Off The Ledge

Sparty's Win Doesn't Guarantee A Broom

Jeff Rapp — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 06:18:00 GMT

Ugly. Painful. Damaging. Eye-opening. A harbinger of an awaiting NCAA disaster.

Ohio State’s 58-48 loss to Michigan State on Sat., Feb. 11, appeared to be all of the above and more as the green-clad Spartans bullied their way around the Value City Arena floor and reduced the nation’s third-ranked team to a quivering mess of offensive ineptitude.

The Buckeyes (21-4, 9-3) not only lost grip of a 39-game home win streak they also blew a chance to take a two-game lead in the Big Ten standings with just six league battles remaining in the regular season. And the 10-point defeat wasn’t even indicative enough of just how feeble OSU was.

Ohio State was a dreadful 7 of 21 from the field in the first half and a somehow-much-worse 7 of 32 after intermission to set, by far, a season-low shooting percentage of 26.4.

Worst of all, the outcome seemingly attaches a black cloud over Ohio State’s postseason chances – an eerie foreshadowing of what will happen to this squad if it faces a sturdy NCAA foe like Michigan State and isn’t able to produce any semblance out outside shooting to counterbalance the onus on All-American center Jared Sullinger inside.

All that is the bad news. Now it’s time to come down off the ledge just a bit and consider a very wacky but – in my mind – plausible thought: The Buckeyes can still win the rematch in East Lansing on March. They can do so even if the whole Big Ten enchilada is on the line.

There I said it. Or at least I typed it emphatically.

Let me start making a case – and I know you are skeptical out there – by going to the logic board: The Buckeyes are not going to be held to 14 field goals again this season. Period. They also are no going to have what amounts to a 1-for-4 outing for a whole game again, either. Won’t happen.

Yes, this team has gone into offensive funks and, yes, Michigan State had a very effective plan and the might to slow down OSU’s post game, but the Buckeyes’ previous worst shooting night was 24 for 62 at Kansas – and that was without Sullinger.

The beauty of major college, conference basketball is that usually a return game is in the offing, and sure enough MSU will have to prove its dominance a second time. I suspect that game will play out much differently.

Why, besides the simple laws of probability should anyone agree? Here’s why:

The Buckeyes did a lot to stop themselves. Michigan State rotated the lanky Adreian Payne and bulky Derrick Nix on Sullinger, as well as others, and the game plan worked well. But Sullinger simply missed several chippies he normally wouldn’t. Some of that seemed to be borne out of frustration and Sullinger looking around for a foul call that often didn’t come.

He was 5 of 15 from the field and tried so hard to bull his way inside that the Spartans were able to chop down and come up with several strips. In fact he committed a season-high number of turnovers to give him an unwanted triple-double: 17 points, 16 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

Also, Ohio State simply couldn’t buy a three-ball and finished just 2 of 15 from behind the arc – and that was with Sullinger hitting 1 of 2 from there. The other triple was an early bomb by Aaron Craft.

Deshaun Thomas has his hands full with Draymond Green – who doesn’t? – and his defensive woes carried over to his offense. Ironically, he hit a jumper seconds into the game and ended up 2 of 12 from the field. So did senior wing William Buford, Ohio State’s other consistent offensive option.

Thomas played quality minutes last season but never before had been given a gamelong assignment to guard Green, who is a headache with the way he runs the floor, passes, makes quick power moves inside and also can hit top-of-the-key jumpers, often when trailing on the break.

Thomas will be much more aware of all that he has to handle next time and should also have a better shooting night in the rematch with Sparty.

Buford, who was just coming off a career-high 29-point effort against Purdue, followed up with a terrible night. He made a picturesque turnaround fadeaway on the baseline and had just one other field goal – a left-handed bat at a high lob from Lenzelle Smith Jr. on one of just two fastbreak baskets OSU logged all night.

The other 10 shots, all misfires, can pretty much go into the “terrible decision” file. Instead of going back to the turnaround, he tried to turn in a few times – one was a throw off the back rim, another was shorted and another was a high-archer when he realized he was well-defended. He also fired a three that was blocked and had another fastbreak attempt sent away in a particularly bad sequence just before the under-12 timeout of the second half.

Buford has endured an up-and-down final season in scarlet and gray and sometimes is guilty of making up his mind too soon with the ball instead of playing with a flow, but he’s too good a player for this to continue through the end of the season. Plus, he now knows how Branden Dawson likes to play him and should be able to adjust next time.

He hit a big three in the waning minutes of the win at Wisconsin a week earlier and he’s got more big shots left in him.

MSU head coach Tom Izzo wanted to take credit for the struggles of Thomas and Buford but admitted that the pair simply missed several shots they normally would make.

The pressure mounted as the game wore on. You could see it. The crowd was almost begging for a run but the Buckeyes couldn’t oblige, playing tight and a little overwhelmed.

Evan Ravenel made a good move to get around a defender and then fell to the ground as if he surprised himself. Smith lined up a big three in front of his bench that could have triggered a comeback and never stroked the ball. Craft stopped showing the offensive aggression he displayed early in the game.

And head coach Thad Matta tightened right along with his team.

In the first half, when it was clear OSU was in for a struggle Matta called on just two reserves – Ravenel, who played five minutes in relief of Thomas, and Sam Thompson, who played four minutes in place of Smith.

No Shannon Scott to give Craft a breather. No Amir Williams to experiment with some length and live legs inside to offset Payne’s strong night (15 points, four rebounds, two blocks). No Jordan Sibert to see if he could hit an outside shot and provide a lift.

I didn’t expect to see J.D Weatherspoon, LaQuinton Ross or Trey McDonald with the stakes so high but someone other than Ravenel or Thompson could have been at least decent out there.

Thompson ended up playing 14 minutes and logging two points. Ravenel didn’t score in eight minutes. They had three rebounds combined.

At the Breslin Center in a few weeks the roles could be reversed and the Spartans could find themselves desperately trying to protect their home court in front of a nervous crowd.

Michigan State didn’t have to play an A game to win but in reality may not be any better than Ohio State. Izzo talked about leadership afterward and the Spartans get a checkmark in that category mostly because of Green. They play with toughness and seem to have good cohesion this year as opposed to the last couple seasons.

But this is not a great MSU team by Izzos’s standards or that of the program. He knows his team benefited from facing an OSU squad that was pressing.

It’s hard to believe the streak ended without an opposing player having to make several clutch shots, but other than Payne’s 6-for-6 outing, that was the case. Green was just 5 of 16, point guard Keith Appling was 4 of 10, Nix was 3 of 8 and three other players had a lone field goal.

Some of the most memorable Ohio State losses in The Schott – and there haven’t been that many – were the result of fantastic performances from star guards who were able to hit crowd-quieting shots. E’Twaun Moore. Kalin Lucas. Shannon Brown. Vincent Grier. Andre Emmett.

MSU’s guards this year are serviceable to slightly above average but certainly not of a star caliber. The Spartans could run OSU off the floor at the Breslin Center but odds are the Buckeyes will slow them down enough to make guys like Appling and Brandon Wood make shots over top of the their defense.

There is precedence for Ohio State still pulling this off. The Buckeyes actually were swept by Indiana in 1992 but won the Big Ten title outright when the Hoosiers were tripped up by Purdue at the end of the season.

Speaking of the Boilers, they once upset MSU at the then-newly minted Breslin Center to delay the Spartans unfurling their Big Ten championship banner that was waiting in the rafters.

It can be done. The Buckeyes can win at Michigan State with championship implications hanging in the balance. In fact, they did it in 2006, ’07 and last year. Is this OSU team on par with those squads? Maybe not. But they may be good enough to redeem themselves in East Lansing – even three weeks after a clunker.

Not Time To Panic Just Yet

Jeff Rapp — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:11:30 GMT

After Ohio State running back Rod Smith fumbled with 3:08 left in the Buckeyes’ battle with Toledo Saturday at Ohio Stadium, I put the tweet out there, basically saying the Rockets were 72 yards away from history.

They almost pulled it off, driving as close as the Ohio State 16-yard line until UT quarterback Terrance Owens’ fourth-down pass sailed harmlessly to the ground, allowing OSU to celebrate and its fans to finally heave a collective sigh of relief.

But after the Buckeyes’ very narrow 27-22 win, you could feel the panic setting in for OSU followers. The grumbling continued and even the blame game arose: first-year head coach Luke Fickell is in over his head, the offensive line is terrible, they have given up on Braxton Miller, the NCAA is the cause, the suspended players are ruining the program, this team ha no talent, etc.

I heard several calls to that effect while doing the WTVN postgame show with host Matt McCoy and I’ve read myriad social media postings that confirm the panic.

Ohio State almost lost to an in-state school for the first time since 1921. That’s an indisputable fact. And this was anything but pretty. The Buckeyes averaged just 3.3 yards per rushing attempt, hit very few big plays, failed to contain 180-pound wideout Eric Page, allowed a blocked punt and benefited mightily from 14 – yes, 14 – Toledo penalties compared to their two.

