Seth's 50 Centers

It’s time to get ready for college football. Here’s a look at the upcoming season from an Ohio State fan’s perspective.

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Ohio State, to the shock and horror of the rest of the country, is poised to have another monster season. With less than a handful of starters missing from a year ago, not to mention an exciting game at USC Sept. 13, it could be a fun year.

Let’s start up front on the offense. Seniors Alex Boone and Steve Rehring, the left tackle and guard, are as good as it gets on the left side of your line. Jimmy Cordle, his new haircut aside, is as fine a center as we’ve had, including Nick Mangold, which is saying a ton since Mangold forced himself into the lineup as early as his freshman season (that year we won it all in the desert).

The team entered camp with senior Ben Person and sophomore Bryant Browning at right guard and tackle. I doubt much will change there unless prized recruit from Dublin Coffman Mike Adams overcomes a shoulder injury to push for time. Senior Kyle Mitchum, who has never really lived up to his potential, is hurt right now, but could play some later…sophomore Connor Smith is listed as a backup at right guard. They have a lot of guys, which is a good thing. The O-line should be a positive with Kirk Barton being the only real loss to graduation.

Everywhere else on the offense is loaded, I mean loaded, but Brian Robiskie has been seen with a sling of late…should be ready by the first game according to Tressel. Junior Brian Hartline is a great No. 2 and sophomore Taurian Washington could make a splash. Not that this matters, but junior Ray Small is really fast on NCAA Football 09, I mean Ted Ginn fast, but he’s in Tressel’s dog house — see the fact he made Small switch to No. 82 in the spring and even now from his old No. 4 — but as a returner and receiver, if he could help out I’m sure he’ll be front and center. Some people were really encouraged by Dane Sanzenbacher’s play early last year. It was cool seeing a little guy catch a TD in the ‘Shoe, but I really don’t look for him to make a huge impact. I think it’s Robiskie, Hartline, Small and Washington and that’s about it as far as major impact.

Here’s how we get to the “how could I bury the lead” portion of the story. Chris “Beanie” Wells will win the Heisman Trophy IF and only IF he starts fast. Last year he really struggled against Youngstown and Akron, maybe even later than that. It wasn’t until Tressel publicly challenged his toughness that he really started steamrolling people. 967 of his 1,609 yards came in the final six games, and those were the toughest defenses they faced all year. He had 146 in the title game, most of that before halftime when, of course we had to start passing it. If he gets 16 carries again against Y-town, he’d better not have just 46 yards! But think what he can do if he puts up huge numbers against the Penguins, OU, Troy, etc. He won’t play much in the second half if those games go to plan, but he has to do better with the carries he does get. And I think he will. We don’t want someone to win back-to-back Heismans unless it’s another Buckeye, right?

Fullback is kind of a plug in position in Tressel’s offense so it’s not a big deal that Dionte Johnson and Stan White are gone. Rory Nicol and Jake Ballard are both back at tight end. Look for us to use those guys a little more considering the fact LSU gashed us with the tight end up the middle.

Now to QB. Boeckman faltered worse than Derek Anderson at the end of last year (sorry Browns fans). A guy I work with questions his arm strength and after defending him through much of last season I had a hard time questioning it later. I suppose nerves could’ve been more a part of it, or even the wet ball in Ann Arbor. It’s a debate we hopefully won’t have to have because hopefully he’ll be just fine this year, but do great receivers cover up for enough poor passes by leaping in the air that it can give you a false confidence in a QB?

On to Terrelle Pryor. He’ll play, don’t worry about that, but Joe Bauserman is listed as the second string QB, and probably for good reason. Pryor will come in and play in change-of-pace situations, probably scrambling around and making plays. The Tim Tebow comparisons are apt, but where Tebow is a bruiser, I’d say Pryor is more elusive. Tressel was raving about his speed the other day, something he normally doesn’t do about a freshman in preseason camp. Some of the players are excited about his ability to throw on the run, like Troy Smith. Pryor has a long way to go to be the leader Smith was, and I have to see his arm to know if he is capable of some of the things Troy did, but he has six inches on Troy and is supposedly a lot faster.

