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Drew Thurman (2:33 pm)

There has been a lot of recruiting action today involving the Buckeyes, some good and some bad. Let's start with the bad.

Linebacker prospect James Vaughters announced today that he is headed for Stanford. After the ceremony he said that Ohio State and Georgia Tech tied for second for his services. The Buckeye staff is hungry for a star linebacker in this class, and Vaughters' announcement makes that task a little harder. Now all eyes will turn towards Trey DePriest, who currently appears to be all about Alabama.

On the positive side, wide receiver Devin Smith committed today. The Massilon Washington product is 6-2 175 pounds and had offers from Penn State, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, West Virginia, and many more. Smith was at the Senior Advanced Camp this weekend at OSU, and his performance brought an offer on Monday from the staff. He didn't waste anytime, and now the Buckeyes have two wideouts committed in 2010. It will be interesting to see what happens with the other wide receiver prospects the staff is after.

All in all, the Buckeyes now have 15 commitments in the 2010 class. Outside of some small struggles at linebacker, this class is moving right along.
 
 
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Dave Thurman (9:50 am)

Now that Nebraska has bolted the Big Twelve for the Big Ten (ironically leaving ten teams in the Big 12 and twelve in the Big Ten), who can claim football supremacy?  In other words, if we were to do a power ranking of the dozen squads who make up the newly formed conference, what would it look like?

Well, TSB has taken on that question using a very simple formula: 50% of the final grade or ranking is based on all-time historical performance and tradition, and the other 50% is based on recent performance (the last decade with extra weight assigned to the past couple seasons).  Using that formula, here is the current Big Ten pecking order:

12. Indiana - They love roundball in the Hoosier State and it shows.  The football team has won the fewest games of any team in the conference, and sports the lowest all-time winning percentage.  They haven't been much better in recent years, though Terry Hoeppner seemed to have them headed in the right direction before his untimely death.

11. Northwestern - They are barely better than Indiana historically, though the Wildcats have fielded some decent teams in recent years, and seem to be on the upswing.

10. Illinois - I would like to rank the Illini higher, considering they gave us Red Grange and Dick Butkas.  But their all-time record isn't very good, and they seem to be headed in the wrong direction with Ron Zook occupying an extremely hot seat in Champaign.

9.  Purdue - The Boilers have produced a bunch of excellent NFL quarterbacks, and had some pretty good years.  But how many truly great seasons can you remember?  And, the past few years they have been sliding backwards. 

8.  Minnesota - Without doubt the Golden Gophers have been weak the past decade, but you can't overlook their proud tradition, which includes 635 all-time wins and four National Championships (they'll argue six) including three in a row in the mid 30s. 

7.  Iowa - The Hawkeyes are a top-flight team these days, but it hasn't always been that way.  Prior to the coming of Hayden Fry in 1981, Iowa was mostly mediocre.  They had some fine years in the 50s, and an excellent 1939 team was led by Nile Kinnick, who won their only Heisman Trophy, but Iowa City has never celebrated a National Championship.
 
 
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Pete Johnson scoring one of his 58 touchdowns
Dave Thurman (8:44 am)

In this ongoing series we have been considering the ten greatest OSU players at each position.  However, since both tight end and fullback usually have only one player on the field at a time (as opposed to the offensive line which has five), it makes sense to combine these two and limit each to five rather than ten.  Besides, there have been times when Ohio State has not employed a fullback, and when the tight end has been nothing more than a glorified lineman (no wisecracks please).  Anyway, here are the best to don the Scarlet and Gray at these non-glamorous positions:

Fullback:

5. John Brockington - After biding his time while backing up Jim Otis, big John finally got his chance to shine in 1970 and ran for 1142 yards, as Woody loved to feature the fullback dive.  He then went on to a wonderful NFL career with Green Bay.

4. Vaughn Broadnax - Huge (6'2", 252) yet agile, Vaughn starred in the early 80s, opening holes for Tim Spencer and Keith Byars.  When given the chance he could run with the ball, too, and was especially effective near the goal line. 

3. Jim Otis - A three-year starter, Jim was one of the stars of the '68 National Championship team and finished with 2542 yards rushing, before enjoying a successful NFL career.

2. Bob Ferguson - Old-timers say that Ferguson was the perfect fullback, and he was a two-time All-American at Ohio State, who won the Maxwell Award in 1961 and was the runner-up to Ernie Davis for the Heisman.

