Thoughts on Pryor, 1st pick of the Spring Game Draft. Pryor Vs. Gibson

“You know what, the minute you don’t go full speed, I think your chances for injuries go higher,” Tressel said. “We need to be ready, and where there is risk there is reward, too. Maybe we’ll step a little closer to being better if we go a little harder.”

Risk verses reward those are probably the two perfect words you think of when having Terrelle Pryor as your quarterback. Going in to this year’s draft for the April 25^th Spring Game everyone had to be thinking who is the best player? Everyone says defense wins championships and Thaddeus Gibson was the first defensive player picked to counter the Terelle Pryor pick. When Tressel said that the quarterbacks were going to be live for even just part of the annual Ohio State Scarlet vs. Gray backyard brawl, you would be foolish not to pick who would become the most exciting player in that circumstance.

Everyone will be saying on the outside, “I like to see if he has improved in throwing the football.” While on the inside you are thinking of the line from the movie Forrest Gump, “Run Terrelle, Run!!” Run he will. Thaddeus is extremely athletic and hopes to be one of the best sacking prototypical combo linebackers in division 1a this year, and is begging to sack Terrelle Pryor. The chase will be fun to watch and I think all the fans will appreciate it when both are left still standing after their cat and mouse game in the Shoe.

There are other names too, the new Mr. Spring Brandon Saine which everyone is hoping can shed the title and be Mr. Autumn as well, the electrifying Devier Posey I am sure will make a play receiving and punt returning, Ray Small is looking to be the comeback player of the year and will also look for an opportunity on a punt return, and will we find the missing Cornerback opposite Chimdi Chekwa? We hope so.

No this is not your usual backyard football game of tag football with your friends. This is The Ohio State Buckeyes annual spring game and they have a lot to show their fans. I’ll be watching the game with the rest of the Buckeye nation in hopes that I can see answers before we meet the USC Trojans on September twelfth. You don’t have to pick sides, you don’t have to root against anybody. For one game you can just be a fan and be grateful your heart won’t be torn out  or your breath taken away screaming when the winning field goal is kicked, so after another game against the Fighting Irish sit back and have a party and wonder. “Do you think Tressel would ever leave behind the sweater-vest for the Ohio State Scarlet and Gray Hawaiian shirt he wore on Wednesday?”

Boren brings the nasty back to Buckeyes line

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State's Thaddeus Gibson has some friendly advice for his fellow Big Ten defensive linemen this fall.
Don't stand near the pile after a play, especially if Buckeyes left guard Justin Boren is in the general vicinity.
"He's gonna knock your ass down," Gibson said.
Not that Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor…
Continue reading at ESPN.com – Big Ten – Blog

FB Audio/Video: D-Linemen Talk Spring Practice

Watch interviews with defensive coordinator Jim Heacock and players Todd Denlinger, Lawrence Wilson, Doug Worthington and Thaddeus Gibson
Continue reading at Ohio State Women’s Basketball Headline News

Durham is from far from nowhere

Maybe recent Ohio State commitment David Durham did sort of pop up on the radar unexpectedly. But did he come out of nowhere? Hardly. Durham, who sees himself as perhaps the next Bobby Carpenter or Thaddeus Gibson in terms of…
Story By Blogging the Buckeyes

Spencer’s OSU-Michigan report card

OFFENSIVE LINE

When you’ve got three running plays of more than 40 yards, you’re doing something right. Alex Boone and Jim Cordle, in particular, opened some nice holes over the left side. Michigan’s defensive line showed flashes of living up to preseason expectations, but over-pursuit hurt them all year on big plays. For the most part, the Buckeyes did a good job of keeping end Brandom Graham in check. He had two tackles for loss after having entered the game ranked among the national leaders in both departments. 

GRADE: B

 

RUNNING GAME

The one-two punch of Beanie and Boom delivered the knockout punch in the third quarter, with Chris Wells and Dan Herron gaining 49 and 42 yards on back-to-back plays for the touchdown that put OSU in front 21-7. Wells opened the scoring on a 59-yard romp, his third scoring run of more than 50 yards in his three games against Michigan. Good thing Wells was his usual self in this rivalry because Terrelle Pryor labored for much of the game. But, hey, he’s the first freshman quarterback to direct a victory in the history of this series.