Also, Miller, the freshman sensation, stayed glued to the bench while starting QB Joe Bauserman sailed passes out of bounds repeatedly after finding no one open.

And yet here is my statement: This is a good win.

Stay with me now.

Under the circumstances and given the apparent fact – despite erroneous Buckeye Nation sentiment – that this is a very good Toledo team – Ohio State simply needed to survive, and its fans are going to have to accept that reality.

While some concerns arose during the game – and since this is an Off The Ledge column – I’ll dare to point out the positives.

1. Toledo is legit. The Rockets are not your normal MAC fodder. In fact, they may be the best team from that league I’ve seen come into Ohio Stadium. Remember, that the Buckeyes needed a 55-yard field goal from Mike Nugent to beat Marshall, were in a couple dogfights at the Horeseshoe with Bowling Green and also had a hard time slowing down Kent State might mite Joshua Cribbs.

The MAC always has NFL players, up-and-coming coaches (two of recent years just did battle in the Michigan-Notre Dame game), and the advantage of being undersold and undervalued by fans.

The Buckeyes, though, knew they weren’t getting a light touch and if anything respected the Rockets too much.

“They’re a great offense with a great O-line, and with the great skill position players they have we knew they were going to make some plays,” OSU defensive end John Simon said. “We just had to try our best to do whatever we could to slow them down, and I think we did a nice job.”

The Rockets bring tons of pressure on defense, have dangerous special teams led by the return capabilities of Page and are well-oiled on offense. The line and tight ends are big and experienced. Page is a game breaker. Tailback Adonis Thomas is coming off a 1,000-yard season and is a Doak Walker candidate.

Toledo not only is the envy of the MAC, it’s a likely bowl team that could very well go on to win 10 games this season.

“The coaches told us all week that this is one of Toledo’s best teams, it’s a senior-driven group and they’re going to be prepared for us,” senior center Mike Brewster said. “A couple of our old coaches are over there and they know how we do things.”

Fickell sensed that UT head coach Tim Beckman would have the proper game plan and that the Rockets could score some points, and he stayed conservative for that reason. After the game, he and Beckman hugged.

“We knew it was going to be a challenge,” Fickell said afterward. “We’re excited about how the guys fought, how they battled, and how they kept their chins up. This team has been through adversity and will continue to be through adversity, but that is how you challenge yourself to get better.

Even young receiver Verlon Reed seemed to understand the significance.

“We’re not going to take anything for granted – no matter who it’s against, no matter what the point spread is,” said Reed, a Columbus native very well aware of the constant lofty expectations for the Buckeyes. “We didn’t take them lightly at all. (The fans) probably did, but we can’t go off of what everyone else thinks. All of those guys in the locker room knew what to expect because of who we were playing against.”

2. Don’t assume Miller has disappeared. Fickell needed a game manager, not a risk taker, to take down Toledo. Even though fans could barely hold their breath at the end, the ploy worked.

Bauserman still isn’t experienced enough to handle lots of checkdowns – his totals of 16 completions and 30 attempts were career highs – but he was better equipped to pick up UT’s blitzes and no when to get rid of the ball. Fans booed No. 14 when he completed passes to band members and sideline markers but he was never sacked and never intercepted. And he still managed to hit eight different receivers for positive yardage.

The players who trekked to the postgame interview room, including Bauserman, all said they expected Miller to also play. So it is possible Fickell had an ulterior motive for leaving the youngster on the sideline. But it’s much more likely that Fickell wanted to keep the competition level high during the week, so he never declared that Miller wouldn’t play.

And in future weeks, maybe even in the next game at Miami, Miller could emerge again. In fact, I’m pretty sure of that.

3. The shrinking roster can’t be downplayed.

With several key players suspended for the first five games of the season and others lost for the first game or two, the attrition is taking a toll.

Fickell and the coaching staff have repeated the mantra “next man up” throughout preseason camp and the first two weeks of the season. The players have taken that message to heart, but the truth is this team isn’t anywhere near full strength.

“We’re not going to dwell on it,” Fickell said afterward. “We’re not going to look at that. We never feel sorry for ourselves. We’re not looking for pity. The next guy’s got to step up. That’s what we said on the sideline. Adversity is going to happen whether it’s a situation off the field or on the field.”

That’s the proper answer, of course. Fickell can’t condemn his players for making excuses if he goes to the podium and starts bellyaching about the program’s misfortune and the assault on the two-deep.

In fact, he didn’t even bother to point out that he lost the services of running back Jordan Hall, cornerback Travis Howard and safety Corey Brown on the eve of the game for the second straight week thanks to NCAA meddling.

Hall would have helped the offense as a pass-catching threat out of the backfield and by squeezing into small openings much the way Thomas did for Toledo. Howard is the team’s best cover corner and would have been assigned to Page. Brown is a reserve who was coming off an impressive preseason and would have helped the depth in the secondary.

The coaching staff wasn’t aware of the potential of losing that trio until hours before the opener with Akron and Fickell pronounced them as able to play last week only to get more bad news on Friday.

Even while the game with Toledo unfolded, The Associated Press broke a story quoting athletic director Gene Smith on the matter. In it, the AD said the case could drag on.

“No, I’m not confident,” Smith told the AP when asked if the three players were sure to be reinstated in time for the Miami game. “We do have to provide some more information to the NCAA. We’ll start that process tomorrow. We’ve got some meetings tomorrow and Monday, and we’ll get them the additional information they want and then go from there.”

And so it goes for a Buckeye team that can't seem to rid itself of off-the-field issues. As OSU’s shortcomings became noticeable against the Rockets, I could only wonder how much better the offense would have looked with Boom Herron and Hall taking handoffs, Mike Adams anchoring the end of the offensive line and DeVier Posey running routes and getting open for Bauserman. And while I had those thoughts, Philly Brown got hurt and could be out for extended time.

4. The running game is very likely to improve.

For reasons just given, the quality of the ball carriers will go up when Hall and, eventually, Herron return. Hall brings a dimension that, quite frankly, Carlos Hyde and Smith can’t. Jaamal Berry is trying to heal a hamstring and also is a changeup back with speed. But Herron is clearly the best of this bunch and the one who will reinvigorate this offense.

Hall should be back and Berry appears to be on the right path, although leg injuries can be tricky.

Plus, the offensive line will get key reserve Corey Linsley back for Miami. And fans need to remember that Andrew Norwell is trying to play the toughest position on the field, left tackle, while Adams is out and that guards Marcus Hall and Jack Mewhort are just getting into their roles.

“We’ve got two newer guys inside plus Norwell,” Brewster said. “It’s only their second game starting and they’re doing a hell of a job. We’re just going to keep getting better.”

It also should be pointed out that OSU’s lack of a reliable running game against UT may have been more from the coaching staff’s stubbornness to keep it conservative rather than ineptitude of the offensive line.

“There were a lot of guys in the box, a lot of movement,” Brewster said. “It makes it challenging sometimes.”

Lastly, Smith suffered his second key fumble in as many weeks but he’s in good company with players who had inauspicious starts to their careers. In fact, Fickell said the door of opportunity and production is still wide open for Smith.

“I’m not down on Rod,” he said. “He obviously knows he’s got to get better. He’s going to be hard on himself, and that’s what you want to make sure he understands.

“I came up and reminded him of a guy that I played with that fumbled a few times as a young guy, and people were on him hard. He was on himself hard. But that guy was one of the toughest guys I ever saw, and hardest working guys I ever saw here.

Fickell was talking about Eddie George.

5. The Buckeyes won the game. It’s a simple statement but vastly important one.

This is a young team with lots of players in new roles and feeling increased responsibility. The defense, for example, features lots of new faces – and none of them have the words Heyward, Larimore, Rolle, Homan, Chekwa, Torrence or Hines on the backs of their jerseys.

Etienne Sabino, for example, came through with eight tackles, three for loss, and several important plays.

“It felt great helping this team,” he said. “All I’m worried about is winning and it felt great being out there making plays like that. And it’s always fun when you win. Regardless of what the score is, a W is a W.”

Meanwhile, Simon proved he is a major difference-maker. When on the field he managed to either disrupt the offense or draw lots of extra attention. When he missed a couple series with an injury, the void was obvious. When he returned to the field, he made key plays on the final stand including pressure on Owens’ fourth-down incompletion.

“It was huge to get him back on the field,” Sabino said. “Without him it would have been a completely different game.”

With the game hanging in the balance after Smith’s fumble, the coaches huddled up the defense and gave very basic instruction to keep players confident. The overriding message: Keep the Rockets out of the end zone.

“It was real simple, just make sure we didn’t let them score,” said safety Orhian Johnson, who logged a game-high nine tackles. “They could catch the ball but as long as they stayed outside of the end zone, we felt comfortable.”

