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SanAntonioBuck
RIP Our Friend and Hero
I'd be happy with the same score from last year.OregonBuckeye;637470; said:
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SanAntonioBuck
RIP Our Friend and Hero
The vbookie thread has the spread at 30.5. :)Buckeye86;637491; said:
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HilmerJ
Heisman
the only reason Indiana scored last year was because of a BS fumble by TG2(his progress was stopped) and they ran it back...
the FG they got was a gift, on a late hit by mike kudla...they went for it on fourth down, and missed but kudla hit the QB late, and they got the ball back and made a FG(now that was ok, cuz on the kickoff TG2 took it back 97 yards...i know it was called back, but it was fun to watch "Secretariet at the Belmont")
the FG they got was a gift, on a late hit by mike kudla...they went for it on fourth down, and missed but kudla hit the QB late, and they got the ball back and made a FG(now that was ok, cuz on the kickoff TG2 took it back 97 yards...i know it was called back, but it was fun to watch "Secretariet at the Belmont")
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IU notebook
Upset rejuvenates Hoosiers, brings about many ?what-ifs??
By Steve Warden
The Journal Gazette
If only Indiana?s Hoosiers could have the first month of the season back.
If only they could call a mulligan and invite Southern Illinois back to Bloomington, where the Division I-AA Salukis stunned the Hoosiers 35-28. And if only IU could get another crack at Connecticut, which won 14-7. If only ? where would Indiana be right now?
Instead of coming off a 31-28 upset of then-15th-ranked Iowa last Saturday with a 4-3 record and looking at a small margin of error to earn a 6-6 mark at the end of the season and qualify for a bowl game, the Hoosiers could be 6-1 at best, or maybe 5-2.
Unless a snowball melts waaaaay south of here ? if you?re familiar with the phrase ? or unless Henny Penny was right all along about Armageddon, Indiana is probably going to be 4-4 when it returns Saturday from Columbus, Ohio, where it will play No. 1 Ohio State (7-0).
Four wins, four losses with four games left on the schedule ? home to Michigan State, at Minnesota, home to Michigan and at Purdue.
Two more victories and IU could be in a bowl game for the first time since it lost to Virginia Tech in the 1993 Independence Bowl.
Clearly, the change in attitude has rejuvenated the Hoosiers.
?The challenge to them last week was, you control your attitude, trust yourself, trust your teammates and trust your coaches,? IU coach Terry Hoeppner said.
?It?s the story about the two-by-four ? if you lay that two-by-four on the ground, we can all walk across it because the risk is not very great. But put that two-by-four up about 100 feet in the air. Now who wants to walk across it?
?When the risk is greater, when the rewards are higher, that?s when you really have to trust yourself, trust your teammates, trust your coaches.?
Toast from Tostitos
The Hoosiers? upset victory over the Hawkeyes gave them some national attention.
Indiana was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, selected by the pollsters of the Football Writers of America Association?s Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.
IU beat out Vanderbilt and Auburn for the honor. Vanderbilt upset Georgia, ranked 16th at the time, 24-22, and Auburn beat second-ranked Florida 27-17.
Odds aren?t good
Indiana?s victory over Iowa on Saturday didn?t inspire much confidence in the oddsmakers.
The Hoosiers opened up as 34 1/2 -point underdogs to top-ranked Ohio State ? the largest point spread on the board. The next closest was LSU being a 30-point favorite over Fresno State.
First time since ?
When redshirt freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis was named the Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 255 yards and three touchdowns against Iowa, the honor came a week after IU?s Marcus Thigpen was selected as the league?s Special Teams Player of the Week for his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 34-32 victory at Illinois.
The Lewis-Thigpen combination was the first time IU has had back-to-back Big Ten player-of-the-week selections since 2001, when Antwaan Randle El and Levron Williams were chosen.
Against Iowa, Fort Wayne?s James Hardy had eight receptions for 104 yards and three touchdowns. In doing so, Hardy became the first Indiana player to have three touchdown receptions in a game since 1983 when Duane Gunn had three scores against Minnesota.
Hardy moved into a four-way tie for fifth place on Indiana?s all-time touchdown receptions list. His 14 career total has him tied with Gunn, Rob Turner and Bill Malinchak. He is one behind Trent Smock for fourth place and four behind Thomas Lewis for third place. The career leader is Jade Butcher with 30.
And finally in the ?it?s been awhile? list, the wins over Illinois and Iowa marked the first time the Hoosiers have had back-to-back Big Ten wins since 2001, when they defeated Northwestern and Michigan State on consecutive weeks.
The last time the Hoosiers have had three straight conference victories was in 1993, when they had four in a row over Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State. That was also the last time an IU team went to a postseason bowl game.
IU notebook
Upset rejuvenates Hoosiers, brings about many ?what-ifs??
By Steve Warden
The Journal Gazette
If only Indiana?s Hoosiers could have the first month of the season back.
If only they could call a mulligan and invite Southern Illinois back to Bloomington, where the Division I-AA Salukis stunned the Hoosiers 35-28. And if only IU could get another crack at Connecticut, which won 14-7. If only ? where would Indiana be right now?
