OSU Depth Chart vs Marshall

The Marshall game is exactly ONE WEEK away -- finally!

The official depth chart was released today for the game, with more information to come Monday during Jim Tressel's first media luncheon press conference of the season.

The big surprises both came from the defensive side of the ball, as heir apparent players such as strong safety Ohrian Johnson and outside linebacker Etienne Sabino both come into the season as backups. It has been well documented that Andrew Sweat had played extremely well during camp and made a big impression on the coaching staff, so seeing him ahead of Sabino isn't a huge shock. I fully expect Sabino to either eventually take his spot away from him or simply to just be the fourth linebacker on the field for the Bucks throughout 2010. Sophomore C.J. Barnett will start ahead of Ohrian Johnson which is a HUGE surprise. It may be because Johnson has been dinged up, but if Barnett plays well it may not even matter if OJ is healthy or not.

Here is are the starters for the 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes vs Marshall-

QB- Terrelle Pryor/Jr./#2
RB- Brandon Saine/Sr./#3 - Captain OR Boom Herron/Jr./#1
FB- Zach Boren/So./#44
WR- DeVier Posey/Jr./#8
WR- Dane Sanzenbacher/Sr./#12- Captain
TE- Jake Stoneburner/So./#11
LT- Mike Adams/Jr./#75
LG- Justin Boren/Sr./#65
C- Mike Brewster/Jr./#50
RG- Bryant Browning/Sr./#70- Captain
RT- J.B. Shugarts/Jr./#76

DE- Cameron Heyward/Sr./#97- Captain
DT- John Simon/So./#54
DT- Dexter Larimore/Sr./#72
DE- Nathan Williams/Jr./#43
LB- Ross Homan/Sr./#51- Captain
LB- Brian Rolle/Sr./#36- Captain
LB- Andrew Sweat/Jr./#42
CB- Chimdi Chekwa/Sr./#5
CB- Devon Torrence/Sr./#1
FS- Jermale Hines/Sr./#7
SS- C.J. Barnett/So./#4
STAR- Tyler Moeller/Sr./#26

K- Devin Barclay/Sr./#23
P- Ben Buchanan/So./#17

I am assuming that we will know who the starting punt and kick returners are when Tressel addresses the media on Monday.

There should be plenty to talk about in the upcoming days to kickoff, but here is something to get you up to speed on what is going on with the team heading into next Thursday....

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=87743&SPID=10408&DB_OEM_ID=17300&ATCLID=204983269

Projected Big Ten Standings

I believe that this will be the best year that the Big Ten has seen since 2003, as there are three legitimate national championship contenders in the league to complement an array of teams with high potential and enough tradition to believe that 2010 can be a special season.

Here are my projections for the 2010 Big Ten season:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0, 8-0)
2. Iowa Hawkeyes (10-2, 6-2)
3. Wisconsin Badgers (10-2, 6-2)
4. Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3, 6-2)
5. Michigan State Spartans (9-3, 5-3)
6. Northwestern Wildcats (8-4, 4-4)
7. Purdue Boilermakers (6-6, 3-5)
8. Michigan Wolverines (5-7, 3-5)
9. Illinois Fighting Illini (5-7, 3-5)
10. Indiana Hoosiers (4-8, 1-7)
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-9, 0-8)

Yes, I'm aware that me picking OSU to go undefeated comes across as a product of Buckeye bias, but just wait and see. Eleven wins or more is the vibe that I am getting from this team.

Iowa and Wisconsin are fairly equal to me, and in many respects I give the edge to Wisconsin as being the better overall team. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, they have to travel to Iowa City a week after playing OSU. That is why Iowa gets the nod for me.

Penn State should lose to Alabama and then have some time to find their true identity as a team. Joe Pa will get things under control in time to send his team packing for a New Year's bowl game.

Michigan State tends to be a lot of people's "sleeper" team, and always seems to let the masses down. I generally have mediocre expectations for them, but this season I really like this team. Greg Jones may be the best linebacker in the nation, and he will lead a stingy defense and the offense will be much improved from 2009.