Johnson said some of that comfort came from the coaches simulating must-stop possessions for the defense in practice. Still, the Buckeyes are learning what it takes in the real arena on the fly.

The same goes for the offense. That unit had the ball on its own 25 with 5:45 remaining and was on its way to melting the clock and/or tacking on a score when Smith fumbled. In fact, on second-and-10 from the OSU 36 and the Toledo defense creeping up, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman called for a pass play and Bauserman calmly found freshman Devin Smith for a 31-yard reception.

6. The close shave should help, not hurt, OSU’s chances in Week 3. The head coach hammered that point after the game and the players parroted it.

“I think and I hope that this is what’s going to make us better, all of this adversity, all of these different things that happened,” Fickell said. It does nothing but makes you stronger as long as you handle it the right way.”

Added Brewster, “If you’ve got two blowouts in a row and then the third game is a close one on the road, you might freak out and who knows what will happen. It’s just more adversity that we have to go through. Nothing new to us.”

Basketball Bucks Will Be Back

Jeff Rapp — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 03:15:23 GMT

With the college basketball season recently completed and Connecticut emerging from a fractured men’s bracket and winning it all in Houston, you no doubt sense that a great opportunity was lost for Ohio State this spring.

And I agree with you.

In fact, I still believe the Buckeyes had a real chance to go very, very far in the 2010 NCAA Tournament as well. But that March, just like this one, OSU failed to squeak by a dangerous SEC team in the Sweet 16 and suffered an abrupt ending to a highly promising campaign.

If you are like many around the country, you put too much into the postseason and therefore are left believing that no real progress was made this season.

But that simply is not the case. Not only were the Buckeyes a gaudy 34-3, they went 16-2 in Big Ten regular-season play to win the conference title and they also captured the program’s second-straight league tournament crown. They knocked off Florida and Florida State on the road in the preconference portion of the ledger and also clobbered eventual NCAA tourney teams UNC-Asheville, Morehead State and Oakland.

In Big Ten action, the Buckeyes also lit up Illinois, Purdue and Wisconsin at home and also survived scares against Michigan and Penn State. In fact, they were undefeated at the Schottenstein Center and very businesslike in key road wins at Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State.

But more than anything, Ohio State played with great cohesion and poise thanks in large part to seniors David Lighty and Jon Diebler and wise-beyond-their-years freshmen Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft.

William Buford had a terrific junior season in which he shot 44.2 percent from three-point range, averaged 14.4 points per game and ably handled the point guard duties at the outset of games. Senior center Dallas Lauderdale played some of the best basketball of his career and helped provide a safety net for Sullinger inside. Freshman Deshaun Thomas was afforded a role where he could play freely off the bench and came through with several noteworthy performances.

Lighty broke the school record for wins by a player and Diebler set the Big Ten mark for career three-pointers. Each averaged better than 12 ppg. Sullinger was named a first-team All-American and the national Freshman of the Year after leading OSU in scoring (17.2) and rebounding (10.2). Craft led the team in assists and steals and joined Sullinger on the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.

Granted, the exit of Lighty, Diebler and Lauderdale – along with well-respected practice players Nikola Kecman and Eddie Days – is going to leave quite a hole. Their experience, reliability, versatility and unique skills simply won’t be replaced.

However, OSU fans who assume rough times are now ahead for Thad Matta and the Buckeyes need to come down off the ledge.

First of all, Matta will be ushering in yet another well-rated five-man class that should mesh very well with the returning talent. Secondly, a couple key veterans may return despite projections to the contrary.

And this is now a top-10 program – one that is capable of competing for the Big Ten title virtually every year and being involved in the discussion for national supremacy. In fact, ESPN college basketball analyst Andy Katz recently tabbed Ohio State as the nation’s third-best team going into next season behind Kentucky and North Carolina – two teams that joined OSU in the East Regional in Newark, N.J.

Why is the outlook still so bright? I offer five pertinent reasons:

Sullinger will return. While I can’t say I am as confident about Buford, who unconvincingly claimed he would be back for his senior campaign, Sullinger is rock-solid in his promise to play for the Buckeyes again next season.

Even though the 6-9, 280-pounder received tons of national acclaim and is considered a top-five pick in mock drafts for this summer, he isn’t accustomed to being left at the altar in the postseason. He won a state title his junior year at Columbus Northland and also led his AAU squad to several tournament titles.

“Jared’s a competitor and this is going to eat at him,” Craft, his former AAU teammate, said after OSU lost 62-60 to Kentucky in the Sweet 16.

Sullinger was insistent in the Prudential Center locker room that he would return.

“I’m coming back,” he said. “You’ll see me in the same jersey I had on this year.”

Jared’s father, Satch Sullinger, who was his coach at Northland, had been on record predicting Jared would decide to come back. But apparently Coach Sullinger didn’t pressure his son.

“Me and my dad never talked about this,” Jared said. “Pretty much, he told me it’s my decision, it’s my life, and he wants me to make this decision.”

And Sullinger already had indicated to Matta that he was dead-set on returning.

“Jared has told me all along that he would be back,” Matta said, “and he told me, ‘Draw me up a contract, whatever you want me to sign, I’ll do that.’ Jared enjoys college, he’ll have a great offseason, and he’ll be the best player in college basketball next season.”

After Matta’s comments, several reporters went back over to Sullinger, who only strengthened his words.

“I’m going to be an Ohio State Buckeye next year,” Sullinger said. “Winning is that important to me. I don’t like losing. This is not what I came here to do. This is not what I came here for, to sit here and see my seniors crying. I came here to win a national championship, to see them celebrate. I wanted to see tears of joy with these guys.

“I’m a man of my word. I won’t change my mind for nobody. This is what I want.”

Even with a terrific base for their inside game with Sullinger, the Buckeyes are going to need to develop several of the newcomers to reach his goal of winning a national title.

“It’s his decision and I’m glad he’s decided he wants to come back, but we’ve got a lot of ground to make up for the people we lose this year,” Craft said.

Which leads to …

The incoming class is going to add a different dimension. Matta has signatures from five out-of-state talents: 6-2 point guard Shannon Scott of Georgia, 6-7 swingman Sam Thompson of Chicago, 6-8 wing forward LaQuinton Ross of Mississippi, 6-9 power forward Trey McDonald of Michigan and 6-10 center Amir Williams of Detroit.

Scott is college-ready. His father, Charlie Scott, was a standout player at North Carolina and in the NBA, and Shannon just held his own in the McDonald’s All-American game.

It’s likely Matta already has designs on using Scott with Craft quite a bit next season much like he benefited from having two ball handlers on the court in the national runner-up season of 2006-07 with Mike Conley Jr. and Jamar Butler sharing the court. In fact, if Craft can improve his shooting he could play off the ball much of the time going forward. Scott is natural at distributing the ball and can finish in the lane if need be.

Meanwhile, Thompson is a future defensive stopper on the wing a la Lighty and continues to show improvement when healthy. Ross is a dynamic wing with good size who needs to become tougher and more discerning with the ball, but the upside is there. McDonald was more of a reach but could give the Buckeyes a well-sized four-man with deep shooting range – something Matta has been trying to showcase for years.

And then there’s Williams, another McDonald’s All-American who can play at a high level when motivated. If Williams has an ideal summer in the program, he not only could play a lot as a freshman he also could even start at center and allow Sullinger more freedom away from the basket. Williams is a shot blocker with above-average mobility in the post.

“We’re going to be a little bit bigger in the frontcourt and have a lot more bigs,” Sullinger said. “We redshirted Evan Ravenel. We have Amir Williams at 6-10 and Trey McDonald at 6-9, me. We’re going to have one 6-7 wing (J.D. Weatherspoon) and another 6-8 wing (Ross). We’ve got Deshaun. We’re going to be a little bit bigger in the front court and we’re going to be a pretty big team.”

If this year’s NCAA Tournament proved anything about today’s game it’s that defensive presence, size at all positions and tenacity paid off more than relying on outside shooting and offensive efficiency.

The Buckeyes probably aren’t going to shoot at the same high clip – team percentages of 49.4 from the field and 42.3 from long range – but they should be able to rattle opposing teams defensively and have more depth.

Which leads to …

The returning youngsters also can make an impact. Just because Jordan Sibert and Lenzelle Smith Jr. weren’t always in Matta’s rotation doesn’t mean they aren’t future commodities. Even the 6-7 Weatherspoon, who was ineligible during the Big Ten season, has a chance to work into the mix.

A 6-4 off-guard, Sibert is an All-Big Ten player in waiting. He isn’t afraid to take big shots, can slash to the basket and has the makeup to be a very disruptive defender. Smith is a 6-3 combo guard who doesn’t have much of a role yet but he’s a lethal passer and has good strength with the ball. Weatherspoon is a freakish leaper and a left-handed scorer who has potential in the face-up department.

Ravenel is a sturdy 6-8 power forward who practiced with the team all of last season after transferring from Boston College. He’s a limited role player but has won over his teammates with his attitude and should be able to provide aid as a defender and board man.

