollman's boss.

This evolution might be the perfect alignment for a team looking to combine a shotgun passing attack with a bruising running back. It might prove particularly effective when elusive quarterback Terrelle Pryor is back with bruising running back Beanie Wells.

It's a formation, not an offense. But it might be the best way to get the Buckeyes' stable of skill guys into action.

"I think it can be really beneficial," sophomore running back Brandon Saine said, innocently truthful. "It's a new way to run some different plays. You can still run out of it and still pass out of it."

Created by Nevada coach Chris Ault in 2005, the offense puts the quarterback in the shotgun, but only 3 or 4 yards behind the center instead of 5 to 7 yards back. Also, it places a running back behind the quarterback in a typical I-formation instead of next to the quarterback, like in the shotgun.

The pistol provides the quarterback the time and vision needed for the passing game while still letting the running back get rolling toward the line of scrimmage before the handoff, rather than taking a side handoff from the quarterback while standing still.

"Your back now has the ability to go both ways, as opposed to being offset one way or the other," Tressel said. "And the other thing I like about it is 28 [Wells] gets to go downhill, and I think he's a pretty good downhill guy."

The formation also provides an element of deception, with the running back almost hiding behind the quarterback, so opposing linebackers can't get a read on the run play. It's not a bad way to run an option play either -- and would you want to defend a Pryor-Wells option?

Asked if it could emerge as one of OSU's primary formations or be used more sparingly, Tressel decided he'd had enough of the pistol talk.

"We're planning on using it, like, 64 percent of the time," Tressel said.

He was done.

Pryor admitted to working on it, but said the formation doesn't feel that different from the shotgun. But Wells said he's not adjusted yet. The timing of the handoff is different.

"It's hard," he said. "It takes getting used to."

So the Buckeyes will keep working on it. Or they won't. Or they never have.

Keys;

1. The play of the DL,especially the interior, not the last two years, potent, quick O's made OSU pay.

2. Will Tressel open up the O? He has the talent to make this O explode, but many, including me see his O schemes somewhat 'Vanilla.'

3. Not in favor of a dual QB, as some in ingorance believe, but use Pryor in space to keep opposing D's honest and confused. A wise use of Pryor may lead to the talented OSU O to explode and be a nightmere for opposing D's.

Bottom line; glad to read something like this,it gives opposing D's lots to think about and prepare!

Deehntr56

08-11-2008, 11:08 AM

OSU's Bauserman a hit as backup QB
Posted by Doug Lesmerises August 10, 2008 19:08PM
Categories: Ohio State

http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/08/medium_Photo%20Day%2008.jpg

D.L.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Bauserman will battle freshman Terrelle Pryor for Ohio State's No. 2 job during camp.Columbus - The old baseball player showed up last summer and you wondered why Ohio State needed a 21-year-old fourth-string freshman quarterback.
Then Joe Bauserman scared everyone away.

Actually, it was the future prospects of recruit Terrelle Pryor that led fellow quarterbacks Rob Schoenhoft and Antonio Henton to transfer to Football Championship Series (previously known as I-AA) schools. Schoenhoft went to Delaware and Henton went to Georgia Southern.

The 6-2, 220-pound Bauserman doesn't come across as much of an intimidator. But he is a hunter. And one of the best basketball players on the team. And he's still here, earning a scholarship after starting as a walk-on.

Remember that Bauserman had supplanted those quarterbacks on the depth chart by the time they left. And know that if something were to happen to starter Todd Boeckman right now, this now 22-year-old redshirt freshman would probably be the starting quarterback for Ohio State.

"Right now, Joe is ahead," OSU coach Jim Tressel said last week of the No. 2 quarterback battle between Bauserman and Pryor, "from the standpoint of showing that he has a grasp of what we're doing and showing that he can do some good things. How that could shake out, I'm not sure."

One thing Bauserman does well is make 24-year-old senior Boeckman look young. After playing three summers of minor-league baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization, Bauserman will turn 23 in October and would turn 26 during his senior season if he sticks around.

He's also the man for the job if Tressel calls a play that requires a pass to curve around a defensive back. Bauserman said he can throw curveball with a football.

"It is possible," he said.

He showed off his fastball in the spring game, connecting on two passes of longer than 50 yards. The football rust had disappeared by the middle of last season, as he ran the scout team in practice. Once he had a chance with the OSU offense, Bauserman proved he was more than an extra body.

"At the beginning of spring I was disappointed," Tressel said of Bauserman. "Midway through the spring it started clicking."

The saying goes that the backup quarterback is the most popular player on the team, but that's not the case when Pryor is the No. 3. Pryor is the special talent who should play a role with his own set of plays this season. Boeckman is the clear-cut senior starter. But Bauserman is the necessary insurance policy, the guy on call if Boeckman would get hurt early on and Pryor wasn't ready to play every down.

Without him, the Buckeyes would be remarkably thin at quarterback. Bringing in that old baseball guy makes a lot more sense now. The Buckeyes were already chasing Pryor, and Tressel, who has admitted he wasn't shocked by his quarterback transfers, had to know he needed someone else if Pryor chose Ohio State and created a QB exodus.

"No one ever really said they might leave, nothing like that," Bauserman said. "I had no idea. I just came into the situation blind."