Northwestern, in all honesty, should've won the Outback Bowl. If they did, then they would be getting a lot more hype for 2010. I know that they will never be able to match up athletically with the best teams in the conference, but 8 wins and another shot at a good team in a New Year's Day bowl game should be just what the doctor ordered for a team that hasn't won a bowl game since 1948.

Purdue is a hard team for me to figure out. I like what Coach Hope is doing in West Lafayette, but I think they may be another year away from seriously challenging for the upper echelon of the conference. QB Robert Marve, a Miami transfer, will be a household name in Big Ten country by seasons end and should lead Purdue to a bowl appearance and keep the fans buzzing for the next season.

Illinois and Michigan are the same team to me: vast offensive potential, little to no defense. All hatred for the maize and blue aside, Illinois has a better chance of putting together a good defense and making it to a bowl game. The Wolverines don't even know who their quarterback is going to be (not a good sign... trust me) and have sustained heavy losses on the defensive side of the ball. Illinois has a shot at the postseason, but I am calling for both teams to stay home for the holidays and FINALLY can both of their head coaches.

Indiana has a lot of promise but they will probably fall short of getting to a bowl game. Minnesota....well, Minnesota is not good. I hate counting out the Gophers, but they are my pick to be in the cellar by the end of the season -- bye, bye Coach Brewster.

Hopefully my expectations for OSU are matched by season's end.

ONE WEEK UNTIL KICKOFF!!!!

My Preseason Top 25

Back in June I compiled a top 25 that was certainly subject to change, yet the majority of it is basically still intact. One portion of it will come across as extremely biased but I know that I can defend my ranking and justify its validity. Here it is:

Brian Sambecki's Top 25

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (Most complete team in college football top to bottom)
2. Alabama Crimson Tide (Heisman winner Ingram leads an offensive freight-train)
3. Texas Longhorns (The defense will help QB Gilbert grow en route to another title run)
4. Boise State Broncos (Everyone's Cinderella. Labor Day vs VT will determine fate)
5. Florida Gators (More talented than BSU and Texas, but simply lost way too many leaders)
6. Iowa Hawkeyes (A team that's strong defensively and is looking to win the Big Ten)
7. Virginia Tech Hokies (The defense will be good as usual; ACC title is likely)
8. TCU Horned Frogs (Maybe better overall than Boise...but that is a bold statement)
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers (All eyes will be on the offense. My darkhorse national champ)
10. Oregon Ducks (Despite losing Masoli, the Ducks will be better than majority of Pac 10)
11. Oklahoma Sooners
12. Wisconsin Badgers
13. Miami Hurricanes
14. USC Trojans
15. Georgia Bulldogs
16. North Carolina Tar Heels
17. Pitt Panthers
18. Penn State Nittany Lions
19. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
20. Florida State Seminoles
21. Arkansas Razorbacks
22. LSU Tigers
23. Oregon State Beavers
24. Auburn Tigers
25. West Virginia Mountaineers

Here is why OSU is the preseason #1 team in the country: they are the most complete team in the nation. Alabama has the flash on offense and as long as Nick Saban is the coach there the defense will be more than good, but the Bucks return more overall starters and has the potential to be just as powerful offensively as Bama. The Tide will always have a better running attack with Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson, but OSU has the total package on both sides of the ball to earn my #1 ranking. For the third time since 2003, Ohio State enters the season as the top team in my preseason ballot (2003, 2006 and now 2010).

Between now and Wednesday, September 1st I will have my game preview vs. Marshall, my games of the week along with a reposting of my preseason top 10, the official depth chart for OSU and a break down of the schedule.

Nine days until Marshall....

Captain Predictions

The captains for the 2010 Ohio State Buckeyes will be announced this week (at least that is what I am hearing), so I figured I would give my two cents on who I think should be the four team captains.

Also, here is a link to my latest article for PhilSteele.com....

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/Individual_Team_blogs/Ohio_St_Blog.html

2010 Team Captain Candidates

1. Cameron Heyward/Sr./DE- This shouldn't even be debatable. This is a guy who is about to put his fourth and final year into a career that has seen him contribute each and every year, and each season has seen him grow and mature into a great football player. He passed up the NFL for a chance to win a national championship in his final season, and has become more of a vocal leader in the offseason. He is a shoe-in in my opinion.

2. Ross Homan/Sr./LB- Much like Heyward, I consider this to be a virtual lock. 2010 will be Homan's fifth and last season in Columbus, so the guy has been around for quite some time. He was highly underrated in 2008 playing next to James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman, but shined last season in a star role. Both him and Heyward will be easy picks to lead the team, and both are legitimate All-American candidates.

3. Bryant Browning/Sr./OG- Talk about a consistent player... Browning has done everything that has been asked of him throughout his steady career without a single complaint, even when he was clearly out of position in 2008 at right tackle. He was arguably the most consistent offensive lineman last season, and has been through enough to garner high respect across the board from the coaching staff down to the players. He would be a great fit to lead the team despite not being a vocal type of guy. His quiet leadership and experience should be good enough.

4. Terrelle Pryor/Jr./QB- Not much needs to be said here. He would be an excellent choice to lead this team. He has gone from lacking complete respect from his teammates as a freshman to having absolute control of the offense and the locker room to complement his budding skills and development. The only thing that could hinder him is the fact that he is not a senior, and there are plenty of seniors to chose from on this team.

OR

4. Dane Sanzenbacher/Sr./WR- A steady, hard-nosed presence at receiver for the past three years, Dane is entering his senior year as a proven vet that isn't afraid to take big hits in the middle of the field if it means moving the chains and keeping drives alive. With his shorter stature people dismiss him immediately (I was guilty of that when he came in as a true freshman in 2007) but are quick to swallow their words once they see the guy play.

If I had to pick between Dane and Pryor, it would make more sense to go with Pryor... but there would be something special about having Dane representing the offense along with a guy like Browning. I'll go with Sanzenbacher for now, giving Pryor a year to wait for what will be a shoe-in season to be a team captain.

2010 Previews- OSU Special Teams

The above picture was the highlight of the year for the special teams, and it isn't even close (no offense to Ray Small's several dynamic returns against Wisconsin and Penn State) as Devin Barclay's foot catapulted the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl, and we all know how that story ends.

Unfortunately for the 2009 Ohio State special teams, the year in general wasn't very...well...special. At all.

Improvements are hopefully on their way to the rescue as this year's most glaring question marks resides on the shoulders of the special teams in Columbus.

Not to make last season's special teams sound awful, but quite frankly they weren't exactly good. Maybe even the worst that Tressel has seen at OSU since his first year in 2001. Aaron Pettrey and Jon Thoma were expected to provide a reassuring presence in both departments of the kicking game, and that simply didn't come to fruition. Pettrey's kicking style didn't serve him well from inside 40 yards, and it showed with miss after miss in the short-range kicking game. With Thoma, he began the season displaying the ability to pin the ball inside the opponent's own 20 yard line, but that dependability turned into a mixed bag as the season went on. All in all, with all due respect to what Barclay contributed after Pettrey tore his ACL in late October, it was a highly average year for the special teams.

What made matters worse? A kick coverage team that seemed like they didn't even know what they were doing at times. That, above all in my humble opinion, is the most important aspect to the improvement of the special teams. If they can improve off of last year's continuous inability to stop premier return men then we should be looking at a very sound football team.

Devin Barclay will handle kicks within 40 yards, which seems to be his speciality especially after hitting some clutch field goals for OSU -- none bigger than his 39 yard field goal that gave the Buckeyes the Big Ten championship. True freshman Drew Basil appears to have a firm grasp on long distance kicks as well as handling the kickoff duties. Both will need to be consistent in order for OSU to reach their full potential. If there is a screw up by the field goal kickers in big games such as Miami or on the road at Wisconsin or Iowa, then it could result in a season of disappointment.

The punting game is still a mystery up to this point. It will be Ben Buchanan that will be the starting punter for the Buckeyes, but that is not what I mean by the sense of mystery surrounding the position. Buchanan was a very highly touted recruit coming out of high school, but has yet to impress few if any coaches at Ohio State up to this point. He has been asked to focus on punts for the remainder of his career, which all indications sense as a let down for the redshirt sophomore. He has the talent to be an excellent punter, but we will have to see whether he is able to pin teams deep consistently when given the opportunity. If the punt is the most important play in football to Tressel, then he needs Buchanan to come up HUGE this season.

The return game will likely see several faces get a chance to prove themselves as the year goes on. As of right now, all indications are that Brandon Saine and Jamaal Berry will be the starting kick returners against Marshall. We will have the official depth chart a week from now, so nothing is certain until then. Other names to look out for are Boom Herron, Jordan Hall and James Jackson. Others could possibly emerge as time goes on. The punt returner should almost certainly go to DeVier Posey, who substituted in for Ray Small after he was suspended for the Rose Bowl. Dane Sanzenbacher may line up to return punts as well, as he was the designated return man in the season opener last season.

My grade for the 2009 special teams: C.

My grade for the 2010 special teams: Time to play the waiting game.

2010 Preview- Ohio State Defense

I may have played up the expectations for the offense quite a bit, but don't mistake that as a slight to the 2010 silver bullet defense.

In short, they will be as fast and furious as any defense that has played in Columbus in the Tressel era.

It all starts up front for the Buckeyes, where All-American DE Cameron Heyward - a senior who passed up the NFL as a junior - returns to anchor what should be one of the most feared lines in the nation. Heyward possesses the size and strength to be considered as one of, if not the best, defensive line prospect in the upcoming NFL draft (in my humble opinion... don't mistake me for being a scout). Complementing him on the outside in OSU's hybrid 4-3/3-4 scheme will be pass rush specialist Nathan Williams. Williams is currently sidelined with a knee injury, so look for junior Solomon Thomas to sub in for Nathan's temporarily vacated LEO position. The ends are set to be highly productive once again. The tackles will make or break the star level that this line can reach though, but don't sweat it out over whether they will be any good or not. The tackles are very disciplined, big and level-headed guys who simply plug up gaps, disrupt plays and stop the run. Sophomore John Simon and senior Dexter Larimore will start, while plenty of depth is waiting in the wings to contribute on the field. Simon is a future All-American -- mark it down.

Not much needs to be said about the linebackers because...well, OSU is the modern day linebacker U. Ross Homan and Brian Rolle return to improve off of stellar junior seasons to bring a special blend of raw athleticism, play making ability and unquestioned leadership. Homan is the all-around total package while Rolle may be the eventual MVP if he makes as many plays as he did last season at middle linebacker. The SAM linebacking spot, which has been left open by the departure of 7th round pick Austin Spitler, is a toss up between former five and four star prospects Etienne Sabino and Andrew Sweat. As of right now, Sweat has been running with the first team but in the long term it may not even matter. Both are ready to play and perform immediately.

Kurt Coleman made a living off of making huge plays - quite effortlessly I might add - and it won't be easy to match his production in the secondary this season. Three returning starters from last season return to try their best, including the senior cornerback tandem of Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence. Both corners showed flashes last season but also displayed their weaknesses for all to see. Chekwa is the most experienced and will be the #1 corner on the depth chart once again. Jermale Hines, who started at free safety the majority of the year and also played the Star position, will be called upon to be at FS for the entire year and create turnovers with his unique combination of size, strength and quickness. Senior Tyler Moeller, coming off a medical redshirt year, will play his natural Star position. His story is both motivational and inspiring after coming back to play football less than a year after suffering head trauma as a result of being assaulted in Florida last summer. Former high school quarterback Ohrian Johnson will start at strong safety, while Travis Howard, Corey Brown, Donnie Evege and Christian Bryant will all vie for lots of playing time.

If you are familiar at all with how good OSU's defense played last season, then the following statement shouldn't come as a surprise to you: this will be the best defense in college football in 2010...as long as Williams returns to health before the Miami game and one of three senior starters in the secondary steps up to have a special year.

Will the stars all align in 2010? Your guess is as good as mine.

2010 Ohio State Buckeyes Preview- Offense

This offseason has featured less of my commentary on the team, but for good reason: all is well in Buckeye Country. While no team is perfect the general sense has been that the atmosphere around the OSU head coaches, especially Jim Tressel, is perfectly content with what is sure to come from the team in 2010.

I will be breaking down the major units on the team (offense, defense, and special teams) this week, and today I will start with the most hyped group at Ohio State this season...and no, for once it is not the defense.

We need to get the talk about Terrelle Pryor out of the way now and be frank about it: his play last season was ALL OVER THE PLACE! Still, it is funny that people were saying "I hate Pryor", "let's bench his a**", "move him to wide receiver", "he will NEVER do anything at quarterback" a mere two and a half months previous to his first masterpiece as a Buckeye in the Rose Bowl. He began his career as the #1 player out of high school in America and started his first game four games into his collegiate career, so expectations soared through the roof even more than before (Possible? Yes sir). Pryor may have led the team to a 10-3 season with a 7-1 record as the starter, but mostly everyone was able to see that he had a lot of work to do in order to learn the quarterback position. A loss to Purdue on the road last year highlighted his struggles learning the position, and mass panic in Columbus ensued. Fast forward to now, and the attitude in Columbus -- along with Terrelle's own attitude -- has completely changed. He is now viewed as a true leader who has been through plenty in his first two years as a starter to lead this team to bigger and better pastures. Just how far has he come along heading into 2010? Stay tuned until September 2nd.

Phew... now on the to the rest of the offense. Runnin' backs Brandon Saine and Boom Herron return to handle the bulk of the carries, with Saine holding the starting edge over his counterpart. Saine showed big play potential both on the ground and as a receiver to go along with the durability to stay healthy all season long, so look for the senior out of Piqua to have a career season. Redshirt freshman Jamaal Berry and sophomore Jordan Hall will fight for scraps, however both are talented enough to make a big play every time they touch the ball. Carlos Hyde may in fact redshirt, but the Beanie Wells-type back has impressed just about everyone of importance this offseason.

The receiving corps is ready to blow up in 2010 under the #1 big play threat DeVier Posey and the ever-reliable Dane Sanzenbacher. The two receivers combined to produce 1,398 yards in an OSU attack that leaned heavily towards the run after the debacle in West Lafayette (you could say that Purdue caused OSU to "boiler-down" its play calling... ha ha....?). Posey is close to being NFL ready, while Sanzenbacher looks the part of the tough slot receiver at the next level. Beyond these two, though, many questions remain. Taurian Washington, Grant Schwartz, James Louis and Chris Fields will all battle for the #3 and #4 receiver slots, but nothing so far is certain as neither of the four candidates have separated themselves from the pack. Tight ends Jake Stoneburner and Reid Fragel will provide the best of both worlds at their position with Stoneburner providing the flash of a wide receiver and Fragel demonstrating more of a traditional Woody Hayes approach to playing tight end. Stoney has been one of the biggest stories this offseason and is hopeful to be highly involved in the offense. Pryor has been quoted as saying that Stoneburner is one of his first looks every time he drops back to throw.

Now on to the grand finale: the offensive line. This is by far, without a doubt, the most important aspect to whether this Buckeye offense will take flight to 2006-type heights, or stay grounded as a mediocre, run-of-the-mill attack. From left to right, the projected starters should be Mike Adams, Justin Boren, Michael Brewster, Bryant Browning and J.B. Shugarts, and out of the five starters, four return to start up front for the Buckeyes. Those four were all steady forces on the line last season after the Purdue game and are looking to take the next step this season. The key here is for the left tackle spot to provide smart, solid performances week in and week out. The leading candidate for that position is junior Mike Adams, and he wears the unwanted feather in his cap of being my player to keep an eye on this season. He is in the best shape of his life and has played well so far since the winter, but the time is now for Adams to elevate the OSU line from good to great. Boren and Brewster are studs when healthy, Browning is arguably the most consistent player on the line, while Shugarts is the first guy off the bus type at 6"7, 298.

The play of the line is the biggest question mark, yet the ultimate factor for this offense in 2010, while the rest of the pieces are already in place that could make this season more than special on offense for the Buckeye faithful.