GRADE: A minus

 

PASSING GAME

Maybe his hands were numb from the cold, but it took some time for Terrelle Pryor (5-of-13, 120 yards) to warm to Saturday’s task, especially when throwing the ball. His best pass of the day, a 54-yard touchdown bomb to Brian Hartline, came at the expense of Stevie Brown and atoned for the pick Pryor threw to Brown on the fourth play of the game. It would have been a pick-six if not for Pryor knocking Brown out of bounds at the 13. Michigan ended up missing a field goal. It was nice to see Brian Robiskie catch a touchdown and Todd Boeckman throw one in their final home game.

GRADE: B

 

DEFENSIVE LINE

The Wolverines had some success attacking the left side of OSU’s front, which is surprising because it was manned for the most part by Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, the Buckeyes’ two best linemen. But Michigan couldn’t sustain anything. The OSU defense forced eight three-and-outs. Heyward and Dexter Larimore had sacks and Nader Abdallah, who has been playing the best ball of his career in recent weeks, had two tackles for loss.

GRADE: A

 

LINEBACKERS

James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman couldn’t have scripted a better final home game for themselves. Laurinaitis again was atop the tackle chart with 12 stops, including a sack. Freeman made seven tackles, two for losses, broke up a pass and recovered a fumble. The Buckeyes spent most of the game in the nickel, meaning Ross Homan spent most of the game on the sidelines. That’s unfortunate because he’s probably no worst than the fourth-best player on defense.

GRADE: A

 

DEFENSIVE BACKS

For the first time in four years, the Buckeyes won the turnover battle, but that was because of two fumbled kicks by Michigan. The secondary didn’t come close to a pick, but Nick Sheridan’s passes weren’t good enough for even the opposition to snag. Sheridan finished 8-of-24 for 87 yards. Safety Kurt Coleman seconded James Laurinaitis in tackles with 10.

GRADE: A

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

Back from a two-game suspension, Ray Small’s 80-yard punt return set up the touchdowns that made it 28-7. If it were up to his delusional daddy, Ken Small, he would have had Ray run right through the end zone on that return and into the NFL. In the battle of two of the nation’s best punters, Michigan’s Zoltan Mesko had a decided edge over A.J. Trapasso. The latter launched more wounded ducks Saturday than he had all season. Mesko deserves some sort of purple heart after being called on 12 times.

GRADE: B

 

COACHING

Jim Tressel holds such mastery over the Wolverines that self-inflicted wounds can’t even hurt him. His failed fourth-and-2 pass play set Michigan’s only scoring drive in motion. If you don’t question the decision to go for it, you at least question why Beanie Wells wasn’t on the field and why Terrelle Pryor threw such a low-percentage deep ball to Brian Robiskie. Other games might have turned on that sequence of events, but after closing within 14-7, the Wolverines woke up and realized Tressel still owns them.

GRADE: A

— Compiled by Jon Spencer

Go to Source

Ohio State finds identity in final act

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Handshakes had been exchanged, the post-game prayer had been recited at midfield and Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel was ready to get out of the cold.

His players had other ideas.

As Tressel began to move toward the locker room, the Buckeyes took off running toward a large contingent of their fans in the southeast corner of Memorial Stadium.

“They’ve got a flair for the dramatic,” a smiling Tressel said, before joining the players.

Tressel doesn’t mind this kind of drama: singing Carmen Ohio, slapping hands with supporters, acknowledging signs in the stands. OK, he might not have liked Terrelle Pryor taunting Illinois fans after Saturday’s 30-20 win, but, as Pryor explained, it’s all in fun.

If this is as dramatic as it gets for the Buckeyes, they’ll be thrilled. They’ve been through plenty of plot twists this season, and they’re hoping the script stays the same the rest of the way.