It could all work out for him yet. No one expects him to give any ground to Pryor.

"He's not going to be sitting around saying, 'No one is going to be talking about me at the end of the year,' " Tressel said.

Yet if Pryor would start as a sophomore and a junior, then leave for the NFL, the Buckeyes would need a new starting quarterback in 2011. A 26-year-old senior might be ready and waiting.

Deehntr56

08-11-2008, 11:13 AM

OH-OH......

Southern California quarterback Sanchez dislocates knee

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California quarterback Mark Sanchez dislocated his left kneecap and was carted off the practice field Friday.
Sanchez, the projected starter, was injured after making a throw during practice and landing awkwardly. He was taken for X-rays and an MRI, and team doctors say there is no ligament, cartilage or bone damage. He is listed as day-to-day.

Deehntr56

08-12-2008, 11:55 AM

more and more news.......:biggrin:

Columbus- Justin Boren didn't stand out. He blended right in Thursday at Ohio State's team photo day, a Wolverine in scarlet clothing. Actually, at 6-3 and 310 pounds, the player who started every game for Michigan in 2007 is noticeably smaller than at least eight Buckeyes offensive linemen.

People found him, though, in his No. 56. Defensive tackle Dexter Larimore's dad stopped to grab him for a photo. Defensive tackle Todd Denlinger's mom swatted him on the shoulder pad and smiled.

"Welcome to the Buckeyes. We're so glad you're here."

The Wolverines are as glad he's gone, at least after the way Boren departed Michigan. That story has been told: His transfer to an arch-rival one wound, but his statement about eroding family values at Michigan the thing that bothered new Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez most during his tumultuous off-season.

Under transfer rules, Boren will redshirt this season, then he should fight for a starting job next year as a junior. After summer workouts, he said like he feels like just one of the guys, like he's been in Columbus for two years. But he'll never be just another Buckeye.

He's not sorry about stinging the new regime at his old school with his departing statement. And he made it clear that Ohio State coaches interact with players much differently than the new Michigan coaches, in his opinion.

Q: Did you understand how big of a story you were going to be?

A: "It was in the back of my head. I knew going from Michigan to Ohio State, they were going to hype it up. But it's not a big deal to me."

Q: So were you shocked by how much attention this story has received?

A: "A little bit . . . but I just didn't let it get to me. And I'm sure it's not going to stop for Ohio State-Michigan games years ahead. I'm sure it's going to be hyped up."

Redhunter1012

08-12-2008, 04:05 PM

Another story about Fredo! If he didn't have to wait, he'd start for you guys this year. As stated, most people were mostly upset with the BS "Family Values" statements he made. When in reality, he wasn't given preferential treatment like in years past under Carr. That, and there was one word that he couldn't handle being called. It's the "C" word women hate. He couldn't handle the workouts and whined a bit and was called this repeatedly by RichRod and Barwis. FWIW, I wish he had manned up and stuck around because he really is an awesome interior lineman.

Deehntr56

08-12-2008, 04:59 PM

Ohio State football: Heacock defends his defensive tackles

Tuesday August 12, 2008, 4:43 PM

Jim Heacock wants more from his defensive tackles, but he doesn't like to hear that from anyone else. That's what coaches should do, support their guys. But he still really does need more from them.Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock has come full circle, from asking more of his defensive tackles in the spring to now defending them from anyone who believes the Buckeyes need more from their defensive tackles.

Here's Heacock in the spring when I asked him about the pressure his defensive tackles put on quarterbacks last year.

"I wasn't happy at all with the inside pressure," Heacock said.

Today, I asked Heacock about measuring defensive end Vernon Gholston's contribution to the pass rush last year (I was thinking about 75 percent), and he took it as an opportunity to defend his defensive tackles.

The four-man rotation will be the same as last year --- Todd Denlinger, Dexter Larimore, Nader Abdallah and Doug Worthington --- with the possibility of defensive ends Cameron Heyward and/or Robert Rose playing inside on passing downs to allow Thaddeus Gibson to enter as a pass rusher at defensive end.

The main four are older and wiser. Larimore, especially, is bigger and stronger. Heacock said Abdallah is a much better player. There's no reason to expect they won't be better. But there is also no guarantee that they'll take the huge strides to be game-changers.

Look around the rest of the team and there's NFL talent dripping from every position:

• Linebacker (James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman)

• Secondary (Malcolm Jenkins)

• Offensive line (Alex Boone and, I believe, Steve Rehring)

• Skill positions (Beanie Wells, Brian Robiskie)

• Quarterback (Todd Boeckman will be drafted and there's always Terrelle Pryor)

Lawrence Wilson and Heyward also provide that at defensive end. But are we sure the talent is at quite that level at defensive tackle? They'll have to show it this year.

But defensive tackle is the position that I've harped on the most this off-season, and I've seen similar sentiments other places. As we prepare for Heacock's take, let us remember that we're not really talking about sacks here.

We're talking about collapsing the pocket, making the quarterback uncomfortable, making him move his feet, disrupting plays, creating awkward throws and creating turnovers. And everyone knows Ohio State wants and needs to create more turnovers. So the sack total --- and the four defensive linemen accounted for five of Ohio State's 43 sacks last year --- isn't what I'm thinking about. The issue is pressure.

