The Buckeye Losses Stop Here: Five Things Ohio State Must Do To Beat USC

It was a cool, breezy, November night in Columbus, Ohio. Scarlet clad fans stormed the field after watching the top ranked Buckeyes defeat the second ranked Wolverines.

It was 986 days ago, and it was the last time Ohio State won a “big game.”

It was the last time the Buckeye’s weren’t “outclassed” by equal competition.

It was the last time Jim Tressel was called “The best play-caller in College Football.”

After two National Championship defeats and an embarrassing performance against USC last season, Ohio State’s reputation has taken its lumps. And although the Buckeyes played both Penn State and Texas (top five teams) down to the wire, a loss is a loss, which gains no respect.

The next chance Ohio State gets to repair it’s image is September 12, when the USC Trojans visit Columbus for part two of their non-conference series. And regardless of how much I hate this term (because every game is a must win), this game is as close to a must win for Jim Tressel as he’s going to get.

And it’s not just the Buckeyes reputation that’s at stake; the Big Ten conference is at risk as well. The country has grown weary of watching Penn State, Illinois, and Michigan get blown out of the Rose Bowl. The conferences 1-6 bowl record last year didn’t help the way people view the league.

Not to mention how this game will affect recruiting, momentum, and the perception of the Buckeyes remaining opponents.

The Buckeyes can regain some of the trust from college football fans that they’ve not-so-elegantly lost the last three years with a win against USC.

I’ve put together a list of five things Ohio State must do to beat the Trojans come September 12. Let’s get started!

Protect the Quarterback

The glaring difference against Florida and LSU in the National Championship games and against USC last season was the Buckeyes inability to protect the quarterback.

The offensive line must do a better job at staying in front of whatever defensive lineman they are responsible for:

If that means Bryant Browning (last year’s right tackle and this year’s probable right guard) has to do the tire drill until he passes out to improve his lateral movement and foot speed, so be it.

If someone has to frame Offensive-Line Coach Jim Bollman for insurance fraud (or any crime, for that matter) so he can finally be fired, so be it.

If Jim Tressel makes all the offensive lineman eat the nails of an alligator and wash it down with a gallon of dragon tears (or whatever Justin Boren does that makes him so angry all the time) to teach them how to play with an attitude, so be it.

Ohio State must do whatever it takes to keep Terrelle Pryor on his feet. I’m tired of seeing Ohio State’s quarterback looking like he wrestled a bear (and losing) after all their big games.

Protecting the quarterback is imperative. If the Buckeyes can do it, it will allow Pryor to get through his reads and move the offense down the field. If the Buckeyes can’t do it, it could be another long night for Ohio State.

Open up the Playbook and Execute

The look on Jim Tressel’s face in this picture embodies all of the frustration stewing in the hearts of Buckeye fans. You can almost hear the coach’s thoughts:

“Should I put five wide receivers in and let Terrelle Pryor take over the game with his natural ability to run the spread? Or should I send a couple tight ends and a fullback in to run the off-tackle play for Beanie that we just ran nine times in a row?”

A moment’s pause follows as he weighs his options…

“We should just go with the off-tackle play again. I mean, Beanie hasn’t hurt himself in a good three days, and I know that he’s gonna break a big one soon. I just know it.”

All kidding aside, Jim Tressel kept the offensive game-plan simple last year. He created a playbook that would maximize the unique talents that Beanie had and limit any potential mistakes from a freshman quarterback. If I were in his shoes, I would have done the same thing.

Of course, after last year’s OSU-USC game, there were Trojan defenders who said they knew exactly what Ohio State was going to do on offense and that nothing surprised them. I would have an issue with that if it mattered.

You can’t tell me that teams didn’t know what Ohio State was going to do in 2002 when they won the National Championship.

Execution is just as important as, or even more important than, a variety in play-calling.

The Buckeyes will have to mix it up against USC this year. Pete Carroll will be replacing nine starters on his defense. With this being the second week of the season, it would be the perfect time to hit them with some trick plays and a diverse, hurry-up offense. But the priority here is execution. Ohio State must execute whichever offense they choose to run when the Trojans come to town.

Create Pressure up Front

If you look at the defense for the National Championship Buckeyes in 2002, you’ll notice that they consistently created pressure on the opposing teams quarterback.

As previously mentioned, creating that pressure upfront disrupts everything an offense is trying to accomplish. And since that championship team seven years ago, the Buckeyes have been unable to create such havoc (with a slight exception given to the 2003 team).

It seemed as though the blitz packages, the nasty attitude, and the attacking defenses left when Mark Dantonio did in 2003. Jim Heacock took over as the Defensive Coordinator (in ‘05) and implemented his I-don’t-care-if we’re-getting-picked-apart-we’re-still-sticking-with-this-zone…defense.