“Thank God, it feels a little more calm now,” wide receiver Brian Hartline said. “Unfortunately, it’s the end of the season. It will be talked about, did we waste time dealing with that kind of stuff? Maybe, but the facts are the facts and this is where we’re sitting.”

Some surely watched Chris “Beanie” Wells and Pryor lead Ohio State to victory Saturday and wondered what might have been. Wells’ foot injury and Pryor’s earlier-than-expect ascent to the starting quarterback spot dominated the spotlight during the first half of the season.

Each week brought questions about health and leadership, about expectations and direction. Despite so many familiar faces, Ohio State seemed unsure of itself, never more so than in a 35-3 loss at USC.

Those questions are beginning to fade.

Read more

Buckeyes clear their last pre-Michigan obstacle, 30-20

It took the Buckeyes awhile to finally put the game away, but a 4th quarter touchdown drive to pad the 2nd half lead to 17 was eventually the game sealer in Ohio State’s 30-20 victory today in Champaign.  With it, the Buckeyes exact some much needed revenge on the Zookers for last season’s upset in Columbus and add to the woes this season for the Illini.  The Illini, last year’s Rose Bowl representative from the Big Ten, is now 5-6 and a road loss to Northwestern away from becoming the first Big Ten team to play in the Rose Bowl one year and finish under .500 the next (Michigan 1965).

Turnovers were the story of the day for the Illini.  Juice’s first play from the Illini’s first drive from scrimmage resulted in a fumble and Terrelle Pryor rushing touchdown.  Later, Malcolm Jenkins blocked his second punt of the season, which was good for a safety and 9-7 lead.  The ensuing short kickoff set up the Buckeyes at the Illini’s 3 yard line and the Buckeyes made good for yet another score — this one on the ground by Beanie.  Later, a certain scoring drive for the Illini was ended by a Kurt Coleman interception.  The ensuing Ohio State drive ended with a Dane Sanzenbacher touchdown.  After taking a 23-7 lead (later a 23-13 halftime lead), the Illini were unable to play catchup.

But controlling for those mistakes, our defense was absolutely torched by big plays in this game.  Juice Williams had 193 yards throwing and two TDs (1 INT), though more than one of those TDs and 50 of those yards came on Ohio State’s obligatory garbage time touchdown drive on defense.  The Illini’s production on the ground was even more embarrassing.  The Illini used a balanced rushing attack from Juice and the two tailbacks (Dufrene and Ford) to rack up 214 yards rushing.  In total, the Illini outgained the Buckeyes 455 to 354.  Still, the Buckeyes won were it counted most, I guess.

Offense

Terrelle Pryor had an outstanding game, though most of his production came on the ground.  His 13 carries for 110 yards was good for second best on the team, behind you know who.  Further, like the Northwestern game the week before, his big plays were absolute backbreakers for Illinois’ defense.  His touchdown run came on 3rd and goal at the one.  His 20yd touchdown throw to Dane Sanzenbacher on the Buckeyes’ 4th offensive series came on 3rd and 5.  Lastly, on the Buckeyes’ first series of the second half, Terrelle Pryor gained 18 yards and a first down on 3rd and 13.

Of course, there’s not a lot to read into the Buckeye passing game because the Buckeyes ran 52 times, allowing Pryor only 10 passing plays.  The casual Buckeye fan would see that disparity and assume only the most banal, stubborn playcalling — an observation without a lot of validity.  What made the rushing game work was some creative misdirection and playcalling by the coaching staff.  The second down call near the goal line on the Buckeyes’ first scoring drive was a shotgun QB off-tackle run with Beanie as lead blocker.  The eventual touchdown was a misdirection fake dive to Boom Herron (I believe) that set up Pryor’s bootleg and walk into the end zone.  Further, the QB draws were an uncommon wrinkle in the Buckeyes’ rushing attack and we saw them a lot this game.  The end result: a lot of rushing plays that worked precisely because the Illini hadn’t seen them before.  It doesn’t hurt to have a guy who runs like a gazelle for a tailback and a guy who runs like an armoured personnel carrier for a tailback.

