Game Eight: Ohio State 45, Minnesota 31 (final)

[Bucklion]

We match up really, really well with Minnesota, just like Penn State did. Our rushing D will punish them, and they have no passing game to bail them out. They aren't a bad team, but in this case, based on our strengths, we are going to serve them up an ass-smack sundae with bitchslap sauce.

[jwinslow]

Originally Posted by Bucklion

We match up really, really well with Minnesota, just like Penn State did. Our rushing D will punish them, and they have no passing game to bail them out. They aren't a bad team, but in this case, based on our strengths, we are going to serve them up an ass-smack sundae with bitchslap sauce.

bingo. Schlegel is a very good MLB, but he becomes even more dominant against the run. Ashton can handle Wheelright (he's no Braylon), and Jenkins is clearly up to any task. That will free up Whitner to blitz all game long.

This defense has shut down prolific offense after prolific offense, and most of those were great passing teams (which is our "weakness" on D). Take away a lot of balance, bring a team who thrives on running (something that doesn't happen vs. Tressel's teams, especially not this year), and it gets ugly.

I'm not too worried about this one.

[DaddyBigBucks]

Yeah JW, I agree that Lion nailed it; but the following from Hiney truly gets to the heart of the matter. the match-up between our DTs and Eslinger will determine a great deal.

Originally Posted by HineyBuck

Re-jacking the thread back to Minny.

IMHO, this game will be won or lost on the play of our DTs. It's all on Pitcock and Green and Patterson and Penton (and Abdullah and Cotton if necessary). Their running game starts with their Center and Guards--and they're good ones (but I'll take our Center over their Lombardi nominee Greg Eslinger any day--he was handled by scUM's Gabe Watson). If our DTs can maintain gap, disrupt, and keep the blockers off our LBs, we will shut down their running game from the inside out. If we shut down their running game, we win.

The good news about this, is that we only need to find ONE guy that Eslinger can't handle one-on-one. If one of the 4 that Hiney mentions can handle him from the word go, then minny is gonna get drilled like your daughter on prom night. Either way, I expect that with our rotation going at DT, and with Eslinger making every snap; SOMEbody is going to start getting the better of him sooner or later.

[jwinslow]

even better that Joel Penton and Sian Cotton have been stepping up big time at DT, as well as Patterson when he moves inside.

[scarletngrey11]

Pitcock didnt play but something around 14 snaps last week, he was slightly injured but it was moreso getting him some rest. He should be fully recovered by saturday.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

ozone

10/26/05

Gopher vs. Buckeye Matchup Poses Unusual Problems for Tressel Clan
By John Porentas

There is a bit of chill in a certain household in Columbus these days.

Connie Tressel is the wife of OSU running backs coach Dick Tressel. That is in of itself is not usually a problem for Connie, but this week there is a major complication in her life. Connie is also the mother of Luke Tressel, the wide receiver coach at Minnesota. In case you hadn't heard, the Gophers and the Buckeyes will meet on the football field this Saturday, and that is presenting a bit of a problem for Wife/Mom Connie.

"My son and my husband are not talking this week, but I'm allowed to talk to both of them," Connie said last night in an interview with the-Ozone.

This game week has brought a sudden chill between father and son in the Tressel household, something Connie says is totally out of character.
"It's just fun that we're all in this crazy profession together ...except this week," said Connie.

"We usually can empathize or celebrate with each other, but this week it's sort of... ugh," Connie said.

Dick and Luke are not speaking this week, and have taken the unusual step of not even talking to Connie about the game...lest perhaps the other should wrest some tidbit about the opposing game plan from dear old mom.

"They're both being quite closed-lip about all that. Normally they both do talk to me about that stuff, but this week they're being closed lip about all that. They're both being careful,'" said Connie with a chuckle.

Connie says that the game is very important in the Tressel household, and for more than just the usual reasons.

"They're both so proud of each other. I think Luke is kind of similar to his dad, just like his dad is similar to the way his dad coached, and Luke played for his dad in college. They know a lot about each other," said Connie describing the circumstances that makes this such a competitive situation for father and son.

"I'll tell you, they both want to win very badly," said Connie.

"There are probably some bragging rights involved. Right after the game they probably won't rub it in, but later in the year they might."

The game is making for a tough week for Connie's husband and son, but it's making for an even tougher week for Connie. There is for her, of course, the problem of who, in anyone, to root for on game day.

"It's just going to be crazy. It really is hard. It really is difficult," said Connie.

"It's one of those games I really do wish there were ties, but then both of them would be unhappy, but I would happy," Connie said.

Connie is a Buckeye fan, but as you might suspect, on every other Saturday of the football season she's also Gopher fan.

<TABLE cellPadding=2 width=205 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Top: Connie Tressel glances up at the OSU scoreboard from the sideline where she is shooting photos of the OSU vs. Iowa game.
Bottom: Connie reacts when she sees that Minnesota has pulled out a win over Purdue in two overtimes.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
"When Minnesota lost that Wisconsin game I felt just as bad as when Ohio State loses a game like that. It's just like your heart gets ripped out," said Connie of Minnesota's last-minute 38-34 loss two weeks ago in their last outing.

Connie had a much better day on September 24. On that day, the Buckeyes drubbed Iowa 31-6, and on that same day, the Gophers defeated Purdue 42-35 in two overtimes in Minnesota's homecoming game. Two games and two wins made for a happy weekend in the Tressel household.
"Now they're playing each other. It's just terrible," Connie said.

Connie, who is a professional sports photographer, says she is hoping she won't have to chose what side of the stadium to sit on.

"I'm hoping I'm taking pictures. I really am hoping I'm taking pictures and have a sideline pass so I won't have to cheer for one or the other," Connie said.

It will be a problem for Connie, and for other members of the Tressel family as well.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. I do know that my other son Ben who lives in Minnesota, is a h-u-u-u-g-e Ohio State fan.

"He was just here for the Michigan State game.

"We said something to him about having tickets for him and his family, and said 'Mom, Luke gets a whole lot better tickets for this stadium. You'll be sitting way up in the corner,' so he's taking Minnesota seats. He'll be sitting in the Minnesota section, but just because he gets a better view, at least that's what he's telling his mother," Connie said.

Connie says that the game is making for some strange accommodations throughout the entire Tressel clan.

"(Ohio State Head Coach) Jim's (Tressel's) daughter Carlee is coming up for the game from Chicago. I'm not sure, but she may stay at Luke's house...but cheer for her dad. It really is quite a family problem," said Connie.

Connie is taking a bit of a more middle-of-the road approach to accommodations in Minneapolis.

"Actually I'm staying with Ben, my middle son," said said, thereby avoiding some potentially tense family moments prior to the game.

"We were up there 23 years, so our kids grew up in Minnesota.

"We lived in Minnesota so long, we have so many friends coming to the game. They're not committing one way or the other either."

Connie's brother-in-law, Jim Tressel, is not unmindful of Connie's dilemma.
"Actually Jim said to me 'I bet you're hoping for a 50 to 49 game, because my son is the receivers coach and my husband is the running backs coach.

I'm not going to say who I want to have the 50 and who I want to have the 49. I will say that Luke is my baby, my youngest son," said Connie.

Don't take that as a leaning. Connie is still torn as of this date. She wouldn't tell us what color shirt she would be wearing on game day, but she did say it has four colors. We're betting Scarlet, Maroon, Gold and Gray.

"We're so proud of Luke. To be coaching in the Big Ten is so exciting. It's just too bad we have to play each other," she said.

"Luke figures he's outnumbered, because he's got uncle and dad on the other side."

Kickoff and the game that ensues figures to be a tense time for the Tressels, but Connie says once the game is over, no matter who wins, everything will be all right...to some extent.

"We plan on being out together after the game," she said.

Connie's stomach acid level is high this year, but next year, it will go through the roof. Not only do the Buckeyes meet Minnesota again, thereby renewing the week of the chill, but OSU also has Cincinnati on the schedule, and her son Mike is on that staff. That's right, dad will be taking on two of his sons in one season. Mom isn't looking forward to it.

"That just makes me sick. This year is hard enough. Next year I may just crawl into a hole and hibernate for a while," Connie said.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

onzone

10/26/05

Running Game Coming to Life for Buckeyes

By John Porentas

Don't look now, but there's a spark of life in the OSU running game.

Antonio Pittman is quietly putting up some nice numbers this season as OSU's number one tailback. Through seven games, Pittman has rushed 136 times for 696 net yards. That's an average of 99.4 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. At that pace, Pittman will rush for 1192 yards this season, and that would rank as the 17th best season rushing performance in Ohio State history, just behind Keith Byars' 1983 season (1,199 yards on 222 attempts) and ahead of Ron Spring's 1977 season (1,166 yards on 200 attempts).

That's not bad for a sophomore who is just really getting to know the college game, but Pittman remains low-key about his success this season.

"The offensive line is coming to together more. They're just opening up big holes and I have no choice but to run through them. I give all the credit to them," said Pittman.

At 195 pounds, Pittman is not exactly your prototype Big Ten bruising running back, but has proven durable enough this season to have carried the bulk of the rushing load for the Buckeyes.

Last Saturday against Indiana, Pittman went for 136 yards on 26 carries, but also got some help at tailback from freshman Maurice Wells. Wells got just five carries, but managed 50 yards in his limited duty.

"Maurice Wells has consistently been our number two running back," said OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel. "We thought he had a really good week of practice," said Tressel explaining why Wells saw some playing time against the Hoosiers.

Pittman says he welcomes the idea of someone like Wells emerging as a serviceable second running back for the Buckeyes.

"It's very important, having a good one-two punch (at tailback) like Minnesota has," said Pittman referring to the Gopher tandem of Lawrence Maroney and his backup, freshman Gary Russell.

"They have a great backup. Everybody needs a great backup. You never know what could happen. Being a running back here and going through what I went through last year with not moving the ball at all, you don't really want that to happen. If I was to go down I would want him to keep it going so we won't have any talk of Ohio State needs to rebuild the running game or anything like that," Pittman said.

Aside from the possible injury aspect, Pittman says there another very good reason to develop a second running back.

"You're taking a lot of shots plus you're trying to go hard," said Pittman describing a typical day at the office for a Big Ten running back.

"Five, six people on top of you takes a little out of you. Every play you're getting up off the ground and you're 195 pounds, and you have people on you who are 300. You do the math, you've got like 3000 pounds on you," Pittman said.

That, according to Pittman, is where Wells comes in as a guy who can give him a bit of breather during Big Ten games.

"I'm a fan of Mo. Hopefully when he gets in there he does what I know he can do," said Pittman.

"I know I try to help him with what I can help him with. He's just like I was last year. He wants to get in there and just run."

Pittman has picked up impressive yardage this season, but his scoring numbers are not exactly in line with his yardage totals. As a matter of fact, his scoring number this season is an even zero. Pittman has yet to cross the goal line, something that is a bit of mystery to Pittman and his teammates, and something that has become somewhat of an inside joke on the team.

"We call him Quincy," said OSU starting left guard Rob Sims.

"He's running the ball great, but I think it was the movie Varsity Blues when they had that one guy that wasn't getting into the end zone. We call him Quincy, that was the guy in the movie," Sims said.

"We just joke around that it would be really nice if he got into the end zone every once in a while," added center Nick Mangold.

"We're trying to see if he'll come up with special dance when he finally gets in there."

Pittman had difficulty keeping a straight face when asked about the ribbing he is getting from his teammates.

"It's all in fun. That's all I'm going to say. It makes me laugh. It makes me laugh a lot," said Pittman.

The joking is just that, joking, because the Buckeyes would like nothing better than to see Pittman get some scoring glory for doing all the dirty work at the running back position.

"We joke with him a lot during the week, just kind of mess with him a little bit. It really is a focus for us. I would love to see him get into the end zone," said Mangold.

"I feel bad for him not scoring," said linebacker A. J. Hawk.

"He's been running hard. From the day Tony got here I realized that he's not that big, but he runs hard, he's tough to take down. I feel bad for the guy not getting a touchdown yet.

"Tony does so much work to get us down there and for some reason or another he doesn't get to score. That's tough," Hawk said.

Most the Buckeyes agreed that it is just a matter of time until Pittman gets across the goal line.

"We're so proud of him that he can go out there every game and not complain about not having any touchdowns, just run and get his 100 yards. He'll get in there," said Sims.

[DaddyBigBucks]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=775 align=left bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=10></TD><TD vAlign=top width=635>

2005 Big Ten Week Nine

<!--body text --> <TABLE id=table1 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Big Ten Fearless Predictions
Oct. 29 - Week Nine, Part 2
Big Ten | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Michigan | Michigan State
Minnesota | Northwestern | Ohio State | Penn State | Purdue | Wisconsin

Big Ten picks Sept 3 | Sept 3, Part 2 | Sept 10 | Sept 10, Part 2 | Sept. 17 | Sept 17, Part 2
Sept 24 | Sept 24, Part 2 | Oct 1 | Oct 1, Part 2 | Oct 8 | Oct 8, Part 2 | Oct 15 | Oct 15, Part 2
Oct 22 | Oct 22, Part 2 | Oct 29

CFN Big Ten Record: 43-15 straight up, 23-31 ATS

Make your picks for all the big games
Ohio State (5-2) at Minnesota (5-2) 12 pm ET ABC
Why to watch: It's the ultimate fireballer vs. the ultimate fastball hitter. Ohio State leads the nation in run defense allowing just 63 yards per game, while Minnesota leads the nation in rushing offense averaging 299 yards per game. The Gophers have had to sit and stew on the 38-34 meltdown against Wisconsin two weeks ago, and they can get right back in the mix to try to earn a tie of the Big Ten title starting with a win this week. Head coach Glen Mason went to Ohio State and would love nothing more than to beat the program that spurned him for Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes dominated Indiana last week allowing a mere 137 yards of total offense. With home dates against Illinois and Northwestern over the next two weeks, this is the toughest test they'll have before going to Ann Arbor.
Why Ohio State might win: A.J. Hawk, Bobby Carpenter, and Anthony Schlegel. The nation's best linebacking trio has made 160 tackles this year, led by Hawk's 75, and doesn't give up a thing against the run. None of them are as fast as Gopher RB Laurence Maroney, but they're all quick enough to keep him contained at the line. Minnesota faced one true running quarterback this year, Penn State's Michael Robinson, and got obliterated 44-14 with Robinson rushing for 112 yards. OSU QB Troy Smith should be able to tear off some huge runs.
Why Minnesota might win: Considering how good the Buckeye defense is, it doesn't force turnovers with only nine takeaways on the year. Minnesota shouldn't have to worry too much about losing the turnover battle and likely will get a few big breaks of its own from a Buckeye offense that has given it away 15 times this year. Yeah, OSU is number one in the nation in run defense, but the stats are a little bit skewed thanks to 12 sacks on Michigan State QB Drew Stanton netting the Spartans 116 rushing yards. Hawk and the boys haven't faced a running game like this one, and that includes the Texas attack.
Who to watch: While Maroney is Minnesota's signature star, power running sophomore Gary Russell has been almost as effective and more scores. He has good quickness and hits the hole hard rushing for 644 yards and ten touchdowns on the year with 267 yards in his last two games. Considering Maroney has 1,133 yards on the year, the Gopher offensive line must be doing a decent job. This will be its toughest test yet.
What will happen: Minnesota has had two weeks to rest up and prepare, but the defense won't be able to handle Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr., and it certainly won't be able to deal with QB Troy Smith.
CFN Prediction: Ohio State 24 ... Minnesota 17 ... Line: Ohio State -5.5 | Make your pick and compete against others
Must See Rating: (5 lock yourself in a room to watch - 1 Commander in Chief) ... 4.5

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Here's a LINK

Also, this is from their Indiana-MSU preview:

The Hoosiers are still in the hunt for a bowl game, but they're coming off two straight losses including a humbling 41-10 loss to Ohio State that wasn't nearly as close as the final score would indicate.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Folanator]

Here is a descent Minny board if you want to wander over. Descent posters.
http://p218.ezboard.com/fthehole84398frm7

The insiders Minny board is lame.

[craigblitz]

So I ventured over to the site listed above, and read this post first

I remember seeing Daniels getting some time against Wisconsin. I would like to think that we've been 'hiding' him, and we're about to turn him lose against OSU this week, but I have a feeling he will end up being very similar to Brandon Owens as a freshman.

and then had to quickly leave because I have Bucknuts Message boards flash backs.

[BuckNutJoeHall]

Just figured id comment on the article that the guy in Varisty Blues was Wendell Brown...not Quincy....GEEEESH lol....yea i watch a lot of movies...

[DaddyBigBucks]

Originally Posted by craigblitz

So I ventured over to the site listed above, and read this post first

I remember seeing Daniels getting some time against Wisconsin. I would like to think that we've been 'hiding' him, and we're about to turn him lose against OSU this week, but I have a feeling he will end up being very similar to Brandon Owens as a freshman.


and then had to quickly leave because I have Bucknuts Message boards flash backs.

Yes, you will.

[Taosman]

Minny is ranked #64 in net punting! Uh Oh! The special teams play should be VERY interesting in this game!

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Tressel said that Everett and Barton are "questionable" for this game, looks like Boone gets another start.

[osugrad21]

Cleveland PD

10/27

Gophers sporting their Buckeye look



Thursday, October 27, 2005 Doug Lesmerises

Plain Dealer Reporter
Columbus- Last week, an Ohio-heavy crowd filled the stands at Memorial Stadium in Indiana. Saturday at the Metrodome, the Ohio crowd will be on the field - in Minnesota uniforms.
Ohio State has already faced Michigan State freshman running back Javon Ringer from Chaminade-Julienne in Dayton and in two weeks will see Northwestern freshman running back Tyrell Sutton, Ohio's Mr. Football last year. According to OSU recruiting coordinator Greg Gillum, there are 89 Ohioans on Big Ten football rosters, and that's not counting the 81 with the Buckeyes. But no school offers Buckeye fans the chance to ponder the what-ifs more than Minne sota, where for mer Buckeye Glen Mason works his old turf every year.
The Golden Gophers feature 16 Ohio natives on their roster, including starting senior defensive tackle Anthony Montgomery from John F. Kennedy High in Cleveland.
That's more than any state other than Minnesota. Ohio State, meanwhile, has just one player from Minnesota, freshman linebacker James Laurinaitis, and he's the first OSU scholarship player from Minnesota since Hall of Fame quarterback Sid Gillman in the '30s.
"I've got great respect for the high school programs in the state of Ohio," Mason said. "Ohio State can't take them all, and all the kids who want to go to Ohio State don't get the chance to go there."
Mason welcomes them with open arms. Besides Montgomery, there is starting quarterback Brian Cupito, who came from McNicholas High in Cincinnati. Two other major offensive components, backup running back Gary Russell and receiver Ernie Wheelwright, came from Columbus' Walnut Ridge High. Three players - Alex Daniels, Keith Massey and Dominic Jones - from Columbus' Brookhaven High, last season's Ohio Division II state champion, are Gophers. Jones starts at strong safety. Starting cornerback Trumaine Banks is from Columbus' Eastmoor Academy, freshman kicker Jason Giannini is from Glen Oak in Canton and senior receiver Jared Ellerson went to Copley High.
"I know Jared Ellerson, and when I go back home, there's some word between me and him," Ohio State running back Antonio Pittman, from Akron's Buchtel High, said with a smile. "And now it's time to play, and I know that's what they're saying they want to do. For them, it's like revenge."
"Growing up in Ohio and watching Ohio State, you either wanted to play with them or against them," said Wheelwright, a sophomore who has 18 catches this season, one more than Ellerson. "Most kids wanted to play with them. But even playing against them is an honor."
All of them playing for Ohio State wasn't a possibility. It would be hard to cram the 170 Ohioans in the Big Ten into 85 scholarships.
"I'll be honest, our number one priority is to take all the Ohio kids that meet our qualifications," said Gillum. "Our first and foremost priority is to look at Ohio high school football players. All things being equal, kids from Ohio get first priority."
But Gillum knows what fans will wonder when Ohio kids wind up elsewhere
"There's going to be that, 'Well, why isn't he here?' There's always a story behind it," Gillum said. "Was there a position need the year he came out? There can be a depth question, questions the average person doesn't think about as to why they're not at Ohio State. There are going to be those kids that are going to go somewhere else and flourish. We recognize that there is enough talent in Ohio to go around."
Most of the time, the coaches root for those Ohio kids. On Saturday, some of those Ohio kids would like to make everyone think about those what-ifs a little harder.
"We all made the right decision by coming here," said Jones, the Gophers' freshman safety. "But just through all the negative things we received by not going there or for them not recruiting us or recruiting us too late, it really doesn't matter now."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
dlesmerises@plaind.com, 216-999-4847