Those four players combined with the four key returnees – Sullinger, Buford, Craft and Thomas – and the five freshmen-to-be give Matta 13 legitimate options for the first time since the coach took over the program in 2004.

And now the groundwork for success has been laid.

Which leads to …

The outgoing seniors already have challenged the remaining players to keep up the winning. And when Lighty, Diebler and Lauderdale leave a piece of advice, one tends to listen given all that they accomplished in four-plus years.

“It definitely went fast, and that’s what I told these young guys, to cherish it, love every minute of it and work hard every day because it goes fast,” said Lauderdale, who believes the message already is received.

“The future is looking very bright for these guys and they have a lot of experience. They went through a lot of things this year, the ups and downs, and this definitely is going to be on them. It’s going to be motivation for next year.”

When Lighty was asked what he sees for the program going forward, he didn’t hesitate.

“Bright future,” he said. “The young guys we have here, the young guys we have coming in, the sky is the limit for them. As long as they come in focused and ready to use this as motivation and don’t slack off I think they can be right back in this position next year.”

And Lighty feels so strongly about what the Buckeyes can accomplish next season that he fought through his emotions moments after his final game in scarlet and gray to motivate guys like Sullinger, Craft and Thomas.

“When you get here you never think about it ending,” he said. “It’s not about the name on the back, it’s about the name that’s going across your chest. That’s what you do this for.”

Added Sullinger, “This is the way the team is supposed to be – tight chemistry, love, respect for one another. We can’t let the young guys come in here and change that.”

After Ohio State, made it all the way to the title game in 2007, lost freshmen Greg Oden, Conley and Daequan Cook to the draft and failed to make the NCAA Tournament the following year, the perception was that Matta had sold his soul to make a deep run. The reality, however, is that the 2008 Buckeyes won the NIT and have been building major momentum ever since.

OSU returned to the Big Dance in 2009, won the Big Ten and and league tournament the next year and made it all the way to the top of the polls this past season. The remaining players know the next step is to advance deeper in the postseason, and they now know what it takes to get there.

Which leads to …

The 2011-12 Buckeyes might be even better suited for a run at the Final Four. There will be growing pains. There will be missteps. There will be shifts in the rotation.

And there will be experts reluctant to pick Ohio State to go far given that Lighty, Diebler and Lauderdale walk out the door with 41.8 percent of the Buckeyes’ minutes from last season, 37.5 percent of the scoring, 28.7 percent of the rebounding and 57.9 percent of the team’s made three-pointers. Those figures, of course, go up significantly if Buford joins them.

But at closer look Ohio State still should be favored to win the Big Ten and may actually peak at just the right time with so much young talent sure to rise by late in the season.

And even if the Buckeyes don’t win their conference and struggle to find an immediate identity, they need only to look at the example of UConn 2010 to know that a late surge can still go a very long way – like all the way to the winner’s circle.

Matta's Men Remain Formidable

Jeff Rapp — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 00:54:34 GMT

The Buckeyes went to Wisconsin’s intimidating Kohl Center on Feb. 12 and shot 54.3 percent from the field, made their free throws, committed just seven turnovers in a Big Ten slugfest and won the battle on the boards with the pesky Badgers.

They also lost – 71-67 – and it stings for a team that entered Madison 24-0 and for a fan base that for the second time in four months saw their beloved Buckeyes fall from grace at, of all places, Wisconsin.

But while Badger fans rained on the parade – again – stormed onto the playing surface – again – rubbed it in and stuck index fingers into the air on national television – again – I’m here to tell you it’s just not as devastating as it currently feels, Buckeye nuts. In fact, it’s not even close.

Unlike football, where OSU’s 31-18 defeat at Camp Randall Stadium in October immediately yanked away the national championship aspirations for Jim Tressel’s Buckeyes, this is basketball, where opportunity can knock again and knock quickly.

When the footballers were upended by unranked Wisconsin, Ohio State’s fate was sealed. No real chance at the BCS title game remained and redemption was going to have to wait at least a year.

But Thad Matta’s crew will face down this same Wisconsin basketball team on March 6, three weekends from this fateful loss, and the mind already can envision OSU fans taking their turn streaming onto the court at the Schottenstein Center.

Think about it. The Buckeyes could be trying to nail down an outright Big Ten title in front of a soldout crowd on Senior Day against the same group that just ruined their unbeaten season. Before the game, David Lighty, Jon Diebler and Dallas Lauderdale will be introduced to the throng and thanked for all their accomplishments. The arena will be in a frenzy. The Buckeyes will be ready, more than ready. It could be a signature moment for one of the best seasons in Ohio State history. In other words, something to truly savor.

Plus, until the head-spinning outside shooting display by the Badgers, OSU built the lead all the way to 15 (47-32) with 13 minutes to play, prompting longtime ESPN analyst Dick Vitale to gush about the Buckeyes as an all-around team and label them as a very legitimate contender for the national championship.

That didn’t suddenly change just because UW guard Jordan Taylor had an out-of-body experience. It’s still true. This is an Ohio State team that trailed throughout the first half but crept back into the picture with outstanding team defense. And there were impressive mettle-proving offensive possessions as well.

When the Badgers opened up a 12-6 lead, Jared Sullinger calmly dropped in a hook shot and began to make his presence felt in the lane. When UW’s Josh Gasser took advantage of a defensive breakdown and made a reverse layup to provide the home team with a 26-23 lead, William Buford picked a very good time to can OSU’s first three of the game, catching a pass off a curl and swishing one from behind the arc to tie the score with 1:01 left in the half.

Moments later, after the defense forced a travel, the Buckeyes ran 32 seconds of clock and got a nifty scoop shot from Lighty with a second left in the half. As Lighty and few others can do, he made a highly athletic move to avoid a charge and still flip up the underhanded shot.

When Wisconsin scored the first basket of the second half, the Buckeyes put together an 8-0 run. After a hoop by Jon Leuer, they found another gear with an 11-2 surge that produced the 47-32 score. Wisconsin then took advantage of several rattled misses by OSU and exploded to knot the score at 49, but the Buckeyes did not crumble. Aaron Craft calmly ball-faked and nailed a jumper from the wing and Lighty then picked the pocket of Keaton Nankivil, drew a foul and cashed both free throws.

No, it did not go well after that, but Ohio State fought back from a seven-point deficit to trim the Wisconsin lead to 65-63 and was a defensive stop away from perhaps sending the game into overtime or even winning it. That’s when floppy-haired and little known 6-6 sophomore Mike Bruesewitz decided to chuck a three from the top of the key with the shot clock winding down. He made it with 29 seconds to play, effectively putting the first L on the board for OSU.

The loss left a hoarse Matta looking for answers and adjustments. The soft spot of the defense at the top of the arc, for example, will need to be addressed. And Wisconsin may have shown that the Buckeyes are susceptible to high pick-and-roll plays. But this game is not an omen of a tragic end to Ohio State’s previously magical season and it’s not a loss than needs to be overanalyzed.

It was a perfect storm: a very good and well-coached team that was clearly jacked to make history and playing in the comfort of its own environs. Late in the game, Wisconsin got several fortunate foul calls with the shot clock dwindling under five seconds. And the Badgers were out of their gourds from behind the arc, hitting 12 of 24 attempts from there. Bruesewitz, who probably wasn’t much of a concern in the game plan, awkwardly hit 4 of 5 shots and produced 12 points.

And Taylor, while an All-Big Ten-caliber player to be sure, got ridiculously hot. He finished with 27 points and seven assists and hit 8 of 13 shots, including 5 of 8 from deep.

When Craft first entered the game and matched up with the 6-1 Taylor, the Wisconsin guard clearly tried to attack him, and probably tried too hard. His first two three-point attempts were off the mark, the second an airball. Seconds after that force, he found himself isolated with Craft on the baseline and was so intent to drive past him that he traveled, changing his pivot foot twice.

But in the second half, every time Craft went under a high screen from Nankivil, Taylor fired and hit. One time Craft flew at him and Taylor buzzed into the lane and dropped in a picturesque floater. And with the Buckeyes trailing 57-55 and Craft right up on him, Taylor just rose and fired with the hand right in his mug and dropped home another crushing three.

It was an epic performance and proof that the Buckeyes can still have a hard time slowing down a hot hand. But this was more like scalding – and the chances of someone doing that to Ohio State in Columbus or even on a neutral floor are simply less likely.

Matta said it himself, Wisconsin played as well as it possibly could. Could that happen to Ohio State again? Sure. Is it likely to happen several more times? Absolutely not.

This is still a Buckeye team that is in the driver’s seat for an outright Big Ten title, a top-three ranking and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. And it’s still a team built for a postseason run.