Also helping the Buckeye rushing attack: the offensive line.  The offensive line didn’t dominate this game, but it did much more than it did against Northwestern the week earlier.  Instead of piling up yards in spite of the offensive line, Beanie was the beneficiary of some blocking up front with Alex Boone looking to be most productive member of that unit.  The running lanes were definitely there, but I still saw some things that worried me.  For the first game this season (perhaps with Penn State as an exception), it seems Michael Brewster was pushed around a lot this game by the Illini’s tackles.  Brewster had been a reliable and consistent performer on the line this season after having been thrown into the mix following the USC game.  He is a freshman and I’m sure that it’ll be learning experience in the long run.  But for this game, it seems like players like fellow freshman Corey Liuget got the better of him.  Steve Rehring has also been slow to pull on plays.

Beanie was exceptional this game, though his fumble to end the Buckeyes’ first drive of the game cost Ohio State at least 3 points and came at a time when most of us were sick to our stomach over the performance of the defense.  Earlier that drive, though, his hurdling of Donsay Hardeman was nothing short of divine.  As it was, he played a leading role in adding to Ohio State’s outstanding 305 yards rushing on the game with 24 carries, 143 yards and a touchdown.  Boom Herron, while not quite Beanie, came in when it looked like Beanie may have tweaked his hammie (oh please no).  He doesn’t have that “Jim Brown incarnate” quality to him, but Boom added 29 yards rushing and showed why Ohio State’s rushing attack should be in good hands should Beanie choose to go pro after this season.

Pryor completed 6 of what was only 10 passing attempts on the game, good for 49 yards.  Ergo, there’s not a lot of superlative to hand out to the receivers.  Hartline was the busiest when his end-arounds are also considered.  He did have a drop, though.  Dane Sanzenbacher led all receivers with 2 catches for 22 yards and a touchdown.  20 of those 22 came on the touchdown reception.  He also took more shots this game, and I’m sure he can’t wait until the Michigan game is over in order to use the month-long layoff to unscramble his brains.

Defense

There had to have been over 20 missed tackles by the Buckeyes this game, and a lot of that was responsible for extended Illinois drives and even touchdowns.  It was far and away the most frustrating element to the defensive performance this game because there was still pressure exerted on Juice Williams (or the backup McGee) by the defensive line.  Yet, the defensive line itself appears to be a mixed bag.  I think they did a great job in getting penetration to take away the interior on rushing plays.  Where rushing yards were piled up on the read option  from the snap — and there were lots of them — the responsibility mostly appeared to be missed tackles or over pursuit by the linebackers and defensive backs.  Further, some of the bigger plays by Dufrene, the Illini’s leading rusher on the game, came in the first drive where the Buckeyes looked totally confused (sigh…) by the no-huddle hurry-up stuff by the Illini.  In terms of Xs and Os, the interior of that line did its job in defending the read option and forcing Juice to keep it.  Heyward led all players in that unit with 7 tackles (2 solo).  Nader Abdallah didn’t have a huge game, but I thought he played well (2 asst tackles and a fumble recovery).

That said, pass rushing still leaves a lot to be desired and that’s where I think the defensive line struggled the most this game.  Juice Williams was sacked only twice, with one of those being a split sack by Worthington and Laurinaitis.  In passing situations, the defensive line was unable to get to Juice with a 4 man rush.  Where they were able to get to him or force him out of the pocket, they were unable to tackle him.  I hate to say it, but in these situations, the defensive line looked… yes… slow.

I don’t know what to make of the linebackers’ performance, collectively at least.  Laurinaitis was second on the team with 8 tackles (5 solo, including the shared sack with Worthington).  He also stripped one of the Illini tailbacks (Jason Ford, I think), though that ball was recovered by another Illinois player on their first drive of the second half.  In short, Laurinaitis had yet another of his workman-type effort games.  The guy gets dogged on by other Big Ten fans, and sometimes by our own fanbase for falling short of AJ Hawk-level expectations, but Laurinaitis is always working, always thinking and always doing.  I’m not sure what to make of the performance of Freeman and Homan.  Freeman was third on the team with 8 tackles (4 solo), but it seems that missed tackles haunted him.  I wonder how much he’s really hindered by his bum ankle.  He did force the Juice fumble in the first quarter, though.  Homan (2 tackles, 1 solo) only had his name called once, but it was off a delicious Juice sack for an 8 yard loss.  It wasn’t necessarily Homan’s spectacular play there, but just a great playcall by Heacock.  Heacock sent both Laurinaitis and Homan on a blitz, with only Illinois’ center there to pick his poison.  He went with the award winning linebacker, giving Homan a clear shot on Juice.