Obviously, opinions on that issue have reached Heacock and his players. Here is Heacock's say:

"I read and hear a lot about our inside guys and not getting many (sacks), but if you look over the years, inside guys aren't going to get as many as outside guys. That's a fact. Whether we want to believe it or not, that's the truth.

"For these guys, because they heard so much negative about their sack production, you can look back over the years and look back at the Ryan Picketts of the world, how many sacks did he have when he played? [He had eight in 37 career games, three in his final year.] And he was a first-round draft choice. And you go on and on.

"In our defensive scheme, we really try to control the line of scrimmage and let our linebackers run. We ask our defensive line to do a good job of keeping people off the linebackers and let them run, and that's what we've been good at. Sometimes that doesn't equate to great pass rush. I think they're going to be better there ... I know they're going to be better there this year."

Deehntr56

08-12-2008, 08:23 PM

Monday August 11, 2008, 11:41 AM

Ohio State officially announced today the times for the Buckeyes' open practice on Aug. 18.

Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. The team should hit the field at 7:30 with the practice to begin at 8.

Fans are encouraged to park for free at the Schottenstein Center and walk to Ohio Stadium.

Again, there is NO autograph session with the public practice this year.

jeffmo

08-12-2008, 09:50 PM

i'm driving up.i haven't been to a pic or practice day in a loooooooooooong time.

Deehntr56

08-13-2008, 11:41 AM

That should be good there jeffmo!!!!

Growing into his role: Euclid's Gibson earning praise from OSU coaches, teammates
http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/gibson37mf.jpg

Thaddeus Gibson (37) is being praised by coaches for his work to develop into an impact defensive end as a redshirt sophomore at Ohio State.COLUMBUS -- Rafaele Gibson plays tennis with his younger brother, Thaddeus, and has witnessed his transformation.
"He attacks the ball like the Incredible Hulk," Gibson said recently. "It's like he's trying to kill it."

His Ohio State teammates have seen that side of Thaddeus Gibson as well, when he's dealing with blockers and last year at a practice when his argument with a coach led the Buckeyes to leave Gibson in Columbus when they traveled to Purdue.

That's not Thaddeus Gibson.

"That's the wrong impression," said Euclid High head coach Tom Gibbons, who was Gibson's defensive coordinator in high school. "But we are certainly identified by our negative moments."

At a Euclid practice this week, Gibbons said he brought up Gibson's name as an example -- of a teammate who never thought he was better than anyone else. Rafaele, a 27-year-old writer working on his first novel, said every Gibson cousin follows the lead of Thaddeus.

Yet, "Thad's temper is Thad's worst enemy," Rafaele said. "He puts so much pressure on himself, if there are bumps in the road he takes it out on himself.

"That was our worry with Thad. I think he's got that under control."

And that's why defensive coordinator Jim Heacock could say this about Gibson on Tuesday, when asked for a player who has stood out through Ohio State's first week of preseason practice.

"I'm a coach, so I know a little bit of the deficiencies," Heacock said, couching his praise, "but the guy that is probably standing out if you watch us practice or scrimmage is Thaddeus.

"He's got good speed and he makes plays. I see he has a long way to go to fit into our defense, but he's a guy with some buzz."

Heacock made two points there that define Gibson as a redshirt sophomore in his third year at Ohio State. First is that when he's on the field, primarily as a pass rusher from the defensive end spot on third downs, he'll make you notice. The second is that Gibson is not a starter, backing up Lawrence Wilson and Cameron Heyward, but with what he learned last season, he can be trusted to understand his role, contribute when called upon and not lose control.

"Thaddeus has really grown as a person since last year," said junior Wilson, the emotional leader of the defensive line and Gibson's roommate during camp. "He really has taken it personally. He's trying to be a good teammate and I'm proud of him. He's stepping up and being accountable for his actions."

On the field, those actions include developing as a more complete defensive end. Heacock said Gibson needs to improve against the run. But teammate Robert Rose said coaches believe Gibson drops in coverage as well as anybody at OSU's drop end "Leo" position since Will Smith.

"Thad could be a real explosive player for us," Rose said with a smile.

That's what everyone close to Gibson has been waiting for. Most players don't enjoy redshirting, but Gibson may have been more surprised and disappointed by his 2006 redshirt season than most. First a linebacker at Ohio State, he then felt like a player caught without a role while shifting to defensive end last year.

No one ever really doubted that Gibson would sidetrack himself before he reached this point, but he tested them.

"Having to wait this long has made him much more of a team player, as well as a mature person," Rafael Gibson said. "We're not expecting him to be a star. We hope so, but we just want him to show what he's been putting forth behind the scenes. I hope this season will bring the reward he's waiting for."

The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder has waited. And now he's ready, even if that sometimes mean waiting for his turn.

"Coach Heacock tells me every day to go hard and when it's your time, show it," Thaddeus Gibson said. "I learned a lot, and now is my time."

