Time for the wrap up of college football news, updates from Coach Fickell’s Tuesday press conference and other notes from college football
Buckeye 411
- Captain, My Captain- Since it’s been a year of mystery in this department, why not make things even more interesting by not naming captains thus far in the week. As far as we’re concerned, we’re going with Brewster and Boom, Simon and Sweat.
- Fickell Speaks– Coach opened up by discussing the atmosphere at the ‘Shoe, and gave credit where credit was due,
I wasn’t sure if it was my heart that was pounding or the screams from the crowd, but it was an unbelievable atmosphere, unbelievable experience, just to be a part of something obviously a game like that. But that’s what Ohio State football’s all about.
And I just want to say thank you to all the fans, the students, everybody that made that such a special night.
- Injury Update- No news is good news, as was the news today that Philly Brown is doing much better and continues to rehab his ankle.
- Youth Movement- Coach Fickell discussed playing so many freshman, and said that it didn’t make sense to try to “save” student athletes for the future, and pointed to this week’s pregame speaker as someone who had redshirted and left after their junior year.
- Learning Opportunity- There was discussion of the possibility of looking past Indiana, and of wanting to rest on the successes of the win against Wisconsin. Coach Fickell was very honest that there were still a lot of mistakes, particularly in the last minutes of the game on the defensive side of the ball.
- For Instance- Philly Brown mentioned after practice that there was confusion about the play call during Braxton’s TD toss, and that they were running “playground routes”.
- Spring In Their Step- We discovered the message and tenor of Buckeye alum Shawn Springs’ message to the team prior to the game- “You’re Ohio State, it’s time to start acting like it… bring back the swagger.”
- Hyde-ing The Talent- Both Coach Fickell and Dan Herron talked about the playing time and attitude of Buckeye Running Back Carlos Hyde. Coach Fickell expressed how Carlos’ attitude has been great, and that they’ve talked about being patient and playing the role. Boom said that he reminded Carlos that being a Buckeye back meant waiting your turn in a long line- Beanie waited for Pittman, he waited for Saine and Wells, and when your time comes, you make the most of it.
- Fickell Funnies- Nothing uproarious this week, but he did deflect questions about his job status (the “Fickellometer”) and his rooting interest in this week’s big LSU/Alabama game.
- Thankfully There’s Boom– Both Dan Herron and Coach Fickell spoke about the difference that Herron’s presence brought to the team. The huddle was more confident, particularly during the final minutes due to the calm that Boom’s leadership provided.
- On Indiana-According to the players, there was text message from the coaching staff after the game about getting ready to play the Hoosiers. Coach Fickell talked about the youth on both sides, and how that gives teams the ability to play more relaxed,
…They scored 40 some points, 45 points last week. They’re a young group that really has just got nothing but up to go. And I think as you look at them, you know, they are going to be wide open. They’re going to be playing a lot of young guys. They’re going to be aggressive.
They are a — you can put them on film. It doesn’t matter whether it was 50 to 14, or 50 to 21 at one point in the last week’s game, they didn’t change. You didn’t see guys hanging their heads. You just saw guys continue to fight and battle.
And that’s who they are. When you’re playing with young guys and you’re starting a program and you’re trying to change some different things there, that’s what you’re looking for. And that’s probably why you flip it on, you see a lot of freshmen playing for them. You put on their special units. I think each one of them have eight freshmen starting on each special unit and it’s because they’re starting to build something, and those guys aren’t going to be freshmen starting November 1 and they’re not going to make those same freshmen mistakes.
It’s a team with nowhere to go but up and you can see it on film.
- Big? Sure. Ugly? No way- There were several comments about the play of the defensive line, and the response was that it’s important to have the best 11 on the field. It just so happens that the best defensive linemen are also the biggest.
Other Buckeye News
- In Case You Missed It- This. Is. Awesome
- Saturday Is Special- Military Appreciation Day in the ‘Shoe, as well as honoring Buckeye and MLB star Nick Swisher. Woot.
- Ohio’s BCS Team- Because of all of the Big lEast transition, the University of Cincinnati game for next year has been pushed back and replaced with a contest against the University of Central Florida. UCF was available because Pitt was in the same “expandorama” situation. We’ll have more on expansion in a bit, but there’s never a bad time to link to news involving UChick-Fil-A.
- Somewhat Important- Indiana’s top receiver was initially suspended then dismissed from the program. Somewhere, Bradley Roby rubs his hands together in glee.
This Week In Expansion
- Told You So- For a while now, we’ve been talking about the fact that the Four Letter Network has been working behind the scenes to shape the landscape of college football (remember, “entertainment” not “journalism”). USA Today had a great pie chart this morning, but also an amazing article that seemed to add credibility to my crackpot theories. It’s worth a read, even if only for the “conspiracy theory” angles-
One theory on ESPN’s involvement in the Pitt-Syracuse move to the ACC — a serious blow from which the Big East still is trying to recover — goes like this:
The network has been a Big East partner since 1979 and, in May, tendered a new nine-year, $1.4 billion offer that the league rejected, preferring to see how much more it could score in an open market that also includes NBC and Fox Sports. ESPN countered by selling the ACC on the two Big East schools as expansion targets, extolling their value to television.
The ESPN-affiliated ACC is strengthened, and a weakened Big East is left to competing networks or available at reduced cost to ESPN. Several highly placed college athletics officials laid out that scenario for USA TODAY, none willing to speak publicly because of its sensitivity.
- That Kind Of Week- With news of the West Virginia Mountaineers and/or the Louisville Cardinal leaving the Big lEast, you’ve got to wonder if the conference supporters are having a rough moment:
- But Wait! Hope is on the horizon, since everyone gets a Big lEast Offer!! Wheee!!!! While this is something that’s been worked on for a while, it still feels a bit like Oprah’s Favorite Things… we just hope it turns out better than it looks at this point in time.
- Don’t Forget About Us!! The Big 12-2-2+2 is looking to add on as well?
Elsewheres
- Today’s Metaphor For Everything Washington State- This will do.
- As If Oklahoma State Wasn’t Good Enough- they’ve got this guy playing intramurals:
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