The secondary certainly got a workout with all the missed tackles.  Kurt Coleman, strong safety, led all defenders with 11 tackles (6 solo) and came up with the fortuitous interception to end what was otherwise a very promising drive for the Illini.  Tyler Moeller certainly caught the eye filling in for the injured Jermale Hines at nickelback.  His 7 tackles (5 solo) were good for 4th best on the day for the defense.  Further, he came on more than a few blitzes, finishing with two TFLs.  Moreover, while Freeman actually jarred the ball loose, Moeller gets the stat for the forced fumble in the first quarter (see above picture).  Elsewhere, Malcolm Jenkins showed that, in spite of just 2 tackles on the day, his 3 pass breakups and blocked punt will underscore why he probably won’t regret coming back for his senior year.

Miscellaneous Thoughts

• I hate Michigan.  I hate Michigan with every aching muscle in this tired body of mine.  That is the real enemy; this is the primary objective.  With Illinois out of the way, I now have 6.5 days left in this all too short week to explore the depths of my soul and fully grasp, as a guy who now owns a blog, the menacing specter that the very existence of this haunting, holistic apparition that we label “Michigan” poses to my very essence… to my very being.
• It’s odd that we haven’t called on Nathan Williams or Thaddeus Gibson much the past two games.  Instead, Abdallah, Heyward and even Worthington have been getting the recognition in that unit.
• For the second straight week, the Pasch-Ware coverage of an Ohio State game has been somewhat frustrating.  Most importantly, I don’t care to watch some low income nobody among the Illini fanbase cooking some kind of “food” contraption while a costly holding penalty gets called on an Ohio State lineman and I don’t get to hear who it was.
• On the topic of Ware, his “Ware It Out” segment on the BCS was also cause for consternation… at least when you consider how he comes off in his comments to be overly critical of Ohio State getting any kind of perceived preferential treatment over Utah or Boise State in at-large selections.  True, it would not be fair for Ohio State to get any kind preferential treatment by virtue of marquee value or travel considerations because that would corroborate my observation that the BCS is a glorified country club.  But in the same breath, while Andre Ware doesn’t want Ohio State getting that preferential treatment, he also wants the Big 12 and the SEC to get 3 teams in each?  He did say that.  There’s two ways to interpret that, and Andre Ware is free to own up to any one of them: A) Andre Ware is against Ohio State getting an at-large bid [fair enough] and is couching this viewpoint in an inconsistent logic or B) Andre Ware is an idiot.
• We’ll all have to watch to see what comes from the Beanie and Abdallah injuries.  We’ll watch with baited breath if Beanie pulled a hammie while I think Abdallah went down with a cramp.  His injury didn’t look too serious.
• The Illini certainly were chippy this game.  More importantly, they still lost.  Suck it, Vontae Davis.
• On Beanie, part of me really wishes he would go pro after this season.  It’s not for fear that his injury problems might hurt us next year and throw off our offense, just that with how fragile the big backs are in the NFL, I’d hate to think him feeling he had to come back would result in another injury that could compromise his draft stock or, worse yet, his career.  If he decides to go pro after this season and secure his money, I don’t think any Buckeye fan would blame him.  I certainly wouldn’t.  Instead, I’d fondly remember one of the best tailbacks of my generation and one of the all-time greats in Ohio State history.
• I’m hoping the Illini were taking notes on how the game ended.  More importantly, an important conference road win doesn’t have to be celebrated with by a flag-planting ceremony at midfield.  Did you see that, Ron Zook?  I’m hoping you did.
• With Penn State winning today against Indiana, the Buckeyes can hope for no greater than a shared conference crown.  Either Penn State or Michigan State will finish the season with only one conference loss.
• Illinois finishes up next week at Evanston… a game that Mike Kafka may not make on account of a concussion suffered against Michigan today.  A loss would make them bowl ineligible.
• More news and notes to be found here.  Such as: Dane Sanzenbacher’s TD catch was the first of the season and only the second of his career.  The first of his career came against Youngstown State last year, his first career game.