Deehntr56

08-14-2008, 11:54 AM

Wilson will make an impact in 2008!!!:biggrin:

http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/wilsonbreakjg.jpg

Given a bad break a year ago, OSU's Wilson eager to help lead Buckeyes defense in '08

Lawrence Wilson's 2007 season ended in its first game, as the OSU defensive lineman suffered a broken leg against Youngstown State.COLUMBUS -- The defensive end looked quick and disruptive, blowing by the offensive tackle and springing into the backfield. The other defensive end was the future No. 6 pick in the NFL Draft.
A second look at Ohio State's opener against Youngstown State last season showed 17 plays in which Lawrence Wilson and Vernon Gholston share the field on opposite ends of the Buckeyes' defensive line. Wilson was the one who recorded Ohio State's first sack of the season, made another tackle in the backfield and twice forced the Penguins' quarterback to hurry.

Wilson was the one who broke his right leg on his 17th, and his final, play of the season. Gholston was the one who went on and broke Ohio State's sack record with 14, left school with a year of eligibility remaining and scored a $21 million signing bonus with the New York Jets.

"Me and Vern, we always used to talk about how good we can be," Wilson said this week. "We didn't get the opportunity to do it."

Given that chance, who knows how effective Ohio State's pass rush would have been? Or where Wilson and Gholston would be now?

"Maybe Lawrence wouldn't have been here," OSU linebacker Marcus Freeman said, aware of Wilson's NFL potential. "He's a guy we really expected big things from last year. To me, he looks just as good as he did for that first game last year. He looks fast, he looks big, he looks strong."

Maybe not as big, maybe a little faster. With a new diet, Wilson, at 6-foot-4, said he plans to play between 261 and 267 pounds this season, down from around 275 pounds a year ago. Gholston was listed as 6-4 and 260 pounds last season.

"I feel a lot quicker," Wilson said. "I don't get as tired as fast. You carry that extra weight, it tends to weigh you down."

OSU defensive end Lawrence Wilson: "I feel a lot quicker (at playing between 261 and 267 pounds). I don't get as tired as fast. You carry that extra weight, it tends to weigh you down." Thought he's different from Gholston, he's the best candidate the Buckeyes could hope for while replacing the specimen who sometimes served as a one-man sack attack.
"I believe everything happens for a reason," Wilson said. "Maybe I wasn't supposed to play last year."

Gholston, with arms like tree limbs, was a quiet monster. Wilson, not as frightening at first sight, is a natural leader, the loudest voice in the defensive line room even when he was hurt.

Wilson said he's shiftier than Gholston, while Gholston had more power. But defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said Wilson is more physical, while Gholston had more speed.

Let's just say Wilson may be a little less brutish in his contributions, but possibly as effective. Though Cameron Heyward, Thaddeus Gibson and Robert Rose are available at defensive end, fourth-year junior Wilson should be an every down player.

He says his right leg is stronger than before. As good as he looked in those 17 plays against the Penguins, the Buckeyes expect him to use that as just a starting point.

"He's a better player than he was a year ago," Heacock said. "He has a better understanding of the offenses we're seeing. He's really focused and he's really locked in. I think maybe sitting out a year makes you realize how lucky you are to be playing. He hasn't had a bad day of practice."

When the Buckeyes once again open with Youngstown State on Aug. 30, Ohio State fans should get a sense for what they missed out on last season. They'll sense the break the Buckeyes caught, in some ways, by having as Gholston's replacement the man who was supposed to be his partner.

Deehntr56

08-15-2008, 11:32 AM

http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/medium_brewsterjlp.jpg

Freshman Brewster knows he's facing a hairy situation:biggrin: :biggrin:

With a full head of hair like this, it's not surprising his Ohio State teammates have bad intentions in store for freshman Michael Brewster's next haircut.

COLUMBUS -- They're after her son, and Kathy Brewster has come to grips with his impending baldness.
The doldrums of preseason camp, with the Ohio State Buckeyes going stir crazy each night at the University Plaza Hotel, are expected to cost freshman center Michael Brewster his curly locks by Sunday in an agreement reached with Ohio State's elder offensive linemen.

"A plea bargain," left guard Steve Rehring called it.

Boredom while trying to find Brewster and shave his head led senior left tackle Alex Boone, senior backup guard Kyle Mitchum, junior center Jim Cordle and Michigan transfer Justin Boren to shave lightning bolts into the sides of their heads.

"I got the Vanilla Ice thing going," Boone said.

The new looks came with nicknames as well, Boone referencing himself as "Dark Thunder," and while 300-pounders acting like kids isn't new, it shows that a group that includes established veterans and highly touted freshmen are, at least in some way, coming together. J.B. Shugarts is the second-team right tackle, Brewster is the third-line center and Mike Adams, who did the shaving on Boone's head, is expected to start practicing soon after shoulder surgery.

>>>Even a former Wolverine has fit right in, Rehring and Boone both talking about how tight they are with Boren already, and how they had no reason to doubt his loyalty to the Buckeyes after his transfer from Michigan.

"Oh man, if you hear him talk you don't need to," Rehring said.

If hair shenanigans bring his guys together, offensive line coach Jim Bollman can shake his head and accept it.

"I don't like it to be the army," Bollman said. "We don't all walk alike and talk alike and dress alike, but when those silver helmets go on, we've all got to be of the same heart and the same mind and the same thought. As long as that's the way it is, it's OK."

Even the victim seems to be enjoying his fate. Kathy Brewster said the hair is the first topic her son brings up in each phone conversation, and she's even resorted to phoning other team moms and asking them to text their sons with one question about Brewster -- "Hair or no hair?"