Instead of coming off a 31-28 upset of then-15th-ranked Iowa last Saturday with a 4-3 record and looking at a small margin of error to earn a 6-6 mark at the end of the season and qualify for a bowl game, the Hoosiers could be 6-1 at best, or maybe 5-2.
Unless a snowball melts waaaaay south of here ? if you?re familiar with the phrase ? or unless Henny Penny was right all along about Armageddon, Indiana is probably going to be 4-4 when it returns Saturday from Columbus, Ohio, where it will play No. 1 Ohio State (7-0).
Four wins, four losses with four games left on the schedule ? home to Michigan State, at Minnesota, home to Michigan and at Purdue.
Two more victories and IU could be in a bowl game for the first time since it lost to Virginia Tech in the 1993 Independence Bowl.
Clearly, the change in attitude has rejuvenated the Hoosiers.
?The challenge to them last week was, you control your attitude, trust yourself, trust your teammates and trust your coaches,? IU coach Terry Hoeppner said.
?It?s the story about the two-by-four ? if you lay that two-by-four on the ground, we can all walk across it because the risk is not very great. But put that two-by-four up about 100 feet in the air. Now who wants to walk across it?
?When the risk is greater, when the rewards are higher, that?s when you really have to trust yourself, trust your teammates, trust your coaches.?
Toast from Tostitos
The Hoosiers? upset victory over the Hawkeyes gave them some national attention.
Indiana was named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week, selected by the pollsters of the Football Writers of America Association?s Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll.
IU beat out Vanderbilt and Auburn for the honor. Vanderbilt upset Georgia, ranked 16th at the time, 24-22, and Auburn beat second-ranked Florida 27-17.
Odds aren?t good
Indiana?s victory over Iowa on Saturday didn?t inspire much confidence in the oddsmakers.
The Hoosiers opened up as 34 1/2 -point underdogs to top-ranked Ohio State ? the largest point spread on the board. The next closest was LSU being a 30-point favorite over Fresno State.
First time since ?
When redshirt freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis was named the Big Ten co-Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 255 yards and three touchdowns against Iowa, the honor came a week after IU?s Marcus Thigpen was selected as the league?s Special Teams Player of the Week for his 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 34-32 victory at Illinois.
The Lewis-Thigpen combination was the first time IU has had back-to-back Big Ten player-of-the-week selections since 2001, when Antwaan Randle El and Levron Williams were chosen.
Against Iowa, Fort Wayne?s James Hardy had eight receptions for 104 yards and three touchdowns. In doing so, Hardy became the first Indiana player to have three touchdown receptions in a game since 1983 when Duane Gunn had three scores against Minnesota.
Hardy moved into a four-way tie for fifth place on Indiana?s all-time touchdown receptions list. His 14 career total has him tied with Gunn, Rob Turner and Bill Malinchak. He is one behind Trent Smock for fourth place and four behind Thomas Lewis for third place. The career leader is Jade Butcher with 30.
And finally in the ?it?s been awhile? list, the wins over Illinois and Iowa marked the first time the Hoosiers have had back-to-back Big Ten wins since 2001, when they defeated Northwestern and Michigan State on consecutive weeks.
The last time the Hoosiers have had three straight conference victories was in 1993, when they had four in a row over Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern and Michigan State. That was also the last time an IU team went to a postseason bowl game.
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Hoosiers believe they can contend for Big Ten
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
10/18/2006
http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1699&dept_id=46370&newsid=17342740
COLUMBUS -- That same Indiana team that lost to I-AA Southern Illinois, the same one that allowed 52 points in three quarters to Wisconsin will be on display Saturday against Ohio State.
And their coach believes they're now Big Ten title contenders.
At 2-1 in the Big Ten, Indiana has won two straight, including a stunning 31-28 win Saturday over then-No. 15 Iowa. Because of that, Hoosiers coach Terry Hoeppner, the eternal optimist, believes his team could be on the verge of something special.
''People all over the nation watched us go toe to toe with a team that was contending for a Big Ten championship,'' Hoeppner said following the Hoosiers' big win Saturday. ''Well, it looks to me like we're contending for the Big Ten championship.''
Uh-huh. Better tell that to the oddsmakers. Indiana is listed as a 31-point underdog this week against the top-ranked Buckeyes.
There's no question Indiana has shown remarkable improvement since a three-game losing streak -- to I-AA Southern Illinois, Connecticut and Wisconsin -- left the Hoosiers at 2-3 overall and with dim hopes of a bowl game, which has always been Hoeppner's goal for this season.
But Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel believes a big reason for Indiana's struggles was the loss of Hoeppner, who missed two weeks while undergoing more brain surgery earlier this year.
He had surgery during the offseason to have a tumor removed, then doctors were forced to go back in two weeks into the season when another mass was detected in his head.
It turned out to be just scar tissue, and Hoeppner returned in time to coach the Hoosiers against Wisconsin on Sept. 30.
''I feel great,'' Hoeppner said days before the game against the Badgers. ''All the thoughts and prayers of people all over the country obviously are working because I feel fantastic.''