DEFENSE

I don’t know where there is a real problem on this side of the ball, but because the rest is so strong, you have to put a microscope to the interior line. Juniors Todd Denlinger and Doug Worthington (DUI aside) are listed as starters, but the line has gone deep ever since Florida State absolutely handed it to us in the 1998 Sugar Bowl, with a deep D-line. Senior Nader Abdallah and sophomore Dexter Larimore can get it done in there, too. I guess the problem is we just don’t know for sure that they can all get it done well enough. There aren’t any Tim Andersons, Mike Kudlas or Luke Fickells in this group, at least not yet. I like Larimore because of his wrestling background.

Yes, Vernon Gholstin had 14 sacks last year, and yes he was awesome, but remember Lawrence Wilson was the starter on the other side of the line in the first game before breaking his leg. That means he and Cameron Heyward, just a sophomore, are really returning starters. Throw in sophomore Thaddeus Gibson, who is undersized but really quick, and a hope that Robert Rose is finally healthy and ready to go, the outer edges are good to go.

James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman are the best two linebackers in the conference, with Laurinaitis possibly the best in the country. I like sophomore Ross Homan for the third starting spot, but junior Austin Spitler might have something to say about that. Senior Curtis Terry got moved to fullback, but is now back at LB, and sophomore Tyler Moeller is supposed to be OK. What’s happened at this position is guys who were expected to go pro early didn’t, creating extra depth, which is a good thing!

Senior Malcolm Jenkins is as good a lockdown corner as there is. My hope is the rest of the country realizes it and gives him credit. It usually takes a ton of interceptions to get recognized with the Thorpe Award, but he might not have many because QBs won’t throw his way as much…especially with junior Donald Washington in trouble…he’ll be suspended for the first two games, but he’ll be needed in the USC game. Sophomore Chimdi Chekwa is listed as the starter opposite Jenkins, and he did a fine job in nickel packages last year. I’d rather have him there again, so hopefully Washington has his act together.

I really like junior safety Anderson Russell. He’s hard-hitting and has speed. He’ll play pro ball. I’m not worried about him at all. Now to the other safety position. Junior Kurt Coleman is a big hitter, but that’s it. His coverage skills scare me, which is all the more reason we need Washington for USC and the rest of the year. His backup, senior Jamario O’Neal, never really panned out and is really someone who gets picked on by opposing QBs. He’s suspended at least the first game I believe, but if he’s in a game, hold your breath!

The kicking game isn’t in any trouble, except in one area. Trapasso is as good a punter as there is, and Pretorius and Pettrey are both good enough kickers. The spot that is scary is the long snapper. For the first time since I went to college (yeah, that long ago) long snapping was an issue last year. Sophomore Jake McQuaide snapped last year, but again it wasn’t so good. There’s a freshman from Grove City by the name of Gar Chappelear, who is being given the chance to win the job, and a scholarship, during camp. End of camp comes the winner gets the free ride!

PREDICTIONS

Okay, I see this season going one of two ways. First, the USC game really is important because an undefeated OSU team come BCS announcement time can’t be denied. A one-loss Buckeye bunch could be turned away because the rest of the country is sick of us!

So, either all these guys came back for their senior year to really get the job done, or like Michigan’s Henne, Hart and Long last year, they fold like a house of cards. The key in my opinion is that Michigan bunch didn’t have the winning pedigree this one does. These Buckeyes have seen success most teams dream of, up to the point of playing in that last game, yet they still have the hunger to win that game because they haven’t yet.

Another argument is that maybe these guys got full of themselves in the offeseason, decided they’re already good enough and didn’t work as hard. Only time will tell.

I say they could lose one game in the regular season, but if they beat USC the chances of that go down tremendously.

Another trip to the BCS title game, only this time it’s not against an SEC team. If it’s not USC (because it’d be really hard to beat them twice) I say we win this one, but the rest of the country won’t give us the respect if we beat an Oklahoma or Missouri or Arizona State for the title…because we still wouldn’t have beaten an SEC school and if it’s Oklahoma they’ve struggled more than us in the BCS lately.

But, if we win a title, do I care if SEC fan thinks his team’s schedule is tougher than ours in the league and we shouldn’t have been there in the first place? Nope, we’re national champs, baby! (plus, this is the first time in like 30-50 years that Georgia is leaving the south for a game!!! Don’t talk to me about our schedule!)