The Silver Bullet: Father & Son Bias on the Buckeyes
 
Drew Thurman (8:33 pm)

As if the depth chart wasn't already deep enough at running back for the Buckeyes, they have finally added Roderick Smith to the mix. Tim May reported this on the Dispatch early this evening:

"Freshman running back Roderick Smith was cleared through the admissions procedure at Ohio State today and is expected to be with the team when it resumes practice Sunday, coach Jim Tressel confirmed.

"Smith, from Paul Harding High School in Fort Wayne, Ind., signed a letter of intent with the Buckeyes in February. But the start of his college career had been put on hold by the NCAA academic clearinghouse as it perused his high school records, which included work done in summer school this summer.

"Considered one of the top power running back prospects in the country in the 2010 class by several recruiting services, Smith now dives into a deep pool of tailbacks at OSU. Five played last night in the 45-7, season-opening win over Marshall. Among them was freshman Carlos Hyde, who had just one carry before suffering an ankle sprain."

Great news...we will finally get to see this in scarlet and gray!
 
 
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Dave Thurman (12:16 pm)

Thursday afternoon TSB asked five questions as we looked ahead to the opening night contest with Marshall.  Now it's time to look back at the game and search for some answers.

1) Terrelle Pryor showed improved mechanics and consistency - Without doubt the number one question on everyone's mind was whether or not Pryor would build on his big Rose Bowl performance and continue to improve as a pocket passer. Only the most cynical fan would fail to admit that Pryor is developing, based on his execution of the gameplan against Marshall.  It was night and day compared to the Navy game of a year ago.  Instead of thinking run first, Pryor calmly stood in the pocket, scanned the field, and patiently waited for receivers to get open.  He spread the ball around, and with the exception of one long pass to Posey, didn't seem to force anything.  Granted, this was against a weak secondary, with lots of time provided by an improved offensive line.  I am sure Terrelle will get flushed out of the pocket more next week and will have to use his legs and throw more on the run.  But for now, we can say that he is showing solid signs of improvement.

2) The secondary looked decent, but with a few chinks in the armor - The combination of losing some experienced players and dealing with injuries caused us to wonder how the last line of defense would look on opening night.  I though the starting corners played well, led by Chimdi Chekwa who showed no ill effects of his hamstring issues. I have yet to be impressed by Travis Howard, though, and wonder if someone will pass him up as the number three corner.  Safety continues to worry me.  We all know that Jermale Hines can play, but C.J. Barnett looked lost at times, and isn't very physical.  Hopefully Orhian Johnson will regain his health and solidify the strong safety spot.  Otherwise look for Jacory Harris to exploit the Buckeye secondary next week.
 
 
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Brandon Saine help lead the Buckeyes with 103 yards and 2 TD. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
Drew Thurman (10:40 pm)

From the opening kickoff Marshall was playing catch up. Dorian Bell lit up Andre Booker, forcing and fumble that would be recovered by Nate Oliver. Four plays later, Pryor connected with DeVier Posey for a 6 yard touchdown pass, and the Buckeyes never looked back. When the dust settled, the offense had accumulated 529 total yards on the way to a 45-7 route of the Thundering Herd.

Here were storylines from tonight:

1) Terrelle Pryor, was obviously the big news of the night. Pryor picked up where he left off on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl, and showcased his ability to be a pocket passer. He looked comfortable, displayed improved mechanics and footwork, and for the most part was very accurate. Early on he lacked some touch on a few dump off passes and would later he have two arm punts that were begging to be intercepted, but besides that he was completely in rhythm. He completed 17 of his 25 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns.

2) Brandon Saine showed that he will be the man at running back this year, despite all the talent behind him. He had 103 yards (11.4 avg) and two touchdowns tonight, despite only getting nine carries. At the end of last year he really started to come into his own, and like Pryor, he picked up right where he left off. Early in his career Saine struggled with dancing in the backfield and lacking the vision to hit the hole, but as he showcased tonight that is no longer the case. He hits the hole fast, and when he gets through he has the top end speed to take it to the house. Tonight he had two runs over 40 yards, one of which went for a touchdown. I expect big things from him this year.  

3) Tyler Moeller made his comeback tonight, and was arguably the best defensive player on the field. The guy just goes after it on every play and doesn't seem to make many mistakes. Tonight he showed how completed his game really is. He displayed great pursuit sideline to sideline, he wraps up guys and doesn't miss tackles, and of course he flat brings it when he blitzes. His hit on Marshall quarterback Brain Anderson was just plain sick, and maybe the highlight of the night. With the Buckeyes thin at DE and the pass rush appearing to be a bit weak, Moeller's comeback could be huge!
 
 
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Drew Thurman (3:03 pm)

Hopefully you already checked out our weekly post, Know the Opposition, that gives you an in-depth look at the Marshall team that will be entering Ohio Stadium tonight. The one problem is that we don't really break down the Buckeyes in those posts, so we decided go a step further and highlight what to look for from the Scarlet and Gray. So here ya go, five things to watch tonight...