The Buckeyes have an unstoppable beast inside in Sullinger, veteran guards and dangerous outside shooters in Buford and Diebler. an incredibly versatile swingman who has won more than any other Buckeye in Lighty, a hard-nose point guard who gets better every time he takes the floor in Craft, a useful defender/shot blocking big man in Lauderdale, and an instant-offense supersub in DeShaun Thomas. They have enviable leadership. They have outstanding coaching. They have impressive poise. They have toughness. And most of all, they have answers.

This was not a case of a highly ranked team that was exposed as fraudulent or fragile. This was a top-15 Wisconsin team that played A-plus basketball for the final 13 minutes of the game and narrowly pulled off a huge accomplishment.

The Buckeyes can’t topple the undefeated 1976 Indiana Hoosiers and may not even go back to the top of the polls. But they can do something remarkable by replicating the feats of the 1959-60 Buckeyes. That team lost one Big Ten game all season. It came on the road in February against a ranked and very solid Indiana Hoosier squad.

The Buckeyes didn’t lose again after that – and hoisted the program’s only national championship trophy.

Panic not, Buckeye fans. Panic not.

It's Finally Time To Dump An SEC Squad

Jeff Rapp — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 21:50:02 GMT

I hear you, Buckeye Nation.

You have been embarrassed by the Tat Pack and know there are rumblings out there that Ohio State’s recently tagged players should begin serving their suspensions now, meaning not play in the Sugar Bowl vs. Arkansas on Jan. 4.

You also pulled up a footstool and a bowl of Cheetos on Jan. 1 and watched the Big Ten go a robust 0-5 in various bowl games. Northwestern couldn’t get on top of Texas Tech. Michigan State ran into a buzz saw against Alabama. Michigan offered no defensive resistance (what else is new?) against Mississippi State, Penn State couldn’t hang on against Florida, and Wisconsin saw what all the fuss was about regarding TCU.

And, unfortunately, you are well aware of Ohio State’s unconscionable 0-9 record vs. the SEC in bowl games.

You are wondering if you want to even invest much emotional energy into this next game and if your beloved Buckeyes are about to become a national punchline again.

Well, I’m here to talk you down off the ledge.

Ohio State is still the pick in this game, in my opinion. Arkansas will be a tough out and Ryan Mallett is a big-time quarterback with a big-time arm. Pulling away to a comfortable tier won’t be easy at all. But the Buckeyes can come up with key stops and are not going to stop fighting in this game.

It should be entertaining and highly compelling. The guys in the funny jackets and the televisions executives should get the entertaining unopposed college football game they crave.

But why should anyone believe it will in OSU’s favor?

History. Yes, bad history. Because it’s got to change at some point, and now is as good a time as ever.

So what are we talking about here? Certainly we can remember some recent failures, most notably when the Buckeyes were overwhelmed by Florida and LSU in back-to-back national championship game appearances.

But if it is time for OSU to exorcise the demons of bowl games past, maybe it’s also a good time to review and reassess the damage.

One might expect that a program as successful as Ohio State has been for decades that an 0-9 mark against any conference would require a combination of negative forces. Sure enough, when looking back it’s clear the Buckeyes not only suffered from poor play in those games but also bad breaks, bad calls and even bad timing.

Let’s take a look:

Jan. 1, 1978, vs. Alabama, Sugar Bowl in New Orleans – This game was billed as a “classic confrontation” since the organizers were able to pit an Ohio State team coached by Woody Hayes against another legend, Paul “Bear” Bryant. It turned out to be a mismatch. The Buckeyes were coming off a 14-6 loss at Michigan after fattening up on a weak Big Ten. Third-ranked Alabama was simply the better squad and proved it in a 35-6 walkover. In fact, OSU didn’t even get on the scoreboard until the fourth period when Rod Gerald pitched a 38-yard touchdown to Jimmy Harrell. The truth is Woody was at the end of his coaching rope. He burned his players out by having them practice in New Orleans for two full weeks while Bear brother the Crimson Tide over just four days before New Year’s Day. ’Bama wasn’t exactly sharp, though. The Tide committed 10 fumbles – but amazingly lost only two of them. OSU finished a frustrating 9-3 season that also included a memorable 29-28 loss to Oklahoma at the Horseshoe. The 1977 Buckeyes entered the bowl game ranked ninth and fell to No. 11 in the final Associated Press poll while ’Bama was second in both major polls to Notre Dame.

Jan. 1, 1990, vs. Auburn, Hall of Fame Bowl in Tampa, Fla. – The Buckeyes were in over their heads once again and lost 31-14. John Cooper did a good job of returning OSU to a bowl game after a two-year hiatus and the Buckeyes were even competitive at Michigan, losing 28-18 to fall to 8-3. The reward, though, was a matchup with a No. 9 Auburn squad that was loaded and heavily favored. Surprisingly, Ohio State jumped out to a 14-3 lead but the Tigers scored a TD with only 11 seconds left in the first half and swung the momentum back their way. Quarterback Reggie Slack sandwiched scoring passes around a 5-yard TD run in the second half. OSU’s offense sputtered as flanker Jeff Graham, who had five catches for 103 yards in the first half, missed the second half with a groin pull. Ohio State’s fortunes were improving but the Buckeyes (8-4) didn’t have enough to pull off the upset. They finished at No. 24 while the Tigers moved up to No. 6.

Jan. 1, 1993, vs. Georgia, Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando – This is the first such OSU-SEC bowl matchup that could have gone either way. In fact, the Buckeyes and Bulldogs put on a very entertaining show with tailbacks Robert Smith and Garrison Hearst both on top of their game. Hearst struck first with a 1-yard plunge to open the scoring. Smith scored from a yard out in the second period and each star runner scored again in the third to set up a 14-all tie and dramatic ending. Kirk Herbstreit was engineering an apparent go-ahead scoring drive when he collided with fullback Jeff Cothran on a handoff attempt and the ball came loose. Georgia’s Travis Jones recovered the fumble on the 20 and the Bulldogs scored the winning touchdown with 4:32 left to post a 21-14 victory. Again, the Buckeyes fought valiantly but were quite up to the challenge. No. 8 Georgia got 163 yards rushing from Hearst and another 242 in the air off a clan performance from quarterback Eric Zeier. Smith had 112 yards rushing in his final game as a Buckeye but Herbstreit’s finale wasn’t up to snuff. He was just 8 of 24 passing and pitched an interception. OSU (8-3-1) fell from No. 15 to 18 in the final AP poll. Georgia stayed at No. 8.

Jan. 2, 1995, vs. Alabama, Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando – Here’s where it starts getting really frustrating. The Buckeyes lived up to Cooper’s promise and won their bowl game at the end of the 1993 season and they also knocked off Michigan for the first time since 1987 with a resounding 22-6 win over the Maize and Blue in Columbus. But Penn State locked up the Rose Bowl bid and a date with Oregon and forced second-place and 13th-ranked OSU to square off with a motivated Alabama team. The Tide came to Florida ranked No. 6 and scored 10 points in the final 4:29 to pull out a 24-17 win. The game-winner was a 50-yard yard catch and scurry by ’Bama tailback Sherman Williams with 42 seconds remaining. Williams also had 164 yards rushing and 155 receiving while Joey Galloway kept OSU in it with eight catches for 146 yards and two scores. OSU (9-4) fell a peg to No. 14 in the final poll while Alabama, two years removed from a national title, moved up to No. 5.

Jan. 1, 1996, vs. Tennessee, Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando – Here we go again. The 1995 Buckeyes were a thing to behold for 11 weeks. They survived a murderous schedule behind record-breaking performances from tailback Eddie George (who won the Heisman Trophy and several other national awards), quarterback Bobby Hoying (Draddy Award) and wide receiver Terry Glenn (Biletnikoff Award) while the offensive line was anchored by Orlando Pace (Lomardi Award). They also downed six ranked teams until a 31-23 loss at Michigan. That sent the Buckeyes back to Disneyworld and set up a top-five matchup with the Volunteers as the two teams were tied at No. 4 in the rankings. OSU was bucking to win 12 games for the first time in program history and scored first when George capped a drive on a 2-yard TD run. But the Buckeyes didn’t fare as well on the Citrus Bowl turf in the driving rain and lost 20-14. Hoying fared well in his matchup with Peyton Manning but UT running back Jay Graham turned the game with a 69-yard scoring run with 23 seconds left in the first half. The Buckeyes tied the score at 14 on a Rickey Dudley TD catch and were in the game to the end but they committed four turnovers. It was discovered after the game that the Tennessee players changed into longer-toothed cleats at halftime that should have been declared illegal. OSU ended up 11-2 and No. 6 while Tennessee moved up to No. 3 in the final AP poll.