She's offered to bribe Cordle, her son's camp roommate, for protection, and Cordle did it for a night.

"But then I said, 'You can't stop this, it's hard to stop a train,'" Cordle said. "So the last couple nights he's been on the run. He doesn't come back till bed check."

Boone, forced by the coaches to cut his long hair last season, said he's only after equal treatment.

"Have you ever seen Brewster's hair?" Boone asked. "It's ridiculous. It's too long, it's too curly, I hate the way it looks."

If that's the case, the Brewster family is willing to pay the price in the name of team unity.

"I just picture these big guys hunting him down and Michael hiding in the room," Kathy Brewster said. "I hope Michael can try to get away for another week, but I don't see how he can."

Robiskie out: Saturday's team scrimmage is a great chance for players to prove they deserve bigger roles, and the Buckeyes receivers will have more chances than expected.

Senior starter Brian Robiskie will sit out the scrimmage while nursing a shoulder injury, but Bollman doesn't think it will affect him for the first game on Aug. 30.

"I hope he doesn't miss any games, but that's out of my hands," Bollman said. "I think it's going to be OK in time. We're going to be cautious and smart."

Another Terry switch: On the first day of camp, Jim Tressel said Curtis Terry was devoting himself to fullback at the expense of his linebacker duties. Then came word that Terry has been practicing on defense, and Bollman said Thursday that Terry was with the defense again.

In the meantime, senior tight end Brandon Smith has been gaining attention with his play at fullback.

Deehntr56

08-17-2008, 08:45 AM

Wells out: Starting running back Beanie Wells sat out the jersey scrimmage. Jim Tressel said that was a coach's decision, not because of injury but because he wanted to get a better look at backups like freshman Dan Herron. Wells, who played with a nagging ankle injury last season and had off-season wrist surgery, missed the spring scrimmage and last August's preseason scrimmage as well.

"I've seen Beanie, he's pretty good," Tressel said. "I watch Chris in passing drills, he's our best pass protector. I watch him in running drills, he's our best runner. So I thought those other guys needed a little bit more."

But if Tressel had zero worries about Wells' health, you figure he could have played him at least for a few snaps.

Injury update: Backup running back Brandon Saine also sat out the scrimmage. He's been missing practice with a minor hamstring injury. Top receiver Brian Robiskie also stayed on the sidelines with a shoulder injury. Tressel expects both to return to practice this week.

Defensive end Lawrence Wilson, who broke his leg in the first game last season, missed the final portion of the scrimmage after going down. Tressel didn't think it was anything serious.

Deehntr56

08-18-2008, 11:52 AM

Lineman Rehring weighs his progress on a scale
http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/08/medium_OSU

Steve Rehring (71) from last year, when he was much heavier than the 337 pounds he claims today. Also pictured is Alex Boone (75).Columbus -- Steve Rehring is practically skinny -- 337 pounds worth of skinny.
"Steve, stand up," Ohio State center Jim Cordle shouted from across the room last week. "See, he looks good. He's just big-boned."

At 6-8, Rehring wouldn't feel healthy if he crept down toward 300 pounds. And at something like 280?

"I already have the best hands on the team," Ohio State's senior left guard said with a smile. "I'd be running post routes."

Though left tackle Alex Boone questions the validity of Rehring's 337 claim, whispering that 345 is more like it, offensive line coach Jim Bollman certified his two sides of beef on the left side of the line. Already capable of caving in defenders in the run game, anyone wanting a little more quickness from Rehring and Boone sliding out on pass rushers should see a difference this season.

"Those guys are in the best shape they've been in during their careers," Bollman said.

The battle of big and strong vs. too big is a constant one for linemen the size of these Buckeyes (Boone is 6-8 as well). Boone successfully waged his war on unwanted bulk in the past, and now claims his weight to be around 300, actually too light in Bollman's eyes. But just last season, Rehring was demoted for the beginning of training camp after he came in out of shape, at least 20 pounds, and probably more, north of his current weight.

This off-season, he hit the fish, cooking up seafood to the dismay of his older brother and roommate, Joe.

"He's a pretty good cook, actually," Joe Rehring said, "but I hate fish. He cooked and I made myself peanut butter and jelly. But he's really dedicated. This is his last year, so he's looking for bigger things."

Just not a bigger self. Among the 12 offensive guards taken in the NFL Draft in April, none were bigger than 6-6 or 320 pounds. Bollman said every lineman he's sent to the NFL comes back to visit and is lighter than when he played in college. In his meeting room, Bollman has four signs with the same message:

"The leaner you stay, the longer you'll play."

Some girth is obviously necessary, primarily, Bollman said, to provide ballast to set yourself as a pass blocker.

"Suppose a guy can bench 600 pounds, but if he's only 250 pounds, people would pick up his 250 pounds and throw him all over the place," Bollman said. "So he has to have the amount of weight where he can sit down and act as a wall in that pass protection.

"But when you start going over that magic weight, which is different for everyone, then it just becomes excess baggage you're carrying around."

The baggage gone, Rehring, who sat out spring drills following minor shoulder surgery, notices the little differences, how getting off the line in what he believes are only a few thousandths of a second quicker can change his game. And he knows he'll be in better shape at the ends of games as well.

"I feel good on the field," Rehring said.