1. Pete Johnson - In my mind Johnson was the greatest fullback in NCAA history.  Not only did Pete lead the way for Archie Griffin during the latter's two Heisman seasons, but he finished his Buckeye career with 2308 yards rushing and an Ohio State record 58 touchdowns.  The big guy was simply money near the goal line, and scored 26 times in 1975 alone. 

It could be argued that no school has had more fine fullbacks than OSU, which is kind of ironic since the position is so rarely used by the Bucks these days.  Other players considered for this list include Bob White, George Cooper, Scottie Graham, Nicky Sualua, and Jamar Martin.
 
Big 10 + 2 06/11/2010
 
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Drew Thurman (4:37 pm)

Nebraska has made it official, they will leave the Big 12 and head to the Big Ten. They still must be accepted by the Big Ten presidents, and that should come very quickly. If their application does go through and the are accepted, they plan on jumping in starting in 2011. The question now remains, will the Big Ten stop at 12 teams? Probably not!

As for Nebraska, they feel very little concern for the future of the Big 12. Chancellor Harvey Perlman had this to say:

"One school leaving a conference does not destroy a conference."

There are some rumors starting to surface that the ten remaining Big 12 teams might be able to salvage the situation, as Oklahoma State has already made known. It may ultimately hinge on the decisions of Texas and Texas A&M this coming week.

Update (6:05 pm): Nebraska has been accepted by the Big Ten.

Further Reading:

Nebraska officials gush about Big Ten
Nebraska applies Big Ten membership
Nebraska bolts for the Big Ten
It is done: NU to Big Ten in 2011
 
 
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Drew Thurman (12:03 pm)

After two insane days of news and rumors, here is the latest...

1) Adam Rittenberg is breaking down the preseason 25 best players in the Big Ten. Today, DeVier Posey comes in at No. 17 on the list. He is the second Buckeye to appear on the list (Brian Rolle at No. 20), and there should be a handful of guys still appearing including Ross Homan, Justin Boren, Cameron Heyward, and Terrelle Pryor. 

2) Last night, Deadspin listed all the rumors and predictions of things that were reported to happen today. Most of these rumors surround where the current Big 12 teams will end up, and it's pretty comical to see the contradictions. For instance, sources reported yesterday that Texas A&M would join the Pac-10, the Big Ten, and the SEC. The college sports world is definitely in chaos, and I'm ready to see some of this play out.

3) Glen Mason is worried about Minnesota's chances in a bigger Big Ten. Personally, I don't like their chances right now!

4) Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune says that Notre Dame may be forced to join a conference (aka the Big Ten) because of the BCS.

"If the Pac-10 does plump to 16 teams (by adding Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State), conference officials reportedly will push for two automatic bids to Bowl Championship Series games.

"That threat might help push Notre Dame into accepting a Big Ten bid. Herbstreit believes Notre Dame "has to" go the conference route because of that BCS instability and the extra revenue derived from the Big Ten's lucrative combo TV deal (ESPN/ABC and the Big Ten Network)."

5) The big news today is that USC juniors and seniors will be able to transfer without sitting out a year according to NCAA. The rule will not apply to underclassmen, in particular freshmen who have signed their letter of intent. So while the Buckeyes are playing in a BCS bowl (maybe the national championship), Seantrel Henderson and company will be enjoying the time off. Good thing his dad knew what he was doing!
 
 
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Dave Thurman (11:29 am)

In our ongoing series we have already looked at the following positions: wide receiver; linebacker; and, offensive line.  All were stocked with great players, but it could be argued that Ohio State has been even stronger at defensive back, producing many All-Americans and future NFL stars.  Let's tick off TSB's top ten:

10. Ray Griffin - Considering that his older brother, Archie, was the only two-time Heisman winner in history, it would be easy to forget what an excellent career Ray had at corner.  His best moment came in '75 when Griffin picked off Rick Leach which set up the winning touchdown against Michigan.

9.  Tim Fox - This hard hitting safety was a team captain, and an All-American at OSU before going on to a fine NFL career.

8.  Neal Colzie -  Some fans remember Colzie best for his dynamic punt returns, but he was a wonderful corner who picked off 15 passes during his college career.