Jan. 1, 2001, vs. South Carolina, Outback Bowl in Tampa – This was a nadir of sorts for the OSU football program as the Buckeyes lost 24-7 and the hero for the Gamecocks was a fireplug of a tailback named Ryan Brewer, a Troy, Ohio, native and former “Mr. Football” who was not recruited by Ohio State. The Buckeyes outgained USC and had more first downs but were victim to big plays and untimely mistakes. The only OSU score came when Mike Gurr pounced on a loose ball in the end zone. Brewer accounted for 214 all-purpose yards and was named the game’s MVP. OSU made announcements of its own afterward as athletic director Andy Geiger, citing a “deteriorating climate,” sacked Cooper, the dean of Big Ten coaches at the time. Ohio State finished a respectable 8-4 but Cooper, who was 111-43-4 at OSU, fell to 2-10-1 vs. Michigan and 3-8 in bowl games. The Buckeyes were No. 18 going into the bowl game and finished out of the polls.

Jan. 1, 2002, vs. South Carolina, Outback Bowl in Tampa – So much had changed for Ohio State, most noticeably the public rally behind new head coach Jim Tressel, and the Buckeyes had a chance at a reprieve with a rematch with the Gamecocks in the very same bowl setting. However, the unranked Buckeyes were still a work in progress and looked ill-prepared in falling behind 28-0. That’s when Steve Bellisari inexplicably began playing the best quarterback of his life and engineered a comeback. The Buckeyes finally dented the scoreboard on the last play of the third quarter with a 2-yard Bellisari run and they proceeded to find the end zone three more times in the fourth quarter. However, Bellisari threw an interception right after the Buckeyes got the ball back, setting up a Daniel Weaver field goal as time expired and a 31-28 USC win. In keeping with OSU’s postseason pain against the SEC, the weak 42-yard kick just barely eked over the crossbar. OSU had to settle for a 7-5 record, but the fortunes around the program changed dramatically the following season.

Jan. 8, 2007, vs. Florida, BCS National Championship Game in Glendale, Ariz. – Tressel and the Buckeyes returned to Arizona, where the Buckeyes had won the Fiesta Bowl four years earlier to complete the 2002 national title, as a legitimate college superpower and the nation’s No. 1 team. They left with a black eye that theoretically has not yet healed – a 41-14 embarrassment at the hands of the cocky Gators. It all started off well enough as Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kickoff at University of Phoenix Stadium for a 93-yard touchdown. But the black cloud resurfaced as OSU’s exuberant celebration of that play led to Ginn injuring his leg and the Ohio State offense stagnated much of the day. Heisman Trophy-winning QB Troy Smith was an absolutely dreadful 4 of 14 for 35 yards passing and was sacked five times. Meanwhile, the defense couldn’t get Florida off the field. OSU had dumped No. 2 Texas and No. 2 Michigan during the season but never was able to match up with a two-loss, second-ranked Florida team and suffered the worst loss of the Tressel era to that point. This is a stink bomb that is yet to be explained.

Jan. 7, 2008, vs. LSU, BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans – Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. The Buckeyes entered this contest after a win over Michigan and atop the BCS ratings but didn’t do enough to change the minds of Big Ten doubters. The Buckeyes actually had a slip-up during the season with a loss to Illinois but December losses by West Virginia and Oklahoma put them back in the driver’s seats heading into the postseason and back in the Superdome. However, awaiting them were frenzied LSU fans with boisterous chants of “S-E-C! S-E-C!” The Buckeyes again scored first, this time on a thrilling 65-yard blast by running back Beanie Wells, but mistakes mounted on both sides of the ball and special teams – an Austin Spitler personal foul on an LSU punt proved extremely costly – and the Tigers eventually found high gear in a 38-24 win. Wells had 146 yards rushing but the Tigers defense battered QB Todd Boeckman and the defense forgot to cover tight end Richard Dickson, who caught two Matt Flynn passes for touchdowns. This may have been less painful than the title-game loss 364 days earlier, but not by much.

To turn it around, Ohio State needs to be confident in its ability and unaffected by its troubled past in such games. And that seems to be the pervading attitude.

Senior cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, a product of the South, seemed to sum it up the best.

“I’m not bothered about the speed (factor) at all,” he said. “If this was a track meet then maybe I’d be worried a little bit. But it’s a game of football. You go out there, you prepare, and the better team that day wins. Arkansas is a good team on film, they’re a fast team, but it’s just a good solid football team. So is Ohio State. And we’re just going to go there and try and get this win.”

And on being oh-for-the-SEC, Chekwa added, “It doesn’t affect me. I wasn’t a part of all of those teams. Each team is different and this team has its own challenge against Arkansas.”

The thought here os that Ohio State will meet that challenge, which means you can come down off that ledge now.

Badgers' Bite May Not Be Lethal

Jeff Rapp — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:28:21 GMT

Well, it happened, the Ohio State football team was knocked off. And it occurred in the next game after being ranked No. 1 in the country for the third straight time. That leaves a mark.

The other two major letdowns came during the 2007 season, specifically the 28-21 loss to Illinois after the Buckeyes had worked their way to the top of the polls and the defeat in the BCS title game at the hands of LSU.

Those losses took place at home and at a neutral site, if you want to call playing the Tigers at the Superdome in New Orleans “neutral.”

This setback, a 31-18 decision at Wisconsin on Oct. 16, was clearly in a hostile environment. The Badgers, ranked No. 18 coming in, were ready from the get-go and jumped out to a 21-0 lead. After the Buckeyes scored 18 straight points to change momentum and get right back in the game, UW responded by scoring the last 10 points of the contest.

There is no denying that the Badgers played an outstanding football game. Bret Bielema has been gunning for Ohio State since he took over the UW program and the importance of his first win over the Scarlet and Gray was written right into his three-mile-wide grin after the game.

The Buckeyes, on the other hand, well, looked devastated. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who endured a shaky outing, appeared sulky in the game’s final minutes and didn’t seem to play with any fire once OSU fell behind 28-18.

The players said throughout the team’s 6-0 start that the goal was to run the regular-season table. With so many other programs off to hot starts it appeared more and more likely that any blemish on the record would cost Ohio State a chance to return to the BCS National Championship Game.

With the initial BCS rankings of the season released the day after OSU’s loss at Wisconsin – and the precipitous drop from No. 1 to 10 in The Associated Press poll – the steep climb the Buckeyes now face immediately has become the most compelling topic related to this team. But before delving into that, we need to look back on what exactly went wrong in Madison.

The following are six points of interest:

* It took all of 12 seconds for the Buckeyes to trail in this game as David Gilreath raced 97 yards with the opening kickoff and ignited the home crowd. The Buckeyes have put too much emphasis on kick cover and even overhauled their personnel to rectify this issue. Inexcusable.

* The Buckeyes knew they’d be up against it if they had to play from behind but that’s exactly what happened, allowing the Badgers to play off the crowd and get their power running game in gear. As good as Wisconsin is it isn’t nearly as potent offensively when it has to play catch-up, which is what happened in the loss at Michigan State. Ohio State not only gave up the huge special teams play, it also took too long to come up with defensive answers. Disappointing.

* John Clay became the first running back in 30 games to manage a 100-yard rushing output against the OSU defense, a run that dates all the way back to the debacle at USC in 2008 when Joe McKnight proved elusive. This was kind of a perfect storm scenario as Clay, one of the toughest runners in college football, was extra motivated to face top-ranked Ohio State on national television at home and afforded a big early lead. To make matters trickier, OSU’s top tackler, Ross Homan, was injured during the game and watched much of it from the sideline. Clay was impressive but not so dominant that OSU couldn’t get back in the game. Plus, the Buckeyes did a decent job on nimble backup James White, who came in averaging 7.7 yards per carry and was held to a 4.4 average. If Homan can return to form there is still plenty of reason to believe the Buckeyes can go back to slamming the run with regularity. Not all that discouraging.

* Pryor once again seemed to regress a bit right after an outstanding performance. He purposely didn’t bother to test a sore quadriceps the week prior against Indiana and concentrated instead on hanging in the pocket, going through his progressions and making accurate throws. The result was a career-high 334 yards passing on 24 completions in 30 attempts. Facing a completely different challenge – and clearly intent on using his legs more – Pryor never seemed settled. He was 14 of 28 for just 156 yards passing. He failed to throw a touchdown, pitched an interception and was sacked three times. Pryor got hot at the start of the second half but even then he needed Dane Sanzenbacher to make a couple circus catches. In truth his passes were all over the place and his late interception was a heartless attempt to get the ball downfield. Just when it appears Pryor has turned all the necessary corners in his development, he has a performance like this. Disheartening.

* Not all of Pryor’s troubles were his fault, though. In fact, he may see No. 99 in red coming at him in his nightmares for a few weeks. J.J. Watt had four tackles, three for loss, two sacks and a QB hurry. In short, he victimized every part of Ohio State’s line. And the Buckeyes still have to face Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan and Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn this season. Frightening.

* Conversely, the Buckeyes had no sacks, no hurries and provided no pressure to speak of against Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien. Linebacker Andrew Sweat, who did an admirable job on the weak side in place of Homan, did pick off a Tolzien pass but the UW signal caller still put together a 13-for-16 passing night, meaning only two of his attempts struck the ground. The Buckeyes have a very formidable combination of defensive ends with starters Cameron Heyward and Nathan Williams as well as reserve Solomon Thomas but for whatever reason this group isn’t getting into the backfield with much disruption these days. Concerning.