And, come on now, he looks pretty good, too. Public practice tonight: Ohio State holds its one public practice of the preseason tonight at Ohio Stadium. Admission is free and gates open at 6:30 p.m., with the team expected to hit the field at 7:30 and start practicing at 8. Unlike last year, there is no autograph session, and Ohio State officials asked fans not to bring cameras into the stadium.

Fish-n-Fool

08-18-2008, 01:54 PM

Dan Herron has asserted himself and is in process of solidifying the backup TB spot. He is dead even with Saine and word is the staff likes Herron as the workhorse and Saine in creative formations or for short passing plays out of the backfield. They expect Herron to contribute this year and if he can continue to pick up blocking assignments he will get a lot of mop up snaps this year.

I've been talking about Boom for awhile now - you guys should get to see him 8/30 and you won't be disappointed. Our #1 defense thinks he is pretty good too. Remember when you watch this kid he is a freshman for eligibility purposes.

I hate to make this comparison, but the kid runs a lot like Mike Hart. You just can't tackle him and he runs downhill and through guys, even though he isn't a big guy for Big Ten TB standards. Check out the size of his legs - they look twice as big as last year.

Redhunter1012

08-18-2008, 04:58 PM

Deehntr56

08-18-2008, 07:13 PM

ENJOY!!!
http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/pgStory?contentId=8433454&MSNHPHMA#sport=COLLEGE%20FOOTBALL&photo=8431496

Fish-n-Fool

08-19-2008, 07:39 AM

Red - Herby was on the radio discussing what he had seen in practice and he was raving about Boom - compared him to a stronger Percy Harvin!!! I'm not laying claim Boom is going to take snaps from Beanie - I'm just telling everybody to watch out for Boom. He is going to carry the ball a few times each game and get some mop up duty. The coaches will want to a) see what he does on game day and b) get him some experience for 2009.

Herron will have every shot at being the starting TB in 2009. I actually believe he will win the job even if Berry comes in. I think in 09 it will be Saine/Herron spliting carries with Berry/Hyde getting the mop up game experience. I see Herron being more the "workhorse" between the tackles guy and Saine the change of pace guy (even though Saine does run good between the tackles - not saying that). I think Berry has enough talent to take that job full time in 2010 if he picks everything up and proves himself in practice.

It will be a good problem to have in 2010 if we have to split carries between Saine, Boom Herron, Hyde, and Berry. That is some depth right there - all should end up being high quality CFB players.

Deehntr56

08-19-2008, 11:38 AM

:biggrin: 12,000-15,000 last night at the practice.:biggrin:

Wonder if Jeffmo made it!!!

Polls have Ohio rsidents picking OSU over any other Team, Pro or College... that they follow and enjoy watching......58% to 29%.

That's the whole state of Ohio!!!!

Impressive!

jeffmo

08-19-2008, 08:23 PM

i ended up having some other business to take care of so i didn't make it up.
kind of sad about the no pics,no autographs policy though.not that i'm a pic or autograph hound(i have none!).i heard the reason is that so many autographs end up on e-bay and it was getting to be a circus.
i may,just may,have a shot at going to one of the games this year.i'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Fish-n-Fool

08-20-2008, 06:33 AM

Maybe next time Jeffmo! I wasn't there the year before, but I heard it was real sad at the autograph section. Several adult men pushing by children and hawking the Buckeye stars and even Tress. Several of these men own card shop and sports businesses and/or have e-bay stores. The players did their best and typically tried to sign everything fast to get them out of their face.
Lots of this stuff ended up on e-bay and in shows.

This was a complete backfire as the autograph meet and greet session is a chance for the team to give back to the fans - especially the common fan that doesn't have $130 pair to pay for tickets. It's for the kids - they idolize these players. It is not intended for men like this trying to make money - and unfortunately like the old saying a few really bad apples ruined the bunch:rant:

jeffmo

08-20-2008, 10:15 AM

it's like most anything,when you get money involved things get screwed up.
it's the exact reason i quit fishing bass tourneys back in 1979.i saw way too many instances of people cheating just for some money and it just took the fun out of fishing.i didn't wet a line once from '80 to '83.after that it was enjoyable again.

Deehntr56

08-20-2008, 05:01 PM

Greed...It is a shame......I have a few Manny Ramirez B Ball, Some posters, and other memorbilia of his. I got them from him since my cousin lived right next door to him when he started to play for the Indians, got to know him a little bit and his family...been offered some good $$$$$ for them....won't sell them for anything......Just great to have!!!:biggrin:

The "sharks" today screw it up real bad for our youth......That is why Tressel imposed those restrictions.

Deehntr56

08-20-2008, 09:50 PM

OSU soph Homan anxious to be a hit among Buckeyes' star-studded linebacker corps
http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/large_homancincimf.jpg

Injuries denied Ross Homan (51) from making the impact he and the Buckeyes were hoping for in 2007. Now a sophomore, he's hoping to make his name known among one of the Buckeyes' most illustrious positions.COLUMBUS -- The kids kept asking, mistaking Ross Homan for the departed star, so after James Laurinaitis left a youth football camp to take a summer school test, Homan had to call him.
"If another kid says, 'James, will you sign my jersey?' I'm going to freak out,'" Laurinaitis said Tuesday, recalling Homan's message. "I told Ross plenty of times, his time is coming.