Go to Source

Pryor-Wells backfield a runaway success

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

	AP Photo/Seth Perlman
	Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor (2) outruns Illinois’ Tavon Wilson during the first half of the Buckeyes’ win over Illinois Saturday.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A smile splashed across Chris “Beanie” Wells’ face as soon he stepped outside Saturday morning.

The air was cold, the wind was blowing and plenty of carries were coming his way.

“I love it,” the Ohio State junior running back said of the weather. “I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it.”

Ohio State loved what it saw from Wells and backfield mate Terrelle Pryor in a 30-20 win against Illinois. On a day that demanded a viable ground attack, Wells and Pryor gashed Illinois for a combined 253 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries.

It marked the first time Ohio State had two players eclipse 100 rushing yards in the same game since Sept. 24, 2005, when quarterback Troy Smith and running back Antonio Pittman combined for 298 yards against Iowa.

“That’s a real good thing,” head coach Jim Tressel said.

Wells followed last week’s 140-yard effort against Northwestern with 143 yards Saturday, bringing his two-game November total to 246.

“He’s a little off pace for our little bargain,” Tressel said.

During Ohio State’s bye week, Tressel asked Wells what the number 467 meant to him. Wells wasn’t sure, so Tressel filled him in.

Wells racked up 467 rushing yards in his final three regular-season games last year, including a career-high 222 yards against Michigan. He’ll need a similar effort next week to eclipse the total, but in November, with the temperatures dropping, he usually steps up.

“Definitely,” Wells said when asked if he could reach the mark. “With the way the offensive line is playing and everybody else is playing, the sky’s the limit.”

Read more

Final Big Ten injury report: Week 12

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Courtesy of collegeinjuryreport.com and some of my own research. Michigan State has a bye this week.

ILLINOIS (vs. Ohio State)

• RB Mikel LeShoure, jaw, doubtful
• FB Rahkeem Smith, suspension, probable (suspension lifted)
• S Garrett Edwards, shoulder, questionable
• OT Xavier Fulton, shoulder, probable
• OT Ryan Palmer, foot, probable
• CB Miami Thomas, knee, out (season)
• DT Sirod Williams, knee, out (season)

INDIANA (at Penn State)

• RB Zach Davis-Walker, thumb, questionable
• S Jerimy Finch, ankle, questionable
• RB Bryan Payton, ankle, out
• QB Kellen Lewis, ankle, probable
• QB Ben Chappell, probable, head
• LB Will Patterson, knee, out
• CB Richard Council, knee, doubtful
• S Joe Kleinsmith, undisclosed, questionable
• OL Pete Saxon, undisclosed, questionable
• OL Mike Reiter, abdominal, questionable
• OL James Brewer, ankle, questionable
• OT Rodger Saffold, knee, probable
• OL Andrew McDonald, undisclosed, questionable
• S Nick Polk, knee, out (season)
• TE Brian Zematis, ankle, out (season)
• S Austin Thomas, knee, out (season)
• OL Dennis Zeigler, knee, out (season)
• CB Chris Phillips, knee, out (season)

IOWA (vs. Purdue)

• OG Andy Kuempel, muscle pull, doubtful
• OL Wes Aeschliman, hip, out (season)
• S Harold Dalton, suspension, out
• TE Tony Moeaki, leg, doubtful
• OL James Ferentz, out, suspension

MICHIGAN (vs. Northwestern)