The truth is this Buckeye team may not be worthy of a top-five ranking and there are now some chinks obvious in the armor. Still, some OSU teams of the past have responded to a midseason loss by cranking it up a notch or two and playing at an elite level by season’s end. That could still happen here.

The pressure could come soon. Pryor could shake off the Wisconsin loss by intensifying his focus and determination. The special teams could finally get right. The offensive line, which has shown some signs of life, may finally find a dominant groove. A November surge can’t be counted out.

Plus, several teams that sit above the Buckeyes in the BCS standings still have a few landmines of their own to avoid. Nebraska also lost in Week 7 and is well below Ohio State in the rankings. The Cornhuskers could be looming for Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game. Also, the Sooners have showdowns with Missouri and Oklahoma State.

Oregon still has to take on UCLA, USC, Washington, Cal, Arizona and rival Oregon State. Auburn has to face LSU and Alabama. LSU has to get by Auburn, Alabama and survive a trip to Arkansas at the end of the season. Michigan State still has road tests at Northwestern, Iowa and Penn State.

Even the teams ahead of Ohio State that are not in major conferences will have a few hurdles. Utah’s November schedule begins with a huge showdown with TCU and a trip to Notre Dame. TCU. Boise State has a date with Hawaii and an interesting trip to Nevada.

Clearly, the Buckeyes need to get back on track on concentrate on their own shortcomings. But in the process they could inch up into the top three or four – or higher.

In other words, all is not lost – just one ballgame.

2010-11 Hoops Team Will Be Ready

Jeff Rapp — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 17:08:22 GMT

We’ve all had time to digest what took place this college basketball season, even the recently decided championship in which Duke edged out fuzzy, cuddly Butler in Indianapolis for the 2010 title.

But now you want to know how to feel as an Ohio State basketball fan. You are concerned that the Sweet 16 loss to Tennessee is an indicator of a potentially troubling trend as the Buckeyes couldn’t quite keep up inside and with a shortened bench.

You see a glaring need for a point guard and more options off the bench and you are freaking out a little bit that the national player of the year, Evan Turner, is now gone and awaiting his NBA appointment.

You’re beginning to wonder if Thad Matta, 2007 aside, may not have the magic formula for truly contending for a national championship and you also wonder if you really want to emotionally invest in the Buckeyes next year, especially with so much reliance on a bunch of newcomers.

Well my job is to talk you down, and in this next installment of Off The Ledge, that’s exactly what I intend to do.

Therefore, here are five reasons why the Ohio State men’s basketball team will still be very formidable in 2010-11:

Fierce Urgency Of Now – As great as Turner was last season and as much as he was able to carry the day, the Buckeyes sometimes were guilty of standing around and letting him take over or, worse, waiting for him to bail them out.

He did it more often than not, but the problem bit in the Tennessee affair as no one took the pressure off him offensively in the first half and the Buckeyes also forgot how to play with any cohesion on defense, allowing layup after layup.

Yes, Ohio State’s outlook would have been dreamy with No. 21 back for his senior season. But since the Buckeyes know that won’t happen, they can spend the entire offseason readying for life without him. That sobering fact will require the four returning starters to ramp up their games this summer.

“With him, of course we would be that much better,” said 6-5 swingman David Lighty, who will be a fifth-year senior in the fall. “But without him, I still believe we have a great team.”

Added fellow senior-to-be Jon Diebler, a 6-6 guard, “I don’t think one person is going to become the next Evan Turner. I don’t think there will be. He did such a great job and the things he did on the court were unbelievable. But as a unit we showed glimpses of it when he went down and this year we can prepare for that. And I think as a group we can fill the void.

“I have to take that next step as a basketball player and we all have to do that.”

If guys like Diebler, Lighty and 6-5 wing William Buford do indeed show improvement, this is still a very capable team – and a very dangerous one come tournament time.

As Advertised – It will be interesting to see how the six incoming freshmen mesh in and augment the veterans and certainly there will be growing pains and a need for patience and development.

But make no mistake, this six-pack is fizzy with talent.

Columbus Northland product Jared Sullinger is a 6-9, 260-pound force down low who showed in his senior year that he has legitimate range out to the three-point arc. He would have been as asset to this program two years ago but now is even more polished, as evidenced by him being named a two-time Ohio “Mr. Basketball” and the Naismith boys basketball national player of the year.

The other highly decorated recruit in the class is fellow McDonald’s All-American DeShaun Thomas, a 6-7 lefty combo forward who is a scoring a rebounding machine. Thomas will leave Fort Wayne Bishop Luers as the third-leading scorer all-time in the impressive history of Indiana prep basketball.

Those two alone are going to greatly change the landscape of the front line, which lost only 6-9 role player Kyle Madsen. In fact, Sullinger not only will provide immediate help inside for 6-8 center Dallas Lauderdale, he could take over a big chunk of Lauderdale’s minutes.

“Hopefully it’ll be like the team we had this year with a couple new guys who can come in and help us out a lot,” Lighty said. “I think our bench will go deeper. And having a number of big men is always nice. That’ll help out a lot in the Big Ten.”

The other four newcomers are 6-6 forward J.D. Weatherspoon of Columbus Northland, 6-4 shooting guard Jordan Sibert of Cincinnati Princeton, 6-3 guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. of Zion (Ill.) Zion-Benton and 6-2 guard Aaron Craft of Findlay (Ohio) Liberty-Benton.

They are all outstanding athletes who played in big-time AAU programs and won’t be afraid to enter the fray. Sibert is a major talent who appears to be a perfect fit for Matta’s system and Weatherspoon is a springy-legged lefty with a huge upside, especially if he can play on the wing. Smith and Craft are heady combo guards who can do a variety of things on the court.

Plus, unlike in the 2006-07 season when Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. were forced into leadership roles, these newbies will have the benefit of learning from a very experienced core of returning players.

“We’re going to get all the guys in here in the summer and make sure they’re ready to go,” Diebler said. “And we’re going to jell as a unit.

“With the leaders that we have coming back we’re going to try to make that transition a lot easier and we’re going to help them as much as we can because this is going to be our third, fourth summer. So we’ve been through it, and I know we’re going to want to make the best out of it.”

This is an especially key element if Craft proves capable of playing a part-time role at point guard.

“I think it would make it easier with the people that we have around if one of the freshmen were to play point guard,” Diebler said. “It would make it easier that we have two seniors on the wing and then another junior, and then Dallas inside and Jared coming in and you can go down the line – DeShaun, Jordan, Lenzelle and J.D.”

Versatility Galore – Quick, who was Duke’s point guard last season?

Just like Matta, Mike Krzyzewski would prefer to have a jet at lead guard who can distribute the ball and hawk like players out high – and he’ll have that next season in the form of McDonald’s All-American Kyrie Irving – but I think it’s safe to say it worked out OK for the Blue Devils without such a player. It worked out pretty well for Ohio State, too, as the 6-7 Turner stuck to the point and became the Big Ten’s runner-up leader in assists.

Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith – a shooter and a terrific all-around athlete – were the listed starting guards for Duke last season and came up big in the run to the national title. This season, the Buckeyes are going to use Diebler and Lighty – a shooter and an athlete – in the lead guard role at times. Who’s to say it can’t work?

This is the trend nowadays in college basketball, to have interchangeable parts with size that can do multiple things. It’s a big reason why Matta was reluctant to use smallish and limited guards P.J. Hill and Jeremie Simmons off the bench last season.

So even if Craft and/or Smith earn time with the ball in their hands, it’s still logical to think that Diebler, Lighty and Buford will have the green light to go forth with the rock, especially in transition.

All of those Buckeyes can help at more than one position while Sibert has the size to play either wing spot, Thomas and Weatherspoon are 3-4s, and Sullinger is a 4-5. Lauderdale and 7-0 backup Zisis Sarikopoulos are strictly centers but Matta wants them to be better equipped to run the floor. It’s not known yet if 6-8 Nikola Kecman plans to return but even he is capable of helping at either forward spot.

“It’s going to be a heck of a team next year,” Weatherspoon said. “We’ve got all the pieces. Every single player that is coming in can play two positions and not just one, so that’s real special.”

Shoot And Defend – Turner made the wings around him better and shot 52 percent from the field. Finding someone who can initiate the offense and score or draw fouls with the shot clock running down could be a seasonlong issue.

However, ET was not much of a threat from the outside until the end of the season when teams decided to pack it in and dare him to launch.

There could be long stretches of games this upcoming season where the Buckeyes have four or even five players on the floor with legitimate range out to 20 feet. A big key to that could be the development of Thomas, who tends to run hot and cold from the outside. If he can show that he can hit consistently from deep, the Buckeyes could be very hard to stop provided they pass and execute correctly.