1) Will Terrelle Pryor showcase improved mechanics and consistent passing?

It's the question everyone is asking - Was the Pryor we saw in the Rose Bowl a fluke or the future? He will be under the microscope tonight, and rightfully so. For the Buckeyes to have a realistic shot at a championship run, Pryor needs to be a quarterback and not just an athlete. He needs to make the easy throws actually look easy, completing a higher percentage of passes. He doesn't need to be Peyton Manning out there, but he does need to become a quarterback. If fall practice was any indication, this transformation seems to be happening, but we need to see it in action. Tonight Pryor needs to show fans that the Rose Bowl wasn't a one time event. 

2) How does the secondary look?

A big concern heading into the season is the secondary. Those fears became even more of a reality as guys like Chekwa, Torrence, and Johnson have all been banged up in fall practice. Chekwa and Torrence both have hamstring problems, which could linger for the entire season. Not exactly a positive at a position that is all about speed. Tonight watch to see how well Chekwa and Torrence start and stop. The other big thing to take note of in the secondary is the battle at strong safety between C.J. Barnett and Orhian Johnson. Many believed that Johnson would take over the spot as he became healthy, but Tressel insisted this week that Barnett has been impressive. So watch to see who holds their own at SS.
 
 
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We got some new digs!

Here at The Silver Bullet we are coming up on three full years of doing this, and we were ready for a fresh look. The old design platform not only limited us, but just wasn't very visually appealing. So we wanted to go with something simpler and cleaner. We hope you like the complete site makeover, including our new logo. We have some more smaller tweaks coming to the site in the coming months. Also, please realize many of the older posts may have a few formatting issues since they were not designed for this platform.

Obviously, we chose to launch the new site for the start of the 2010 season. The Buckeyes finally take the field tonight at 7:30 PM ET on the Big Ten Network against Marshall. All the talk about the Nike Pro Combat jerseys and Big Ten divisional alignment seems to have distracted us all from what could be the most talented team in the Tressel era. But it's now the most exciting season of the year, as the Buckeyes hit the gridiron tonight! O-H-I-O!
 
 
Dave Thurman (8:14 pm)

There has been some serious angst and hangwringing the last few weeks as fans have awaited the new Big Ten divisional alignment for football.  Commissioner Jim Delany made it all official tonight on the Big Ten Network, and although Ohio State and Michigan are in different divisions, they will play each year and it will be the final game of the regular season. So, take a deep breath, come down from the ledge, and pour yourself a cold drink.  Life is going to be okay!

At present, the divisions are simply being called "X' and "O," and geography had nothing to do with how they were chosen.

-The "X' division includes Ohio State, Indiana, Illinois, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

-The "O" division is made up of Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Northwestern.

A team will play each school in its division every year as well as one crossover rival from the opposite division.  For Ohio State the crossover team is Michigan.  Those six games (division teams and crossover rival) are set in stone and will be played every single season.  Of course that means the Buckeyes will play two games each year against the other five "O" division teams, and there will be three Big Ten squads they will not face each year.

Honestly, it all makes pretty good sense.  There seems to be a good balance of power in each division.  Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin are the expected power teams in the "X" and Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa are the big boys in the "O".  Obviously some seasons that will change, but year in and year out those seem to be the most likely candidates to fight for supremecy in the conference, and they have been evenly divided. 

The best news is the fact that "The Game" will still be played every year at the same time as it has been.  Of course it does leave the possibility that Ohio State and Michigan could face each other on the final Saturday of the regular season, and then have to play again a week or two later in the Big Ten Championship Game.  If both win their divisions that is exactly what will occur.  If you go back to 2006 with both teams undefeated and ranked #1 and #2 in the nation, it would have taken some of the luster off of "The Game."  But outside of that, the present divisional alignment seems to be the best scenario. 

Sure some old timers would prefer to go back to ten teams with no divisions, where everybody plays everybody else every year.  But we're in the 21st century and those days are long gone.
 
 
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So they have a movie with Matthew McConaughey...big deal!
Mascot: Thundering Herd
Stadium: Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,019)
2009 Record: 7-6 (Defeated Ohio 21-17 in Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl) 
Head Coach: Doc Holliday (First Season)
Letterman Returning: 45 (15 lost)
Returning Starters: Offense - 7; Defense - 7; Specialists - 1
Base Defense: 4-3
Base Offense: Ace (3 Wideouts)
Returning Stars: WR Antavious Wilson, LB Mario Harvey

Notable Alumni:

Randy Moss - NFL star
Billy Crystal - Actor and comedian
Hal Greer - NBA Hall of Famer
Michael W. Smith - Grammy winning recording artist
Mark D'Antoni - NBA head coach and former player
Soupy Sales - TV star of the 50's and 60's
Verna LeMasters Gibson - First female CEO of Fortune 500 company (The Limited)

Cheerleading Scouting Report:
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Marshall Overview:

The one and only time the Buckeyes have ever faced the Thundering Herd was back in 2004, and the results were not pretty. After having four costly turnovers in the game, Nugent kicked a 55 yard field goal as time expired to lift the Buckeyes to a 24-21 victory.