7.  Chris Gamble - One of the best two-way players in recent history, Gamble was a good receiver, but a great shut down corner.  He may not have won as much hardware as some Buckeye defensive backs, but few have come up with as many key plays as Chris did during the 2002 National Championship season.

6.  Shawn Springs - Possessing incredible speed, Springs made playing corner look easy, starting 37 straight games.  He was the Big Ten defensive player of the year in '96 before being the third player taken in the NFL draft the following spring.
 
 
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The quest for college sports domination looks to begin this weekend...
Drew Thurman (8:24 pm)

Twitter and news feeds have been overloaded with news that Nebraska could very well be headed to Big Ten very soon. Expansion rumors have been a dime a dozen over the past few months, but this is more than a rumor. In fact, multiple sources are reporting that this deal could be done by the end of the weekend.

While I'm excited at the tradition and possible matchups that a team like Nebraska brings to the conference, we all know that it won't stop there. Actually, the mad scramble for conference superiority is just beginning. Rumors are already surfacing that Notre Dame, Syracuse, Rutgers, and Maryland are also jumping on board for a sixteen team conference.

That's just the Big Ten.

The Pac-10 is trying to keep pace by offering the rest of the current Big 12, and the SEC will refuse to be outdone. Nebraska joining this weekend could very well be the college sports version of the "shot heard round the world." Like it or not, college sports is on the verge of never being the same again. Many are predicting four superconferences will be all that is left when the dust settles. Personally I have a hard time accepting that. I think I agree with David Jones of The Patriot-News:

"Are four superconferences really better for the game, better for fans, better for the players? It's hard to see the advantages."

Let's get one thing straight though, this isn't about fans or what is better for the game!
 
 
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Will Sabino finally be dancing with the first team? (Photo via life.com)
Drew Thurman (11:45 am)

In this series of profiles, we are taking a look at some of the under the radar Buckeye players who play a vital role in a championship run. Everyone knows the importance of players like Pryor, Saine, Posey, Brewster, Boren, Heyward, Homan, and Rolle. This series is not about those big names players, rather the indispensable guys that get looked over. Check out #8 Etienne Sabino...

Why he is important:

A few of you may be surprised that Sabino is on this list, and that I have already assumed Andrew Sweat won't be able to beat him out for the strongside lineback spot. Well, I think Fickell has made it crystal clear that Sabino is going to be the guy this fall, and on top of that, his athleticism could provide too much to pass up regardless. 

In fact, it's that athleticism that puts him on this list and makes him an important piece to a championship run. We all know that defense wins championships, but as the last decade has proved, it's the truly athletic defenses that make that statement true. Take Alabama's defense last year or Florida's the year before that. They had eleven guys who brought NFL caliber intangibles to the table, and they overwhelmed the competition. Sabino is superfreak who will brings those type of skills to the Buckeyes. No offense to Austin Spitler, because I thought he was a solid leader, but Sabino will be a huge upgrade in 2010 to the linebacking core.
 
 
Drew Thurman (7:46 am)

Every time I think there will be a break in the action in the 2011 class, someone else jumps on board. Last night it was defensive tackle Joel Hale from Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana. Hale come in at 6-4 290 pounds, and had offers from schools like Florida, Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Georgia Tech.

Hale joins what is shaping up to be an incredible defensive line class with players like Kenny Hayes, Steve Miller, Michael Bennett, and Chase Farris. That doesn't even include the slew of big uglies on the offensive line that have already committed. The staff is really bringing in the guys in the trenches.  

With 14 players committed in this class, the staff now sits in the driver's seat this summer. Anyone interested at all in the Buckeyes needs to take a serious look at committing sooner rather than later. The staff won't be playing games this year!
 
 
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Drew Thurman (1:07 pm)

The Buckeyes have been putting together a very special class in 2011, and that continued today with the commitment of wide receiver Evan Spencer.

Spencer had been considered an Ohio State lock by insiders for awhile now, but this is still very pleasing news. The 6-1 185 pound prospect from Vernon Hills, IL finds himself in the ESPN150 while being well regarded by Scouts and Rivals. Not only that, but he is the son of Tim Spencer, who is one of the great running backs in Buckeye history.

With Spencer in the bag, the Buckeyes have 13 commitments and the spots seem to be going fast. It appears that staff might have the 2011 class locked down by the time the season starts in September. It sure will be fun to watch what happens over the next several months.