Apparently, the coaches already have brought up the point with Thomas.

“If I work on my jumper and get consistent with it I think I can play the three and help us go out there and spread the floor,” he told SportsRappUp.com after the McDonald’s A-A game.

Sullinger also was dizzy with the possibilities.

“He might draw a box-and-1, which means plenty more open shots for me,” he said.

With all of the firepower on offense the bigger issue for the Buckeyes will be to play with cohesion – on both ends of the court. Certainly there is the capability for that.

In fact, Craft is a lockdown defender and Weatherspoon has similar potential defensively. Lighty is one of the top defenders in the Big Ten and Sullinger is a very intelligent performer on that end of the court. Smith and Thomas have good strength and tenacity, and Sibert is an occasional playmaker on defense, too. Diebler is fundamentally sound defensively and Buford made great strides in that department last season. Best of all, Lauderdale is an all-league defender and effective shot blocker.

More than anything, Matta will use the preseason to determine which players are best attuned to both ends of the floor.

“Basketball is such a team sport,” he said. “You see a collection of great players out there sometimes that don’t win at the rate that they should. You want five guys guarding the basketball. You want five guys sharing the basketball on offense. If you have one guy out there who’s a ball stopper or whatever, it can be disastrous.”

Lofty Goals – Last but not least, the 2010-11 Buckeyes are not going to settle for anything less than true title contention. That goes for the league season and in the NCAA Tournament.

“We’re all coming in with the same mind-set,” Sullinger said. “We all want to win. That’s all that matters. We always talk about the national championship.”

“It’s going to be crazy – me, Jared, J.D. – real crazy,” Thomas said. “We’re going to try to come out and win a national championship. With the guys we’ve got and to be able to spread the floor like that, it’s going to be crazy.”

Trust Your Gut: The Bucks Are Dangerous

Jeff Rapp — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:35:01 GMT

As Ohio State basketball fans fill out their brackets, they no doubt are staring at a loaded Midwest field that is headed by No. 1 overall seed Kansas. They look around and a peaking Georgetown squad that the 3-seed in the Midwest. ACC co-champ Maryland is the 4, Big Ten co-champ and 2009 national runner-up Michigan State is the 5. Highly athletic teams Tennessee and Oklahoma State are the 6 and 7, respectively.

They realize their beloved Buckeyes are basically a six-man team with little depth or margin for error. They see a lack of bodies to plug in along the frontline and nary a speedster point guard, unless you count the seldom-used P.J. Hill, who is not a playmaker.

I see all that, too. But I also see an Ohio State squad that is mighty dangerous right now and that grew exponentially from its run to the Big Ten Tournament title.

In last weekend’s festivities in Indianapolis, the Buckeyes got to experience to joy of winning in dramatic fashion at the buzzer vs. Michigan, the intensity of slogging through a double-overtime affair against Illinois and the confidence boost of crushing Minnesota in the championship.

At 27-7 and pegged with a 2-seed, the Buckeyes are among the hottest teams in the country. Recent events also confirm a notion I’ve had for a while now: Watch out for this team in the Big Dance.

Sure, there are legitimate concerns. However, the Buckeyes have a qualified superstar in Evan Turner and have that too-hot-to-touch feel since he has returned from a frightening injury, sporting an 15-3 record since Jan. 6 with No. 21 on the floor (upright and not flat on his back, that is).

So in keeping with the positive outlook, I offer the following reasons why the Buckeyes appear to be setting themselves up for a fun gallop through the postseason:

Options All Around – Yes, the OSU roster is about as deep as a small rain puddle, but the five who start can all hurt a defense, even a good defense.

The 6-7 Turner, of course, led the way during the regular season at 19.5 points per game but he gets lots of help with Will Buford (13.9 ppg), Jon Diebler (12.5) and David Lighty (12.3) also sporting averages well into double figures. Plus, Dallas Lauderdale and his freakishly long arms are becoming a weapon on both ends of the court. He leads the Big Ten in blocked shots and contributes 7.3 ppg, some of his hoops now coming at opportune times.

In the late-season win over then-No. 11 MSU, Turner struggled with flu-like symptoms and got off to a rocky shooting start. However, Buford came through with 17 points, Lighty added 13 and Diebler recorded a dozen on four three-pointers, including the dagger that put the Buckeyes up 68-62. That shot came off an assist from Turner, who still managed 20 points, 10 rebounds and six dimes.

Even centers Lauderdale and Kyle Madsen combined for 12 points and nine boards, proving just days after a tough 60-57 home loss to Purdue that the Buckeyes actually are capable of spreading the wealth.

It continued as the Buckeyes captured the Big Ten Tournament title as Turner was stellar and Lighty and Buford joined him on the all-tournament team. Diebler was 11 for 25 from long range in those three games and the 6-9 Madsen played perhaps the best basketball of his career.

Virtually all of the nation’s top teams have two or even three legitimate threats, but not four. Ohio State is the exception.

Respectable Board Work – Last season, rebounding was the dirty little secret in that the Buckeyes couldn’t finish off enough defensive possessions by securing the carom. Matta called for his young team to play variations of zone, which led to low shooting percentages by foes but a frustrating number of offensive rebounds allowed.

The seasonlong issue bit hardest in the stinging double-overtime loss to Siena in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In that game, 7-foot center B.J. Mullens was exposed as a rebounding imposter and the smaller Saints ran down missed shots in the paint all evening.

So far this campaign, the Buckeyes have managed to quell insecurities fans developed in watching this team attempt to rebound.

In fact, Ohio State has an overall edge on the boards this season including a margin of +1.1 per game in Big Ten play. That’s a very good sign for a team that has played against the likes of Wisconsin, Purdue, Illinois, Syracuse, West Virginia and North Carolina – granted a down UNC squad but a lengthy one all the same.

In the one-and-only matchup with Michigan State, traditionally a demon on the boards under coach Tom Izzo, OSU yanked down 38 rebounds to MSU’s 32. A 6-5 guard, Buford matched Turner with 10 boards, Lighty grabbed nine and Lauderdale had eight.

Solid Resume – The Buckeyes are just 4-4 against ranked teams this season but they also have shown they can play with anybody.

They took down a Cal team that won the regular-season Pac-10 title, manhandled Florida State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, won on the courts of their closest Big Ten competitors (Purdue and Michigan State), and avenged earlier losses at Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan in convincing fashion. The loss at West Virginia was more like a one-possession game and there is no shame in losing at Butler, a top-15 team, especially considering it was the team’s first contest after the Turner injury. The slip-up against the Tar Heels was by four points way back in mid-November.

The Experts Like ’Em – With no real black marks in the dossier, with an All-American centerpiece and with their impressive showing since the calendar flipped, the Buckeyes are becoming some kind of media darling.

Several national analysts such as Jay Bilas, Seth Davis and Bill Raftery are singing high praise for Matta’s crew and are labeling the Buckeyes as a superpower. ESPN’s Digger Phelps is among the analysts to pick the Buckeyes to win it all.

What difference does that make? Well, perception is not reality in college basketball – afterall, there is an actual tournament in place to determine a champion – but a little extra love can go a long way.

The voters, for example, seem pretty sold on Ohio State. Even with a home loss to Purdue the team did no budge in The Associated Press poll and moved up three notches in the coaches poll to sit at No. 9 in both. It followed that the NCAA Tournament committee followed suit and awarded the Buckeyes a high seed and geographic consideration. Even with the Midwest field looming, that respect could pay off as Buckeyes fans can now chase this team.

And remember, there isn’t a North Carolina or UConn or Oklahoma or UCLA or Arizona dancing this year. The field is wide open. The Buckeyes actually enter the fray as one of the big-name players after titans Kansas and Kentucky. And if they slip up …

ET The Kid – That’s how Turner refers to himself on Twitter. The rest of the nation simply calls him the best all-around player in the country. If Turner can back up that reputation with sensational play in the NCAA Tournament he will become CBS’ most marketable player and the one performer referees are going to be most afraid to tweet into foul trouble.

It’s still a little difficult to imagine even Turner capturing the fancy of the country the way Magic Johnson did in 1979, Danny Manning did in 1988 and Carmelo Anthony did in 2003. However, Turner’s ability to load up the box score and wow crowds is comparable.

In Turner, the Buckeyes have the ultimate postseason crutch, someone who can overcome rough patches of games almost by himself. Ohio State is going to need major contributions from its other starters to go far, but Turner can keep the team in solid position with his outstanding takeover ability and is going to be a hard man to stop when a tournament game is on the line.

As badly as matters went against Siena last year, the Buckeyes would have won if any of the three officials would have had the stones to call a foul at the end of regulation as Turner was clobbered going to the basket. The refs didn’t get the memo that he was an elite player last year and there didn’t seem to be any outrage about the no-call.

This year is different. The Buckeyes have a superstar – and no one is going to be looking away when he is trying to make a play.