How will our Buckeyes fare in 2007?

[ScarletBlood31]

I think that the defense will be more than willing to shut up Hart next year. I think that they will be better because of experiance, and while our offense may not be nearly as explosive, scUM's defense won't be as "good" as they were last year.

IMO, Chris Wells will have a breakout year, and will be the workhorse taking 20-25 carries a game.

[Flocka]

Originally Posted by ScarletBlood31

I think that the defense will be more than willing to shut up Hart next year. I think that they will be better because of experiance, and while our offense may not be nearly as explosive, scUM's defense won't be as "good" as they were last year.

IMO, Chris Wells will have a breakout year, and will be the workhorse taking 20-25 carries a game.

Bold predictions.

[Taosman]

Has the NC loss tempered or changed anyone's thinking on next year?
For me.........no.
I think Troy and the WRs will be missed the most.
We could easily lose 3-4 games next year.

[calibuck]

Defense won't be as dominating, simply because the interior DL positions won't get the penetration (hopefully the new guys will), and if they do, the lack of having adequate backups (through no DL recruiting studs) will tire them out, unlike the solid rotation OSU could throw at teams last year.

LB is fine, lose nobody that cannot be easily replaced. DB will miss the two seniors, that seemed to be the 'glue' that held it all together. Malcomb is a future NFLer, but the two seniors 'made' that backfield in my opinion.

Offense will be more iffy. Course it's bloody difficult to replace a Heisman trophy winner AND a very seasoned QB (Zwick) at once. Boeckman and Schoenhoft will alternate, and (for me anyway) Henton is a wild card. If those two cannot hit the WRs, then Henton will go in as an option type. I'd pencil in Schoenhoft as starter (just a hunch).

OL is the big question. Without these horses, then it doesn't make any difference who's at QB. There is a plethora of solid juniors, but no one has made the 'push' to be a starter. Should be plenty of experience, so maybe by committee. Add a healthy Cordle and a RS Smith, and the OL should be solid. Maybe push Boone some more, as he now knows what he'll face in the NFL.

RB - ahhhhh, it looks good with Beanie, and his success depends on the above two (OL and QB). If he's facing 9 in the box, Superman couldn't gain yards consistently. The FB position looks fine for the run, but not sure about Johnson's ability to catch the flare.

All in all, we'll be better than average for teh Big 10. Figure we'll lose to Penn St, probably Meeeee-she-gun, and maybe Purdue. Else we'll be in the hunt for a BCS Bowl again. I also believe we can go 10-1 with some good bounces. Tress and Co are back intact (so far as of Jan), and they'll adapt their plans to the personnel on board.

Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give 'em hell, OHIO!

[Bestbuck36]

Our only loss will be to a one loss PSU in Happy Valley. I think either scum or Wisky gets them in conference and sets up 3 way tie in the Big10 with tOSU, PSU and either Wisky or scum, whomever wins their head up game assuming they play.

I see us in another BCS bowl next year and might just slip into the big one if everyone else has a loss and our game against PSU is very close.

[MililaniBuckeye]

I'm leaning towards 11-2 with a major bowl win right now. But, I think we will do well in Ann Arbor, because we'll have "nothing to lose" going into that game, unless we have a significantly better record than them.

[CleveBucks]

10-3, third in the Big Ten (L's to Penn State, Michigan, and one letdown game), with an Outback Bowl win

I'm a little more glass-half-empty on the QB situation, but obviously nobody knows how that plays out.

[SanClementeBuck]

Way too early to predict '07, imho. Wait til after summer workouts to figure out commitments to conditioning and accepting of teaching.

Our D will be impressive. Depending upon maturity of QB, the Bucks might well be formidable.

Screw the weasels!

[RhodeIslandBuck]

12-1 BCS bowl, win.

[Buck88]

I optimistically selected 10-3. That's about the best I can see at this point.

[daddyphatsacs]

Originally Posted by Bestbuck36

Our only loss will be to a one loss PSU in Happy Valley. I think either scum or Wisky gets them in conference and sets up 3 way tie in the Big10 with tOSU, PSU and either Wisky or scum, whomever wins their head up game assuming they play.

I see us in another BCS bowl next year and might just slip into the big one if everyone else has a loss and our game against PSU is very close.

I have a hard time seeing us lose to PSU next season. They are losing quite a bit of their defense.

[OCBucksFan]

Originally Posted by king rhabuf

Loses to Wisconsin and Michigan next year.

Mike Hart came back just TO BEAT OHIO STATE.

That logic makes no sense. First off, I am not saying we will or will not beat meatchicken, however, the odds are in tOSU's favor. First things first, if Henne and Hart haven't beaten the Bucks yet what gives them some advantage next year? The way I see it, they choke and odds are will choke next year.

They have lost in our house.
They have lost in their house.

Maybe they will win, maybe they won't but at this point I would give the nod to tOSU.

[buckeyebilly]

New starting QB, RB, and acouple recievers,oh and what one or two offensive lineman. And aren't we replacing one or two on the defensive line ?
I hope for 13-0, but I don't see it being realistic. I can see 11-2, but unless our young new starters mature fast, we could be 10-3.
But as long as we shut Mike Hart's mouth and beat SCUM in the end I'll live with a otherwise less than perfect season.

[AirForceBuck]

My feeling for nest year is 1 or 2 losses. Wisconsin, Michigan and PSU will be the biggest games next year (as usual). If we were to play tomorow, my VERY early starting O-line up guess would look:

QB - Boeckman, love the age, the experience and the power
RB - Chris Wells, no suprise here
FB - We have experience left over with Johnson Jr.
SE - Robo, he has great hands and like his height
Slot - Brian Hartline, the experience he got last year was a big addition to his talent
FL - Small showed flashes of speed and skill needed for the offense next year
LT - Boone, again no suprise here, hopefully he works a bit harder in the offseason on his speed and tenacity
LG - Rehring, another gimme, needs to work on his conditioning a bit
C - Tyler Whaley has the most experience, but Cordle is awaiting for his turn
RG - This is a contest between Mitchum, Connor Smith, and Person, IMO
RT - Barton is back!
TE - Nicol with a backup of Ballard

[OSUBuckeye4Life]

10-3

One loss coming to a team that we "shouldn't lose to."