That fantastic feeling left as soon as Badgers quarterback John Stocco began throwing the ball around. Stocco threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters against Indiana, building the Badgers a 52-0 lead before departing.
Hoeppner was most disappointed in his pass defense following that debacle, but Indiana has steadily shown improvement in all areas ever since.
''I think they're a lot like their coach,'' Tressel said. ''They're tough. They're courageous. They go as hard as they can possibly go. They don't care what anyone thinks about their chances. They just play and play and play.''
That begins with freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis, who replaced Blake Powers as the starter after Powers lost his job to a leg injury. Lewis completed 19-of-25 passes last week against Iowa, throwing for 255 yards and three touchdowns while running for a fourth.
It was the next step in an evolution that really took off the week before against Illinois, when Lewis drove the offense 65 yards in 10 plays to set up the game-winning field goal.
''He does a good job of keeping things alive,'' Tressel said, ''and when you keep things alive, that's huge.''
Indiana has done a nice job of keeping games alive this year, not just plays. The Hoosiers this year trailed Ball State 23-7, Illinois 25-7 and Iowa 21-7, but rallied to win all three.
''That tells me somebody's got to have some poise,'' Tressel said, ''and usually it starts with the guy that's got his hands on the ball all the time.''
When Hoeppner took the job at IU, he began by proclaiming Indiana could win every game on its schedule last year. That clearly didn't happen, but at 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference, the Hoosiers are tied for fourth place in the Big Ten and ahead of both Penn State and Iowa. The win over the Hawkeyes last weekend was Indiana's first over a top 15 program since it upset No. 9 Ohio State in the Horseshoe, 31-10 in 1987.
Because of that, Hoeppner has his players believing they can play with anyone. That theory will receive a difficult test over the next month, since the Hoosiers have to play the top two teams in the country within the next four weeks -- Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan.
Still, the question Hoeppner asked reporters following Indiana's win last Saturday could soon become the team's new mantra.
''Why not us?''
Hoosiers believe they can contend for Big Ten
JASON LLOYD, Morning Journal Writer
10/18/2006
http://www.zwire.com/site/printerFriendly.cfm?brd=1699&dept_id=46370&newsid=17342740
COLUMBUS -- That same Indiana team that lost to I-AA Southern Illinois, the same one that allowed 52 points in three quarters to Wisconsin will be on display Saturday against Ohio State.
And their coach believes they're now Big Ten title contenders.
At 2-1 in the Big Ten, Indiana has won two straight, including a stunning 31-28 win Saturday over then-No. 15 Iowa. Because of that, Hoosiers coach Terry Hoeppner, the eternal optimist, believes his team could be on the verge of something special.
''People all over the nation watched us go toe to toe with a team that was contending for a Big Ten championship,'' Hoeppner said following the Hoosiers' big win Saturday. ''Well, it looks to me like we're contending for the Big Ten championship.''
Uh-huh. Better tell that to the oddsmakers. Indiana is listed as a 31-point underdog this week against the top-ranked Buckeyes.
There's no question Indiana has shown remarkable improvement since a three-game losing streak -- to I-AA Southern Illinois, Connecticut and Wisconsin -- left the Hoosiers at 2-3 overall and with dim hopes of a bowl game, which has always been Hoeppner's goal for this season.
But Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel believes a big reason for Indiana's struggles was the loss of Hoeppner, who missed two weeks while undergoing more brain surgery earlier this year.
He had surgery during the offseason to have a tumor removed, then doctors were forced to go back in two weeks into the season when another mass was detected in his head.
It turned out to be just scar tissue, and Hoeppner returned in time to coach the Hoosiers against Wisconsin on Sept. 30.
''I feel great,'' Hoeppner said days before the game against the Badgers. ''All the thoughts and prayers of people all over the country obviously are working because I feel fantastic.''
That fantastic feeling left as soon as Badgers quarterback John Stocco began throwing the ball around. Stocco threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters against Indiana, building the Badgers a 52-0 lead before departing.
Hoeppner was most disappointed in his pass defense following that debacle, but Indiana has steadily shown improvement in all areas ever since.
''I think they're a lot like their coach,'' Tressel said. ''They're tough. They're courageous. They go as hard as they can possibly go. They don't care what anyone thinks about their chances. They just play and play and play.''
That begins with freshman quarterback Kellen Lewis, who replaced Blake Powers as the starter after Powers lost his job to a leg injury. Lewis completed 19-of-25 passes last week against Iowa, throwing for 255 yards and three touchdowns while running for a fourth.
It was the next step in an evolution that really took off the week before against Illinois, when Lewis drove the offense 65 yards in 10 plays to set up the game-winning field goal.
''He does a good job of keeping things alive,'' Tressel said, ''and when you keep things alive, that's huge.''
Indiana has done a nice job of keeping games alive this year, not just plays. The Hoosiers this year trailed Ball State 23-7, Illinois 25-7 and Iowa 21-7, but rallied to win all three.
''That tells me somebody's got to have some poise,'' Tressel said, ''and usually it starts with the guy that's got his hands on the ball all the time.''
When Hoeppner took the job at IU, he began by proclaiming Indiana could win every game on its schedule last year. That clearly didn't happen, but at 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the conference, the Hoosiers are tied for fourth place in the Big Ten and ahead of both Penn State and Iowa. The win over the Hawkeyes last weekend was Indiana's first over a top 15 program since it upset No. 9 Ohio State in the Horseshoe, 31-10 in 1987.
Because of that, Hoeppner has his players believing they can play with anyone. That theory will receive a difficult test over the next month, since the Hoosiers have to play the top two teams in the country within the next four weeks -- Ohio State and No. 2 Michigan.
Still, the question Hoeppner asked reporters following Indiana's win last Saturday could soon become the team's new mantra.
''Why not us?''
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Dispatch
Who will cheer when players? faith enters the arena?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
ROB OLLER
Let those with ears hear: Rudimentary religion is alive and well among Buckeyes fans, where praise and prophesying rival that of a Pentecostal tent revival. Preach it, brother. Beware the evils of ESPNU. It?s going to be No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the ?Shoe come Nov. 18.
Any old smoothtalking devil would be better than Brent Musburger.
It?s funny how some Ohio State fans accept the secular sermonizing, but they get nervous when someone from inside the program offers a prayerful "Oh ? my God."
The reasons for the worry vary, but among them is the thought that religion is fine ? as long as it doesn?t detract from an undefeated season. The externals are what matter most: film study, focusing on Michigan, mouthing the words to Carmen Ohio, no gray on their sleeves.
The internal issues ? such as whether to wear faith on their sleeves ? are best kept secret, which is why it will be interesting to watch the reaction to a faith-based public outreach scheduled for Oct. 30 in St. John Arena.
The free event, dubbed "The Main Event," is billed as an opportunity for OSU fans to get to know what makes some of their favorite Buckeyes tick. It should be subtitled, "It?s what?s on the inside that counts."
Organized by senior defensive lineman Joel Penton and endorsed by coach Jim Tressel, the evening event ? paid for primarily with donations from area churches ? will show people what the two dozen or so bornagain Christians on the team do when they?re not making Michigan State look like Jones Middle School.
"Most people only get to see us on TV, only get to see what we do in football. They don?t get an inside look at the people we really are," defensive lineman David Patterson said.
Do people care to know the who (Patterson)? Or just the what (Ohio State football player)? We shall see. It seems fair that if you?re going to judge a player by the stories in Sunday?s paper, then it wouldn?t hurt to listen to the stories in his heart.
But there?s a risk in getting to know the person, because then booing him doesn?t seem so impersonal. On the other side, there?s a risk in being seen as someone not completely committed to bringing the Buckeyes their second national championship in five seasons.
"If you?re going to speak to the Red Cross banquet on Thursday, it?s like, ?He should be working on the game plan,? " Tressel said. "But we want (college football) to be a whole experience, and we?ll take that risk."
No wonder Tressel proudly says Penton spends as much time preparing for "The Main Event" as for the Buckeyes? 12 weekly main events. It?s not that Tress doesn?t care about beating the Wolverines ? "We want to win games and we better win games," he said ? just that he cares more about the internals. He talks of the expectations put upon freshmen when they arrive on campus having been king of their high school communities.
"Everyone who goes out of town with the marching band is expecting him to take over the world and lead Ohio State to championships and go on to the NFL as the No. 1 pick, and it doesn?t always happen that way," he said. "There are always battles, just the normal things that normal students not playing football have to adjust to. But the thing they have that they can hold onto is their faith. That?s their rock."
Which is why some Buckeyes want to talk about it, Tressel said, mentioning Penton, Patterson and receiver Roy Hall, who wonders what all the fuss is about.
"We?re not giving a church service. We just want people to come out and listen," Hall said. "Faith can begin with just listening."
Listening? That?s a novel approach. Much of the din this season ? and it?s only going to grow louder ? comes from the harangue and hyperbole of those whose noise knows no bounds.
Finding perspective among the pandemonium can be difficult. Some Buckeyes and their coach want to make it easier.
Who will cheer when players? faith enters the arena?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
ROB OLLER
Let those with ears hear: Rudimentary religion is alive and well among Buckeyes fans, where praise and prophesying rival that of a Pentecostal tent revival. Preach it, brother. Beware the evils of ESPNU. It?s going to be No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the ?Shoe come Nov. 18.
Any old smoothtalking devil would be better than Brent Musburger.
It?s funny how some Ohio State fans accept the secular sermonizing, but they get nervous when someone from inside the program offers a prayerful "Oh ? my God."
The reasons for the worry vary, but among them is the thought that religion is fine ? as long as it doesn?t detract from an undefeated season. The externals are what matter most: film study, focusing on Michigan, mouthing the words to Carmen Ohio, no gray on their sleeves.
The internal issues ? such as whether to wear faith on their sleeves ? are best kept secret, which is why it will be interesting to watch the reaction to a faith-based public outreach scheduled for Oct. 30 in St. John Arena.
The free event, dubbed "The Main Event," is billed as an opportunity for OSU fans to get to know what makes some of their favorite Buckeyes tick. It should be subtitled, "It?s what?s on the inside that counts."
Organized by senior defensive lineman Joel Penton and endorsed by coach Jim Tressel, the evening event ? paid for primarily with donations from area churches ? will show people what the two dozen or so bornagain Christians on the team do when they?re not making Michigan State look like Jones Middle School.
"Most people only get to see us on TV, only get to see what we do in football. They don?t get an inside look at the people we really are," defensive lineman David Patterson said.
Do people care to know the who (Patterson)? Or just the what (Ohio State football player)? We shall see. It seems fair that if you?re going to judge a player by the stories in Sunday?s paper, then it wouldn?t hurt to listen to the stories in his heart.
But there?s a risk in getting to know the person, because then booing him doesn?t seem so impersonal. On the other side, there?s a risk in being seen as someone not completely committed to bringing the Buckeyes their second national championship in five seasons.
"If you?re going to speak to the Red Cross banquet on Thursday, it?s like, ?He should be working on the game plan,? " Tressel said. "But we want (college football) to be a whole experience, and we?ll take that risk."
No wonder Tressel proudly says Penton spends as much time preparing for "The Main Event" as for the Buckeyes? 12 weekly main events. It?s not that Tress doesn?t care about beating the Wolverines ? "We want to win games and we better win games," he said ? just that he cares more about the internals. He talks of the expectations put upon freshmen when they arrive on campus having been king of their high school communities.
"Everyone who goes out of town with the marching band is expecting him to take over the world and lead Ohio State to championships and go on to the NFL as the No. 1 pick, and it doesn?t always happen that way," he said. "There are always battles, just the normal things that normal students not playing football have to adjust to. But the thing they have that they can hold onto is their faith. That?s their rock."
Which is why some Buckeyes want to talk about it, Tressel said, mentioning Penton, Patterson and receiver Roy Hall, who wonders what all the fuss is about.
"We?re not giving a church service. We just want people to come out and listen," Hall said. "Faith can begin with just listening."
Listening? That?s a novel approach. Much of the din this season ? and it?s only going to grow louder ? comes from the harangue and hyperbole of those whose noise knows no bounds.
Finding perspective among the pandemonium can be difficult. Some Buckeyes and their coach want to make it easier.
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Dispatch
IU?s need pushes Saxon into fray
Freshman guard has given line a boost
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
For four games, it seemed Pete Saxon might take the route a lot of freshmen do in major-college football, especially freshmen on the offensive line. He was second on the depth chart at left guard but hadn?t played a snap. He looked like a redshirt in waiting. But after Indiana netted zero yards rushing in a 14-7 loss to Connecticut at home, line coach Bobby Johnson told Saxon to be ready the following week.
For Wisconsin, no less, in the Big Ten opener. So much for college orientation.
"He said, ?I expect you to make some mistakes, but after that first snap, you?re no longer a freshman anymore,? " Saxon said of Johnson?s message. " ?You can?t act like it, you can?t play like it. No one?s going to have pity on you in this league. They?re just going to smash you in the face, so play that way once you get on the field.? "
Saxon, 6 feet 6 and 310 pounds, has held his own. He played most of the game against Wisconsin, most of the next one against Illinois and got his first start last week when the Hoosiers upset Iowa. He is expected to start again Saturday against Ohio State in Ohio Stadium, not far from the rural Plain City field where only a year ago he played for Jonathan Alder High School.
"Once we played Wisconsin, after the first couple series, (any awe) kind of all went away," Saxon said. "Once you realize that you can block those guys, they don?t become these people you see on TV anymore, they just become guys you play against that you know you can beat." Saxon is one of two true freshmen now starting on the left side of the Indiana line; Rodger Saffold of Bedford, Ohio, is the tackle. In the past three games, the Hoosiers have averaged 158 yards rushing and 4.4 per carry; in the four games before that, they averaged 73.5 and 2.5.
"We?re not playing them because we want to see how freshmen do out there. It?s not an experiment," IU coach Terry Hoeppner said. "It?s the best we can do right now. They have responded."
Saxon and Saffold were among seven offensive linemen in the 2006 recruiting class. Hoeppner nicknamed them the "Seven Blocks of Limestone" ? limestone is the official rock of Indiana ? because he sees them as the foundation of a rebuilding program.
As far as any comparisons with Fordham?s famed "Seven Blocks of Granite" of some 70 years ago, don?t go there. "I don?t even know what you?re talking about," Saxon said.
Barry Blackstone, who coached Saxon at Jonathan Alder, said he?s not surprised at his rapid ascent up the depth chart.
"He?s a big, strong, tough guy," Blackstone said, "and Indiana, let?s face it, you have to figure they probably don?t have many guys like that. He?s kind of got a mean streak in him."
Saxon was schooled in a system of smash-mouth football at Alder and had a 6-7 older brother to measure himself against. He said he grew from 180 pounds as a freshman to 320 as a senior thanks to weightlifting and a "meat and potatoes" diet encouraged by Blackstone.
"His dad told me when Pete left for Indiana, he could not believe the difference in their grocery bill," Blackstone said.
Now he has training table and a chip-off-the-old-Blackstone in his line coach, Johnson.
"He doesn?t baby us," Saxon said. "He always tells us to have an attitude of violence, and that?s basically what I?ve got going for me. One of my toughest areas at this point is knowing the plays and the assignments. The one thing you can control is how hard you go and how mean you are. I try to make that my advantage."
IU?s need pushes Saxon into fray
Freshman guard has given line a boost
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Bob Baptist
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
For four games, it seemed Pete Saxon might take the route a lot of freshmen do in major-college football, especially freshmen on the offensive line. He was second on the depth chart at left guard but hadn?t played a snap. He looked like a redshirt in waiting. But after Indiana netted zero yards rushing in a 14-7 loss to Connecticut at home, line coach Bobby Johnson told Saxon to be ready the following week.
For Wisconsin, no less, in the Big Ten opener. So much for college orientation.
"He said, ?I expect you to make some mistakes, but after that first snap, you?re no longer a freshman anymore,? " Saxon said of Johnson?s message. " ?You can?t act like it, you can?t play like it. No one?s going to have pity on you in this league. They?re just going to smash you in the face, so play that way once you get on the field.? "
Saxon, 6 feet 6 and 310 pounds, has held his own. He played most of the game against Wisconsin, most of the next one against Illinois and got his first start last week when the Hoosiers upset Iowa. He is expected to start again Saturday against Ohio State in Ohio Stadium, not far from the rural Plain City field where only a year ago he played for Jonathan Alder High School.
"Once we played Wisconsin, after the first couple series, (any awe) kind of all went away," Saxon said. "Once you realize that you can block those guys, they don?t become these people you see on TV anymore, they just become guys you play against that you know you can beat." Saxon is one of two true freshmen now starting on the left side of the Indiana line; Rodger Saffold of Bedford, Ohio, is the tackle. In the past three games, the Hoosiers have averaged 158 yards rushing and 4.4 per carry; in the four games before that, they averaged 73.5 and 2.5.
"We?re not playing them because we want to see how freshmen do out there. It?s not an experiment," IU coach Terry Hoeppner said. "It?s the best we can do right now. They have responded."
Saxon and Saffold were among seven offensive linemen in the 2006 recruiting class. Hoeppner nicknamed them the "Seven Blocks of Limestone" ? limestone is the official rock of Indiana ? because he sees them as the foundation of a rebuilding program.
As far as any comparisons with Fordham?s famed "Seven Blocks of Granite" of some 70 years ago, don?t go there. "I don?t even know what you?re talking about," Saxon said.
Barry Blackstone, who coached Saxon at Jonathan Alder, said he?s not surprised at his rapid ascent up the depth chart.
"He?s a big, strong, tough guy," Blackstone said, "and Indiana, let?s face it, you have to figure they probably don?t have many guys like that. He?s kind of got a mean streak in him."
Saxon was schooled in a system of smash-mouth football at Alder and had a 6-7 older brother to measure himself against. He said he grew from 180 pounds as a freshman to 320 as a senior thanks to weightlifting and a "meat and potatoes" diet encouraged by Blackstone.
"His dad told me when Pete left for Indiana, he could not believe the difference in their grocery bill," Blackstone said.
Now he has training table and a chip-off-the-old-Blackstone in his line coach, Johnson.
"He doesn?t baby us," Saxon said. "He always tells us to have an attitude of violence, and that?s basically what I?ve got going for me. One of my toughest areas at this point is knowing the plays and the assignments. The one thing you can control is how hard you go and how mean you are. I try to make that my advantage."
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Dispatch
OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
Hoosiers lifted by coach?s return
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
If Indiana has looked like a different team lately, it might be because coach Terry Hoeppner?s return from brain surgery has inspired the Hoosiers.
And Ohio State players can relate to that.
Hoeppner, who brings his team into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, had surgery Sept. 13 to remove scar tissue that formed after he had a tumor removed in December.
Indiana was 2-0 when Hoeppner, 59, stepped away. The team lost two straight while he was gone and is 2-1 since his return.
"Coach Hoeppner missed a little time in the beginning of their season, and it might have been reflected in their play," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "As you watch them on film, I think they?re a lot like their coach. They?re tough. They?re courageous. They go as hard as they can possibly go. They don?t care what anyone thinks about their chances. They just play and play and play."
The Buckeyes have had some recent experience with coaches? health issues. Offensive coordinator Jim Bollman underwent heart bypass surgery in May, and quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels is being treated for cancer, though he hasn?t missed a single practice or game.
"Sometimes we forget, because we hear (Daniels) talk about how great he?s doing and how he?s getting so much better," receiver Brian Hartline said. "I really don?t notice a difference. I?m sure it?s difficult, but he hasn?t missed a beat."
And Hartline said he understands why the Hoosiers might be taking a cue from their coach.
"I?m sure it is uplifting and really motivating," he said. "Things like that remind us that if they can do it, why can?t we? We?re healthy. We?re dinged up, but our lives aren?t on the line."
Daniels said he?s feeling fine, though he joked, "I go home a little early. I only work 14 hours a day. I?m slacking off."
Time Warner to air replay
First, the Ohio State-Indiana game was available only on ESPNU. Then, Ohio News Network announced it would replay the game at 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday.
Yesterday, ONN announced that Time Warner Mid-Ohio has picked up the replay and will show it on its analog (non-digital) channel 24. This brings the game to more viewers, as ONN is not part of Time Warner?s analog basic cable tier. Time Warner Mid-Ohio serves 20 counties.
Injury update
Daniels said quarterback Tim Boeckman?s sprained ankle is "98 percent" and he is available to play this week for the first time since being injured Sept. 16 against Cincinnati.
Safety Anderson Russell underwent knee surgery yesterday and was released from the hospital, a spokesman said. Russell suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at Iowa on Sept. 30 and the team is aiming for him to recover in time for spring practice.
Defensive tackle David Patterson (arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 10) has not practiced this week, cornerbacks coach Tim Beckman said.
[email protected]
OHIO STATE NOTEBOOK
Hoosiers lifted by coach?s return
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
If Indiana has looked like a different team lately, it might be because coach Terry Hoeppner?s return from brain surgery has inspired the Hoosiers.
And Ohio State players can relate to that.
Hoeppner, who brings his team into Ohio Stadium on Saturday, had surgery Sept. 13 to remove scar tissue that formed after he had a tumor removed in December.
Indiana was 2-0 when Hoeppner, 59, stepped away. The team lost two straight while he was gone and is 2-1 since his return.
"Coach Hoeppner missed a little time in the beginning of their season, and it might have been reflected in their play," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "As you watch them on film, I think they?re a lot like their coach. They?re tough. They?re courageous. They go as hard as they can possibly go. They don?t care what anyone thinks about their chances. They just play and play and play."
The Buckeyes have had some recent experience with coaches? health issues. Offensive coordinator Jim Bollman underwent heart bypass surgery in May, and quarterbacks coach Joe Daniels is being treated for cancer, though he hasn?t missed a single practice or game.
"Sometimes we forget, because we hear (Daniels) talk about how great he?s doing and how he?s getting so much better," receiver Brian Hartline said. "I really don?t notice a difference. I?m sure it?s difficult, but he hasn?t missed a beat."
And Hartline said he understands why the Hoosiers might be taking a cue from their coach.
"I?m sure it is uplifting and really motivating," he said. "Things like that remind us that if they can do it, why can?t we? We?re healthy. We?re dinged up, but our lives aren?t on the line."
Daniels said he?s feeling fine, though he joked, "I go home a little early. I only work 14 hours a day. I?m slacking off."
Time Warner to air replay
First, the Ohio State-Indiana game was available only on ESPNU. Then, Ohio News Network announced it would replay the game at 11 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday.
Yesterday, ONN announced that Time Warner Mid-Ohio has picked up the replay and will show it on its analog (non-digital) channel 24. This brings the game to more viewers, as ONN is not part of Time Warner?s analog basic cable tier. Time Warner Mid-Ohio serves 20 counties.
Injury update
Daniels said quarterback Tim Boeckman?s sprained ankle is "98 percent" and he is available to play this week for the first time since being injured Sept. 16 against Cincinnati.
Safety Anderson Russell underwent knee surgery yesterday and was released from the hospital, a spokesman said. Russell suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at Iowa on Sept. 30 and the team is aiming for him to recover in time for spring practice.
Defensive tackle David Patterson (arthroscopic knee surgery on Oct. 10) has not practiced this week, cornerbacks coach Tim Beckman said.
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]OSU wants to yank the welcome mat[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Oct. 19, 2006[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? Ohio State?s players are saying all the right things about Indiana being a worthy opponent, but one change the Buckeyes have in mind could mean the Hoosiers will be in for a long afternoon on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
OSU?s best games this season ? convincing wins over ranked teams like Texas and Iowa and last week?s domination of Michigan State ? have come on the road. At home, they?ve gotten off to a slow start in two of their four games and haven?t delivered a crushing defeat to any opponent.
?We can definitely get better (on offense). I think we?re still leaving too many points on the field,? offensive tackle Kirk Barton said earlier this week.
?It?s strange because we have played some big games at the Horseshoe. We do have to get it rolling this week, that?s one of the things the coaches have been reminding us of.?
Defensive back Brandon Mitchell pointed to Ohio State?s most recent home game, a 35-7 win over Bowling Green two weeks ago, as an example of how the Buckeyes need to improve.
?We want to play a dominant game at home. Bowling Green got over 300 yards against us. I don?t think we gave the fans the kind of effort they expected,? he said.
No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) has won 14 games in a row. At home, it has won 12 of its last 13 games.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, RICHARDSON: Defensive end Jay Richardson?s mother, Deborah Johnson, who lives in Dublin, serves as an unofficial ?team mom? for many of Ohio State?s out- of-town players.
?She kind of takes them under her wing, helps them out, gets them good things to eat. A lot of those guys love it and call her Mom. It?s good to keep that family atmosphere like that about our team,? Richardson said.
Asked if his mom reminded him of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb?s mom on the Campbell?s Soup advertisements, Richardson laughed.
?She tells me, ?You better go to the NFL so I can do one of those Chunky Soup commercials,? ? he said.
WHAT BETTER GIFT?: When Barton was asked if he had fielded more requests than usual for tickets this week, since Saturday?s game will not be widely televised, he revealed his tickets were spoken for a long time ago.
?I give my tickets away at Christmas. I?m cheap. I can?t afford to buy gifts. It?s like, ?You?re going to Indiana, you?re going to Michigan?? That?s how I do it.?
REDSHIRT SUCCESS: All of Ohio State?s seniors except Richardson red-shirted their freshman seasons.
A more recent redshirt, second-year receiver Brian Hartline, says that is a process a player comes to appreciate only after he has taken the year off in most cases.
?Going through the recruiting process as a high school recruit you?re in such a spotlight and you want to remain in the spotlight. I got really frustrated (as a redshirt freshman). But, looking back, it was the best thing. But it?s definitely humbling,? Hartline said.
EARLY CHALLENGE: Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock threw down a challenge to Ohio State?s defense, which had to replace nine starters from last season, even before practice for this season began.
?The first day we came in here, the day before spring practice started, these were his exact words: ?Nobody else in the country thinks we can be the No. 1 defense in the country so let?s go out and prove it,? ? Mitchell said.
Ohio State ranks 26th nationally in total defense this week.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]OSU wants to yank the welcome mat[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Oct. 19, 2006[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? Ohio State?s players are saying all the right things about Indiana being a worthy opponent, but one change the Buckeyes have in mind could mean the Hoosiers will be in for a long afternoon on Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
OSU?s best games this season ? convincing wins over ranked teams like Texas and Iowa and last week?s domination of Michigan State ? have come on the road. At home, they?ve gotten off to a slow start in two of their four games and haven?t delivered a crushing defeat to any opponent.
?We can definitely get better (on offense). I think we?re still leaving too many points on the field,? offensive tackle Kirk Barton said earlier this week.
?It?s strange because we have played some big games at the Horseshoe. We do have to get it rolling this week, that?s one of the things the coaches have been reminding us of.?
Defensive back Brandon Mitchell pointed to Ohio State?s most recent home game, a 35-7 win over Bowling Green two weeks ago, as an example of how the Buckeyes need to improve.
?We want to play a dominant game at home. Bowling Green got over 300 yards against us. I don?t think we gave the fans the kind of effort they expected,? he said.
No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 3-0 Big Ten) has won 14 games in a row. At home, it has won 12 of its last 13 games.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, RICHARDSON: Defensive end Jay Richardson?s mother, Deborah Johnson, who lives in Dublin, serves as an unofficial ?team mom? for many of Ohio State?s out- of-town players.
?She kind of takes them under her wing, helps them out, gets them good things to eat. A lot of those guys love it and call her Mom. It?s good to keep that family atmosphere like that about our team,? Richardson said.
Asked if his mom reminded him of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb?s mom on the Campbell?s Soup advertisements, Richardson laughed.
?She tells me, ?You better go to the NFL so I can do one of those Chunky Soup commercials,? ? he said.
WHAT BETTER GIFT?: When Barton was asked if he had fielded more requests than usual for tickets this week, since Saturday?s game will not be widely televised, he revealed his tickets were spoken for a long time ago.
?I give my tickets away at Christmas. I?m cheap. I can?t afford to buy gifts. It?s like, ?You?re going to Indiana, you?re going to Michigan?? That?s how I do it.?
REDSHIRT SUCCESS: All of Ohio State?s seniors except Richardson red-shirted their freshman seasons.
A more recent redshirt, second-year receiver Brian Hartline, says that is a process a player comes to appreciate only after he has taken the year off in most cases.
?Going through the recruiting process as a high school recruit you?re in such a spotlight and you want to remain in the spotlight. I got really frustrated (as a redshirt freshman). But, looking back, it was the best thing. But it?s definitely humbling,? Hartline said.
EARLY CHALLENGE: Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock threw down a challenge to Ohio State?s defense, which had to replace nine starters from last season, even before practice for this season began.
?The first day we came in here, the day before spring practice started, these were his exact words: ?Nobody else in the country thinks we can be the No. 1 defense in the country so let?s go out and prove it,? ? Mitchell said.
Ohio State ranks 26th nationally in total defense this week.
[/FONT]
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osugrad21;637702; said:
But, look at the NCAA statistics and you'll be amazed at just how good this team has performed defensively. They are #3 in scoring defense. They are in the top ten in many of the measureables that refer to playing mistake-free, opportunistic football. They intercept you, sack you, and cause you to create turnover opportunities.
On offense, they protect their quarterback and give up only three tackles for loss a game.
They are not in the top ten in the flashy points scored or yards gained stuff. They're near the top though everywhere it counts, see http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2006&div=4&site=org.
They are quite simply the #1 team in the country.:osu:
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