• RB Brandon Minor, shoulder/wrist/ribs, doubtful
• RB Carlos Brown, foot, questionable
• OL David Molk, toe, probable
• WR Junior Hemingway, mononucleosis, out
• QB Steven Threet, concussion, probable
• LB Kevin Leach, ankle, questionable
• T Mark Huyge, ankle, questionable
• WR Terence Robinson, knee, questionable
• S Brandon Smith, appendix, out (season)
• G Cory Zirbel, knee, out (season)

MINNESOTA (at Wisconsin)

• WR Eric Decker, ankle, out
• RB Duane Bennett, knee, out (season)

NORTHWESTERN (at Michigan)

• LB Malcolm Arrington, knee, out (season)
• QB C.J. Bacher, hamstring, probable
• DE Vince Browne, knee, out
• RB Omar Conteh, knee, out (season)
• TE/FB Drake Dunsmore, knee, out (season)
• DE Rejaie Johnson, shoulder, out (season)
• RB Tyrell Sutton, wrist, out
• CB Justan Vaughn, shoulder, out (season)

OHIO STATE (at Illinois)

• WR Ray Small, out, suspension
• OL Ben Person, leg, out
• DE Thaddeus Gibson, ankle, probable
• DE Curtis Terry, undisclosed, out(season)
• OL Mike Adams, ankle, out (season)
• OL J.B. Shugarts, shoulder, doubtful
• DE Lawrence Wilson, knee, out (season)
• CB Andre Amos, knee, out (season)

PENN STATE (vs. Indiana)

• CB Drew Astorino, thumb, probable
• DE Josh Gaines, ankle, probable
• OL Ako Poti, knee, out (season)
• DT Devon Still, ankle, out (season)
• RB Brent Carter, knee, out (season)
• OL Doug Klopacz, knee, out (season)
• DE Jerome Hayes, knee, out (season)

PURDUE (at Iowa)

• QB Curtis Painter, shoulder, probable
• TE Kyle Adams, knee, doubtful
• LB Jason Werner, back, doubtful
• OL Justin Pierce, groin, questionable
• OT Sean Sester, knee, questionable
• G Eric Hedstrom, knee, questionable
• QB Joey Elliott, shoulder, out (season)
• T Garrett Miller, knee, out (season)
• RB Jaycen Taylor, knee, out (season)

WISCONSIN (vs. Minnesota)

• T Eric Vanden Heuvel, foot, doubtful
• LB Jaevery McFadden, concussion, probable
• TE Lance Kendricks, leg, out (season)
• WR Maurice Moore, leg, questionable
• TE Travis Beckum, leg, out (season)
• DE Brendan Kelly, thumb, out (season)
• CB Aaron Henry, knee, out (season)
• DE Kirk DeCremer, back, out (season)

Go to Source

Buckeyes juiced after reviewing loss to Illini

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

When Malcolm Jenkins and the other Ohio State cornerbacks assembled Sunday to conduct their regular film study, the first game to flash on the big screen brought back bad memories.

For the first time since walking off the field last November, Jenkins and his teammates watched a 28-21 loss to Illinois, a setback that appeared to eliminate then-No. 1 Ohio State from the national title mix. In the game, Illinois quarterback Juice Williams had his way with the nation’s top-rated defense, tossing four touchdown passes and adding 70 rush yards.

“The guys who played in the game, you never forget it,” Jenkins said. “We try not to focus on it because it’s in the past. We can’t change it. But you never forget how it felt to walk off the field that day, to know that our seniors lost in their last game at Ohio Stadium.”

Jenkins was on the field for the final 8:09, as Williams and the Illini offense ran out the clock, converting three third downs and a fourth-and-1 in their own territory. Illinois held the ball for all but 74 seconds of the fourth quarter.

“We kind of got out-physicaled,” Jenkins said. “There were a couple of short-yardage situations where we couldn’t get off the field. They might have been a little more hungry than we were last year, and they just outplayed us.”

No. 11 Ohio State can redeem itself Saturday when it travels to face slumping Illinois in Champaign (ESPN, noon ET). The Buckeyes try to extend their school-record 14-game Big Ten road win streak and move a step closer to another BCS berth and a possible conference title.

Read more

Next Page »