"Ross is going to be the star of the linebackers for years to come here."

Ohio State wouldn't mind if that process started to show results now. Once Laurinaitis and fellow senior Marcus Freeman passed up the NFL to return for a final season, the Buckeyes knew their linebackers were going to be a strength, but it wasn't immediately apparent who would join those two.

Homan split reps at Freeman at weakside linebacker in 2007 before a turf toe injury forced him to redshirt, and the sophomore is listed as a backup in all the Buckeyes' preseason media guides.

"I expected Ross to be on the field," Freeman said. "Seeing how talented Ross was last year, you figured that."

With Homan, this group may be a more athletic, run-to-the-ball set of linebackers than the 2005 gang group of senior linebackers -- A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Schlegel -- that set the most recent standard for OSU linebacker play.

Though Hawk played the weakside and Laurinaitis plays the middle, they are similar combinations of physical gifts and unusual grit. Carpenter made some of his biggest contributions as a pass rusher, while Schlegel's play in the middle was defined by his exacting knowledge of what would happen on every play.

"They're two completely different groups," Freeman said, "but you hope at the end of the day that we can earn the same respect they had."

Someone like Freeman, who will move to the strongside this year, with Homan taking that weakside spot, might be faster than his predecessors. While linebackers coach Luke Fickell is always looking for a more physical style, he wants each linebacker to play to his strengths.

"I always try to harass him," Fickell said, "and say, 'You're not Schlegel, I understand that, but there's a million things you can do he couldn't do.'"

The primary challenge is for all these linebackers to play as smart as the '05 trio.

"The best thing about that group, their senior year by far they played better than either their sophomore year or junior year," Fickell said. "They played well in everything they did. That's what I keep reiterating to these guys. Their story will be written at the end, but if they get as much improvement as those guys did from their junior year to senior year, they'll be in a great position."

By the numbers, these backers are already there. Compare the per-game stats of the 2005 starters to last year, when Larry Grant started with Freeman and Laurinaitis.

2005: 21 tackles, 2.8 tackles for loss, 1.7 sacks

2007: 21.6 tackles, 2.1 tackles for loss, 0.9 sacks

That's pretty fair production. Homan, who often watched that 2005 team from the stands at Ohio Stadium as a recruit, gives this set a great shot to damage opposing offenses even more. As Laurinaitis noted, they won't all have the same long matching haircuts as the '05 linebackers, who wound up as two first-round picks and a third-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. But the rest could feel familiar.

"They were unbelievable," Laurinaitis said. "Hopefully people will look at our linebacker corps as one of the best in the country."

Deehntr56

08-22-2008, 11:47 AM

Tressel is always learning..............

Ohio State football: Buckeyes get advice from Kenyon College swim coach

Kenyon College swimming coach Jim Steen.....Jim Tressel trails Jim Steen 47 to 5 in national championships. No wonder the Buckeyes went to Kenyon College today for a little advice.

Ohio State's football coach read about Steen in the spring, as the coach of men's and women's swimming at Kenyon guided each team to another Division III national title, bringing his total with the men to 27 and with the women to 20.

This quote from Steen probably caught the eye of a coach trying to lead a football team that has lost consecutive national title games.

"In order to engage in battle without compromise, you must find a place within yourself where success and failure don't matter. It requires resisting the emotional satisfaction of being No. 1, as well as the emotional uncertainty of defeat."

Tressel expressed an interest in having Steen address the Buckeyes. The swim coach wasn't so sure. He's not in the habit of speaking to teams from other schools. And he's not much of a football guy.

"Really, I'm not a huge Ohio State Buckeyes fan," Steen said. "I mean, I would never root against them, I just have all I can handle with my own team."

Steen wasn't sure how any message he could offer would translate. So before he talked to any football players, he wanted to talk to the football coach. Tressel and Steen met in May, giving Tressel a chance to hear Steen's philosophy about how he goes about his job.

"And we have a lot of the same concerns, similar issues and philosophies and desires," Steen said today. "There was a relationship built on mutual respect. He just felt there might be something there, because we sort of have teams in similar circumstances every year. Every year we have teams that are expected to perform well."

After that Steen was willing to talk, even though he just returned from taking in the Olympics in Beijing. This morning, the Buckeyes made the 60-mile drive in their team buses and practiced at Kenyon from about 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Word spread of their presence in the town of Gambier, with a population of fewer than 2,000 residents, and after the practice the Buckeyes were signing autographs and posing for pictures. Then Steen spoke to the Buckeyes for between 30 and 45 minutes, while Tressel addressed the 54 players on the Kenyon football team. Six-year Kenyon football coach Ted Stanley tried to move around and soak up the words of both coaches.

"If you want to talk about successful programs, there's nothing more successful than Kenyon swimming," Stanley said. "Coach Steen kind of wrote the book, and listening to him talk was great for me. He talked about their mental outlook and how you prepare a team, and he imparted that to Ohio State.

"Coach Tressel talked about the value of the game and how it can provide you with so many life lessons. And I was happy to hear that, because those are some of the things we've been working on. When you have a Division I coach walk into the football meeting room, the guys straighten up a little bit. It gave the message a little extra juice.