The 2010 edition of the Buckeyes enter the season with much higher aspirations than the one who played Marshall in 2004. Not only that, but Marshall is in a much different place as it takes the field under first time head coach Doc Holliday. He brings lots of experience from being on staff at schools like West Virginia and Florida, but has his work cut out for him in year one. 
 
 
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11W revealed the first look at the uniforms last night, but this is the first chance to the see them on a real person. The only part of the uniform that is not visible is the bronze star that is on the back of every helmet. This is definitely a nice way to honor the 1942 championship team, as these jerseys actually look similar to the originals (unlike the 1954 unis last year).  

Update - The Buckeye Blog has a great posted with more pictures of the uniform, and video of the press release announcement today.
 
 
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Will DeVier Posey be a 1,000 yard receiver in 2010? We think so.
Dave and Drew Thurman (8:03 am)

Thursday night around 7:30 PM, the pigskin will fly off the tee and the much anticipated 2010 season will finally begin.  Nobody knows for sure what all will take place, but here are a few predictions to sink your teeth into and ponder, and disagree with in the remaining hours before kickoff.

1. Terrelle Pryor will throw for over 2500 yards and 25 touchdowns, but finish second to John Clay in voting for Big Ten POY.

Pryor's mechanics and throwing ability is always going to receive some scrutiny, but his consistency will improve in 2010. Tressel has already given Pryor the green light to air it out more this season, and with the weapons around him these seem like very attainable numbers. As good as this year could be for Pryor though, we feel he falls short of the Big Ten POY. He simply has too many weapons around him, and we all know these honors go to guys who have to put the team on his shoulders all year long.   

2.  Either Jamaal Berry or Jordan Hall will take a kickoff to the house.

We just learned that Berry and Hall will be returning kickoffs, so expect some fireworks. The last few years have been pretty mediocre in terms on special teams, especially in the return game, and these two youngsters should provide a much needed spark.

3.  Despite all the good tailbacks in the backfield, Brandon Saine will separate himself from the pack and total over 1,200 yards of total offense.

Saine's versatility provides matchup nightmares for opposing defenses, as we learned last year. The Buckeyes have too many tailbacks for an 1,000 yard rusher in 2010, but Saine's hands out of the backfield will help him accumulate around 1,200 yards of total offense. It should be a great senior campaign for Saine.  

4.  Jake Stoneburner will NOT catch more than 30 balls this year.

Stoney is definitely going to make the tight end position relevant again in Columbus, but there are simply too many talented playmakers on offense. Our guess is that he is a two catch a game guy, which would leave him just shy of the 30 reception mark.

5.  Ohio State will receive the first half kickoff in every game but one.

Yes, we all know Tressel's strategy - he likes to get the ball first. Most opposing coaches have no problem with this, most probably think he is partially insane. There always seems to be one coach who wants to outsmart Tressel and take the ball first, like it's the key to the Buckeye game plan. Typically it's a desperate coach like Ron Zook. Mark it down, it will happen! 
 
 
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Drew Thurman (9:02 pm)

It's game week! Of course that means we finally start getting some of our questions answered. Tressel had his first press conference of the season earlier this afternoon and it gave us a lot to chew on.

1) The big news that Tressel revealed was that Nathan Williams will be out for the Marshall game, with Solomon Thomas starting in his place. While there is no reason for panic (and this was expected), the depth on the defensive line is a big question mark heading into the season. The latest depth chart revealed that Adam Bellamy will be backing up Cameron Heyward at the other DE spot. I like Bellamy and his potential at DT, but we all know the guy will never be a defensive end. You also have a true freshman in Jonathan Hankins in the two-deep at defensive tackle. Now with the news about Williams, you have to wonder if the defensive line really has the depth to duplicate last season.

2) We also got some answers about the secondary today. Chimdi Chekwa (hamstring) is questionable for the Marshall game, further adding to the list of injuries on defense. At the other corner spot, Devon Torrence (hamstring) should be good to go this Thursday night. Also, Tressel made it clear that C.J. Barnett didn't just jump Orhian Johnson on the depth chart at safety because of Johnson's injury. He says Barnett has been very impressive this fall and there will be good competition there in the future.

3) There are tons of fans out there wondering how Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry are going to get involved this fall. Saine and Herron are going to get the bulk of the carries, at least initially, and the youngsters have too much talent not to see the field. Well, Tressel revealed that both Hall and Berry will be handling kickoff returns Thursday night. We all know the return woes in recent years, so this is very pleasant news.

4) We also learned that Tressel will continue to be "The Senator." He refused to speak much on the UM/OSU game being moved, and wanted to talk solely about the game against Marshall. He did said that it has not been a distraction to the team thus far, but it's obvious he is doing his best to keep it that way. Some would like to see Tressel make more of a stand though.

For full notes from Tressel's press conference, click here.