But half way through the 2008 season, something clicked. Whether it was Nader Abdallah’s out-of-nowhere realization that he was a man child, Thad Gibson’s opportunity to play after Wilson’s leg injury, or Heacock’s sudden willingness to blitz more often, the Buckeyes started creating that pressure.

Ohio State must continue to get after the quarterback. Buckeye fans are holding their breath, crossing their fingers, and sacrificing small animals (chill out PETA, that was a joke) in hopes that Jim Heacock doesn’t give up on that attacking mentality they displayed late last year.

Whether it’s Aaron Corp or Matt Barkley behind center, this will be the first big game either quarterback will have played in. Pressuring him would be a very good thing for the Buckeyes.

Get Mad

A recent article pointed out the difference between Marcus Freeman’s reaction to the Texas loss in the Fiesta Bowl to Terrelle Pryor’s reaction.

Freeman’s reaction was one of…relief. As if he was relieved that his team wasn’t blown out of the water by a good opponent. He was happy with the effort, and came away with the moral victory speech that losing teams often defer to.

Terrelle Pryor was upset. He was already looking ahead to the 2009 football season, saying the Buckeyes were going to put more points on the board. He told the media that there were some “teams we owe some stuff to.” He was angry.

The Buckeyes need to take a nasty attitude into this football game.

They need to be-someone just spit in my mother’s face and I’m mad-angry.

They need to be-Samuel L. Jackson, yelling his lines unnecessarily in every one of his movies-angry.

They need to be-Britney Spears strangling a paparazzi photographer with her man thighs-angry.

The key to playing with an attitude is to keep that anger in check. Tim Tebow plays with an attitude, but he controls it and redirects it toward the field and toward his opponents.

If the Buckeyes want to stop being the end of bad “big-game” jokes, they must get nasty. This is THE Ohio State University, and NO ONE comes into our house and pushes us around!

Wear Red and Be Very, Very, Very Loud

This last one is for the fans.

If you are in possession of a ticket that gives you admittance to this game, you must do two things:

One, you must wear red. The three gentlemen in the middle of this picture are breaking my first rule. This makes me so mad; I could kick a puppy (again PETA… a joke).

There is nothing cooler than seeing the bleachers in Ohio Stadium glowing a florescent red under the lights. If you’re a buckeye fan and didn’t get goose bumps from the birds-eye-view of the Shoe when Ohio State played Penn State this past year, you need to check your pulse.

I’ve sent Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith 318 letters demanding that any Ohio State fan who tries to attend a game wearing anything “not red”, they will be required to wear a scarlet poncho and a matching sombrero. So if you don’t want to look ridiculous for the game…wear red, it’s intimidating and looks cool as heck.

Two, you must be very, very, very loud. “The Shoe” is arguably the loudest stadium in the country, and that is disorienting for the opponent. You already know that Aaron Corp or Matt Barkley will be making their first meaningful start. Your one goal in this game is to make whoever ends up being the starting quarterback to soil themselves.

Scream when they have the ball. Scream when they are in the huddle. Scream when they’re trying to call an audible. Scream during the timeouts. And when your voice is shot, just clap. Give everything you can. Practice screaming with your friends two weeks before September 12 so you will be better at it.

If you have tickets to this game, do not sit on your hands in a white “away” jersey. Wear red and SCREAM!

A quick look at Ohio State’s spring draft

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Michigan State wasn't the only team to hold a spring game draft Wednesday. Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel, who passed on the idea to Spartans head man Mark Dantonio, oversaw the Buckeyes' selections for the spring game on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
Some notables for each squad.
SCARLET Running back Dan "Boom" Herron Wide receivers…
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It’s draft day at Michigan State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Forget about that other draft taking place at Radio City Music Hall this weekend. The real draft will be held at 2:15 p.m. ET today in the Skandalaris Football Center, as Michigan State picks teams for its annual Green-White Game, which will be played Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has borrowed…
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Destination: East Lansing

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
I'm off to East Lansing to spend some time with head coach Mark Dantonio and the Michigan State Spartans. I'll be attending Tuesday's practice in East Lansing and Wednesday's spring game draft.
Posting will be light until the Spartans wrap up practice early this evening. I'll try to post an update on Penn State linebacker Navorro…
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Big Ten lunch links: Spartans QB race even

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
These links are Black and Gold all over. Michigan State might not determine its starting quarterback until several games into the season, Steve Grinczel writes in The Grand Rapids Press. Head coach Mark Dantonio might have given away a clue as he said the team is incorporating the option, Eric Lacy writes in The Detroit News. Hello, Keith Nichol? The…
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Spartans’ White pleads guilty to assault

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The fallout from the off-campus fight allegedly involving Michigan State football and hockey players is beginning to take shape. 

Spartans wide receiver Mitchell White pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor assault and battery in connection with the Oct. 19 incident. Both White and teammate Glenn Winston, who faces three counts of misdemeanor aggravated assault, could face jail time if convicted. 

Winston, who served as Michigan State's primary kick returner last season, could face up to a year in jail. 

Both players are still listed on Michigan State's roster, though White was not included on the Spartans' roster for the Capital One Bowl. Winston played in the regular-season finale at Penn State but did not appear in the bowl game. 

Spartans hockey player A.J. Sturges was briefly hospitalized after the fight. 

Michigan State head football coach Mark Dantonio has not addressed the players' status.

Athletic director Mark Hollis released a statement in December regarding the incident, saying, "The particular circumstances aside, no member of the university community should experience this kind of injury. We have trust in the justice system, and we look forward to A.J.'s recovery."

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Early schedule snapshot: Michigan State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Here's a look at what's on tap for head coach Mark Dantonio and the Spartans this fall. 

NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Sept. 5 Montana State

Sept. 12 Central Michigan

Sept. 19 at Notre Dame

Nov. 7 Western Michigan

My take: At first glance, Michigan State appears to have softened up its non-league slate after visiting Cal and hosting defending Sun Belt champ Florida Atlantic last year. But this rundown could present some challenges, as Notre Dame will be improved and both Central Michigan and Western Michigan beat Big Ten opponents last year. Michigan State moved the Western Michigan game to East Lansing from Ford Field in Detroit, providing a seventh home game in rough economic times. Facing the Broncos at Spartan Stadium will help, and Michigan State has won a whopping six consecutive games at Notre Dame Stadium. But with new starters at both quarterback and running back, the Spartans could slip up somewhere along the way. 

BIG TEN SCHEDULE

Sept. 26 at Wisconsin

Oct. 3 Michigan

Oct. 10 at Illinois

Oct. 17 Northwestern

Oct. 24 Iowa

Oct. 31 at Minnesota

Nov. 14 at Purdue

Nov. 21 Penn State

Byes: Ohio State, Indiana

My take: The Spartans' league slate sets up favorably for another run to a January bowl game. All four road games are winnable, and the league opener at Wisconsin will be critical as both teams adjust to new quarterbacks. If Michigan State gets through the first three Big Ten games at 3-0 or 2-1, a major bowl push certainly is within reach. The Spartans face league title contenders Iowa and Penn State at home and don't play Ohio State, which embarrassed them last year in East Lansing. Playing archrival Michigan fairly early on likely will benefit the Spartans, as the Wolverines might not fully be settled at the quarterback position. 

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Dantonio discusses Michigan State’s recruiting

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

As decommitments, down-to-the-wire decisions and late pledges dominated national signing day, Michigan State quietly inked a recruiting class that head coach Mark Dantonio thinks can elevate the program to the next level.

The Spartans picked up a 23-man group rated by several recruiting services in the Top 25 nationally, and they did it without the drama many programs went through on Wednesday. The depth and location of Michigan State's class stood out, as Dantonio and his assistants addressed pressing and future needs at running back, wide receiver, linebacker and defensive back. They also did so almost exclusively with homegrown players, as 12 recruits hailed from Michigan and all but two from the Big Ten region.

I caught up with Dantonio on Thursday morning to discuss his latest class.

You graded this class an 'A.' Why?

Mark Dantonio: Well, [reporters] asked me. I labeled it an 'A,' maybe an 'A-minus,' basically because in four or five publications, we were ranked in the top 20. And the fact we filled so many needs. And when you really get down to it, we're the biggest evaluators of our players. We've worked with them personally, we've watched them play games in person, we've watched countless films on them. And when I look back, we made decisions to recruit a lot of these guys back in December of [2007] and spent over a year recruiting them. And 16, 17, 18 of these guys, we targeted in January and got 16 early commitments from them. And they stayed strong. I feel very good about them as people — we've got some excellent students — and also some outstanding football players.

You've been pretty realistic about your expectations for where you wanted the program to go: bowl game, New Year's Day bowl and then BCS game, Rose Bowl or whatever. Where does this class fit in to your short-term and long-term plan?

MD: It gives us a very solid foundation. The first class that we brought in here in '07, it was a class we had two or three months to work on. Six of those guys played and continue to be starters for us. This last year's class, six more played as true freshmen. This class will have every bit the numbers of young players playing, and this is the first class that really sets a foundation for us in terms of top to bottom, a full class. It's so balanced in the numbers: three linebackers, three DBs, four defensive linemen, a kicker, a quarterback, two tight ends, two running backs and four offensive linemen. So we sort of hit every position group, and we have excellent players at all of those areas.

When you get so many guys at so many positions, did you go into it with a set of needs, or were you trying to build depth across the board?

MD: No, there were key needs. We're relatively a young football team, graduated quite a few players the last two years. We took big linebackers last year that are growing into defensive ends, so we brought outstanding speed linebackers in this year. We had a need in the secondary for certain players, especially at safety with what we had lost in the last couple years. And next year, we have seven seniors in our secondary, so it's always important to bring in quality players at that position for the future. And then you look at the wide receiver position, we've got a good core back, but we needed to expand on our speed in that area.

We only had two quarterbacks on scholarship last year [Brian Hoyer and Kirk Cousins] that could play. Now again, two quarterbacks [Cousins and Keith Nichol], so it was important that we bring a solid quarterback in [Andrew Maxwell]. Our kicker [Brett Swenson] is a senior, so a guy that can kick off consistently into the end zone or to the goal line and a guy that can take over after Swenson leaves, all those things are important. Offensive line, we're losing players as well. So all these individuals have been recruited for a purpose.

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Recruiting snapshot: Michigan State

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Arguably no team in the Big Ten made a bigger one-year improvement in recruiting than Michigan State, which comes next in our recruiting review.

Number of recruits: 23

Key needs: Running back, wide receiver, defensive line, linebacker

Highest-rated player (Scouts Inc.): David Barrent (No. 8 nationally among offensive tackles)

The quote: "When you do your work, I guess you get the grade you're supposed to get. You get an 'A,' and I would grade this class an 'A.' I say that because of the quality of player, the quality of academic student that we have here, which will reflect in graduation rates down the line, and the quality of athlete that we have here. We have nine or 10 four-star players." — Head coach Mark Dantonio

Quick take: After improving its victories total the last two seasons, Michigan State got a crucial bump in recruiting this year. The Spartans boast only two ESPNU 150 prospects — Barrent and running back Edwin Baker — but they added quality depth across the board, particularly at offensive line, linebacker and defensive back. Baker and Larry Caper will compete right away to fill Javon Ringer's spot, and tight end Dion Sims should see the field very soon. A class rooted in prospects from the state of Michigan and the Midwest included quarterback Andrew Maxwell and linebacker Chris Norman.

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Top five signing day story lines in Big Ten

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

National signing day is in the books, and dozens of high school prospects have pledged to Big Ten teams. The Big Ten signed only one Top 25 prospect in Ohio State running back Jaamal Berry, but the league had reason to feel good about many of its recruits.

As we begin to digest the day, here are five key developments from the league.

1. Michigan's profits outweigh losses in return to top — The Wolverines had an eventful signing day, which included a few defections but more key additions, and the end result was a top 15 class that keeps Michigan among the nation's recruiting elite. As expected, Michigan added a second quarterback (Denard Robinson) on signing day and also landed top wide receiver Je'Rel Stokes. Though the team lost two defensive tackle commits, Michigan did well in Florida and seemed to build momentum toward signing day. After the worst season in team history, Michigan responded very well on signing day.

2. Illinois breaks even with East St. Louis wideouts — Rumors had increased leading up to signing day that high school teammates and Illinois commits Terry Hawthorne and Kraig Appleton would sign elsewhere. Turns out, Illinois went 1-1 with the East St. Louis, Ill., products, as it retained Hawthorne but saw Appleton sign with Wisconsin, giving the Badgers a much needed boost at the wide receiver spot. Keeping Hawthorne on board and convincing Justin Green to drop Ohio State for the chance to play running back in Champaign offset several decommitments late in the recruiting process. 

3. Minnesota lands cornerback Carter — The Gophers' 2009 class doesn't rival last year's haul in terms of size and overall talent, but Minnesota reminded the Big Ten that it remains a major player in recruiting by landing cornerback Michael Carter. The Florida native had committed to West Virginia but switched Wednesday to Minnesota, giving the Gophers an impact player in a secondary that made major strides last year with takeaways but still had a long way to go. 

4. Ohio State reaffirms recruiting dominance — The Buckeyes have dominated Big Ten play on the field this decade and continue to do so on the recruiting trail. Despite losing Green to Illinois and not landing wideout Marlon Brown, Ohio State welcomed a top-5 class that easily ranks as the best in the Big Ten. Berry and linebacker Dorian Bell headline a group that includes seven players ranked in the ESPNU 150. 

5. Spartans quietly ink stellar class — There was no drama Wednesday in East Lansing, just the affirmation of an excellent recruiting class that should continue to raise Michigan State's profile under head coach Mark Dantonio. The Spartans brought in a Top 25 class and had no late detractors from a group that addresses needs at offensive line, linebacker and wide receiver/tight end. Dantonio is very high on running backs Edwin Baker and Larry Caper, both of whom will compete for the starting job vacated by All-American Javon Ringer. 

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