"There's no question it was beneficial for everybody. It was a nice morning."

Both Steen and Stanley believe that Tressel's experience at Division III Baldwin-Wallace, where he played quarterback for his father, Lee, makes him open to receiving tales of success from any level.

When you're trying to win, it never hurts to hear from a winner

Redhunter1012

08-22-2008, 02:38 PM

Wow. You guys can have Steen, UM will just learn from their own in Phelps and the rest of the mens swimmers who claim UM as their home school.

Deehntr56

08-23-2008, 07:07 AM

Ohio State football: Buckeyes name four captains:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

http://blog.cleveland.com/lesmerises/2008/08/medium_BoeckmanCaptr.jpg

Todd Boeckman, directing traffic like a captainSenior linebacker James Laurinaitis was picked by his teammates for the second consecutive year as Ohio State announced its four senior captains today.

With more than 40 fourth- and fifth-year players on the veteran team, the Buckeyes had a lot of viable options. Chosen to join Laurinaitis were senior cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, senior quarterback Todd Boeckman and senior receiver Brian Robiskie.

The last two-time captain for OSU was quarterback Steve Bellisari in 2000 and 2001.

jeffmo

08-23-2008, 12:26 PM

Wow. You guys can have Steen, UM will just learn from their own in Phelps and the rest of the mens swimmers who claim UM as their home school.

well congratulations.......................

Redhunter1012

08-23-2008, 12:28 PM

well congratulations.......................

Hmm, wonder if phelps can throw?:nono:

Deehntr56

08-25-2008, 11:36 AM

:bouncy: Buckeyes banding together:bouncy:

http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/small_Picture%205.jpg

The gray "Thank You God, I Am Grateful" bands have brought OSU players closer.Columbus- The gray wristbands were everywhere this preseason, worn by nearly every Ohio State player you'd come across. "Thank You God, I Am Grateful" was inscribed in black on the gray bands, and you figured they were Jim Tressel's idea.
Right there, on page 43 of his new book, "The Winner's Manual," Tressel wrote about what he calls the attitude of gratitude - "I want our players to be continually reminded of how fortunate they are and what they have to be grateful for."

But Tressel was not the creator of the bands, just an eventual recipient. Instead, they came courtesy of Euclid High grad Brandon Smith, who must have been paying attention to Tressel. Smith got one from his mom, Elzoria, who got it from co-worker Toni Garbo, who had started a Web site to distribute the wristbands then ignored it.

Smith hasn't taken the wrist band off in more than a year, and he now has cre ated a fashion trend among his teammates.

"One guy has something and everybody wants one," linebacker James Laurinaitis said.

Smith also has more to be grateful for than he ever expected. As a fifth-year senior, the linebacker-turned tight end-turned fullback will start for the Buckeyes when they open the season against Youngstown State on Saturday.

The wristbands must work.

"We are just so proud of him," Elzoria Smith, the human resources manager at WJW Channel 8, said of her son.

"He really wanted to be a Buckeye, and he really wanted to contribute. And things have just worked out. We are truly grateful."
http://blog.cleveland.com/osu_impact/2008/08/medium_Picture%203.jpg

Co-workers Toni Garbo and Elzoria Smith are instrumental in the Ohio State football team banding together. Garbo was the inspiration for the bands and Smith's son Brandon brought the message to his teammates.Just two weeks ago, Smith was unexpectedly transferred out of the tight ends meetings room and sent to live among the running backs, told he'd be working out at fullback for the first time since seventh grade. Ohio State's fullback search had gone through several position converts, and Smith was the next in line.
"There's been no hesitation, no stutter in his steps, he just goes," said running backs coach Dick Tressel. "I think he sees an opportunity and says, 'This is a chance and I'm going to grab it.' "

A player who saw just 49 minutes of action in 13 games last season as a tight end and on special teams was willing to do anything to get on the field.

"Everyone wants to play, and you think you're doing things right and you deserve to be out there," Smith said, "but you need to learn to check yourself and make sure your attitude is right.

"Unfortunately, only 11 guys get on the field and to be one of those guys from time to time is a blessing."

Garbo, the managing editor at WJW, considers herself just as lucky that her inspiration has spread to the No. 2 team in the nation. Garbo came up with the bands 18 months ago, ordered 1,000, made monthly payments on the Web site www.thankyoubracelets.com - and never sold a single band.

She did gradually hand them out free to friends and anyone else, even a Vegas blackjack dealer, who noticed her band and asked where she got it. That's how Elzoria Smith received one, which Brandon promptly commandeered. But when he asked his mom for more for his teammates, Elzoria didn't want to bother Garbo "and seem like I was begging for stuff," she said.

Brandon persisted, and finally Elzoria inquired about some extra bands this summer. So, 100 bands were delivered for OSU's team photo day on Aug. 7, and quickly taken. Brandon's father, Wilbert, drove down another 50 bands 10 days later.

"Brandon is young, and that a young man and other young players wanted to wear them," said Garbo, "that moves me. It's really touching."

Even Tressel seemed impressed.

"Brandon's been a good leader, a good student, all those things," Tressel said. "Being grateful we think is a core value. Any way that a guy can help his teammates, that's a good thing."

Motivational accessories can help. Pasting a linebacker and clearing the way for Beanie Wells can help even more :biggrin: