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Buckeye Notes
Written by Duane Long   
Friday, 02 October 2009 12:00

Friday is always a slow down in the blogoshere. I assume it is the calm before the storm of Saturdays, so I go off the board and talk about other matters.

Say what you want about Mel Kiper. I am a big fan. Whether you like him or not he is the draft guru that sets the tone when it comes to the NFL Draft. Buckeye fans were hoping that Cam Heyward would fly low under the radar, not get the hype that would draw the attention of NFL GMs. That came to an end. Kiper has him as a top 5 DE in the junior class. None ranked above him are strong side ends. More bad news. Thaddeus Gibson made the top 5 at linebacker. Justin Boren is the #1 junior guard but guards in the first round are rare. No reason to go early.

Brandon Saine is making his first career start for the Buckeyes. Herron is listed as 85% ready. I think this is more about the staff believing Saine is the better back and the ankle sprain is a good reason to give Saine the nod without making it look like Herron, who has played well, has been benched. If Saine has a big game I look for the change to be permanent.

The criticism of Pryor is over the top. I don't know what fans want from such a young player. I am seeing fans talk about moving him to receiver. One that killed me was comparing him to Jake Locker, a 4th year junior. Quarterback is the toughest position in all of sports to master. Remember the stat I threw out about Chad Henne? The NFL has discovered the one stat that has proven to be the most accurate in pointing to NFL success is college starts. Reps mean everything. Comparing a 4th year quarterback to a 2nd year quarterback is just nonsense.Troy Smith was "Troy who?" as a sophmore.


I am a Steeler fan. All my friends are Browns fans. Season ticket holding Browns fans. They respect the Steelers and I have great respect for the Browns so we don't have any smack talk. We can have an honest discussion about the two teams and it is doesn't escalate. I have never seen my friends this dispondent about the state of the team. They can always find a silver lining. There was no silver lining discussion after last Sunday. The Browns might be the worst team in football. There is a strong case for it. I don't see what there is to build on. Neither quarterback is looking like a player to build on. Braylon Edwards could be the best receiver in football. He has rare skills and rare size. I don't know what is going on with him but you can't build a team around him the way he is playing. The best player on offense is Joe Thomas. I guess you start there but the Browns have no back. Lewis is shot. So I look at the defense. I don't see where adding a couple of pieces here and there, a high draft pick and a couple of free agents, gives the team a defense to try and build around. It is going to take a few years and a whole pile of money to see this team even be competitive again.

How 'bout them Bengals. Beat the Steelers. Not such a big win. I watched that game. The Bengals looked pretty good but the Steelers looked like a shadow of the best team in football that could be legitmately claimed after going through the toughest schedule in football last year. I have never been a fan of James Harrison. Consistency is the mark of a professional. He has never been. He had several high profile monster games last year that carried him to a Defensive Player of the Year award but he had games where he disappeared. Too many. Gave him a big deal and now he is looking ordinary. I don't know what is going on. To go from one of the great defensive seasons of all time to this very ordinary lot is baffling. Only 2 incidental losses as far as personnel are concerned. I don't know what to make of it. I keep hearing about age. You get old in one season? The entire defense??? I don't know. We will see.

The AFC North looks like this:

1 - Baltimore Ravens

2 - Cincinnati Bengals

3 - Pittsburgh Steelers


4 - Cleveland Browns

Not the way anyone would have projected the division preseason.

 


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Comments (12)Add Comment
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written by OSUProf, October 02, 2009
I think that we all would have predicted fourth place. :-)
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written by sehs95, October 02, 2009
am a Steeler fan. All my friends are Browns fans. Season ticket holding Browns fans. They respect the Steelers and I have great respect for the Browns so we don't have any smack talk.


You have great respect for the Browns? Why? I'm a huge Browns fan, and I haven't had great respect for them in about 20 years. Different owners, different coaches, different players...same results. Respect is earned, and they haven't earned my respect.
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written by edbuck51, October 02, 2009
I think you hit on the Pryor situation a couple of weeks ago. He' got the same problem I have with my golf game. We both work like crazy, but when it comes time to perform, we just get too dang excited. TP wants everything to happen right now, and he's pressing. Once he calms down and let's the game come to him, he's going to be lights out. Once he does that, I'm going to shoot even par on a Saturday morning.

As far as TP's critics, they will be in a long line to kiss his ring finger once he gets settled in. Until then, they provide a great opportunity to use the "ignore" feature.
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written by hondo777, October 02, 2009
The Steelers never upgraded their awful OL from last year and it shows. Parker is beat up and Medenhall hasn't showed much. They should have signed Pace when he was released and they should have went after another TB. I wished they would have traded up to get Wells. Arizona isn't even playing him.
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written by edbuck51, October 02, 2009
I totally hope Cam and Gibson stay around. I don't follow the NFL, and sure enjoy watching those guys play. Give us one more year boys, it will be a lot of fun.
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written by 1buckfaninmich, October 02, 2009
Braylon Edwards was a terrible, but typical pick, by the Browns. He could make great plays in college, but had way too many drops of easy balls, particularly drive-killing drops. I do not believe that he ever possessed the drive and will necessary to be a top player. In the OSU/Mich game in which Ted Ginn won the game with his punt return, the guy he beat was Edwards who gave up contain and gave a girlish wave of the arm effort to tackle TG. No real football player or winner would have done what he did on that play. He was simply not prepared to do the lunch pail things necessary to be a great player and a winner. No matter what the talent, he has not shown that he will ever be a great player. Anyone who knows anything about football and watched Edwards extensively at Michigan could see what I just described in him. Too many teams draft based on highlight plays, perceived potential, 40 times etc. The first question they should ask is "is this guy a consistent difference maker" on the field and the second should be "is this guy a football player" which has more to do with attitude and actual production than it does with measurables.
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written by O-State, October 02, 2009
Doesn't matter what Kiper thinks. Heyward and Gibson haven't been under the radar for NFL scouts.
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written by Hilltopbass, October 02, 2009
Mel Kyper Is pretty much a weatherman, where else could you collect a pay check for being right some of the time. Not that I think anyone else could do it any better, but I can't stand his next level arrogance.
Knee jerk critic's of TP are no more or less than what you can expect from spoiled fans that probably learened to play football at the YMCA.
Brandon Saine has looked like the biggest threat out of our backfield this year.
Duane give me a page to address the Browns, I can't cover it all here.
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written by BurghBuck, October 03, 2009
Duane I need your insight. When we knew we were about to lose Montana, we offered Hendrix. When we felt we were about to lose Hendrix, we offered Graham. Well, we have just offered Cullen Christian. Does this mean we're about to lose Joyner?
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written by Duane Long, October 03, 2009
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written by BurghBuck, October 03, 2009
Duane I need your insight. When we knew we were about to lose Montana, we offered Hendrix. When we felt we were about to lose Hendrix, we offered Graham. Well, we have just offered Cullen Christian. Does this mean we're about to lose Joyner?



It has been my contention all along that we were going to have trouble with that one. Fans point to the fact that Joyner says he loves Ohio State. That is not the most important point. He does not say he loves Ohio State more than he loves Florida State, and Florida State is in his backyard. Recruiting is a very local thing. Maybe the staff has come to the conclusion that we are not going to get him. That said, there is some buzz that Christian was the one who made it known that he would be interested in Ohio State, and that was news to the staff. Great looking player. Love to have him. I would love to have Joyner but I think Shaw and this kid are right there with him talentwise and have better size. Just give me one of the three and I would be a happy Buckeye fan. Two would make me ecstatic.
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written by NorthCoaster, October 03, 2009
Friday night game Byrnes SC vs. Ft Lauderdale St Thomas Aquinas: Joyner stood out as best player on the field, speed at a whole other level and willing to hit. He tracked down a kickoff returner and came out of nowhere to kill the return where the alley looked like a TD. A little small, but a real player. No news that he would be a great addition. Keion Payne not nearly as impressive.
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written by BOBBY HAINES, October 03, 2009
I was watching College gameday this morning and they were talking about a kid at Pitt that got his Medical Redshirt the same way that we may get one for WILSON for next year. I just erased the tape so I cant remember his name. I ll have to go over to Pitt;'s website, but he had the same circumstances where he broke his neck in the home opener and missed the rest of the season and therefore got a Medical Redshirt to come back and get a SIXTH year of eligibility.

Although I am a purist and DONT believe we are going to lose both Heyward and Gibson, it would be unbelievable to have all three of these guys back next year to shore up that DE front.
The Defense next year is going to be so incredible. I know we are going to be without Coleman, but that is our real loss. Worthington can be replaced by the young Freshmens in the middle and Spitler is certainly replaced by the youthful LBs.
I still will never understand the reluctanace of our staff in recruiting high level interior defensive linemen. They are out there and have to be interested in coming here. I would think. We are one of the top five elite programs.

As far as the DBs go, I dont know why we havent offered Riley yet too. Offer all of them and take the first FOUR of them or however many amount of spots are left on 2/4/2010 NOT including the NON QUALIFIERS like Hyde Turner Anderson and Hankins. And offer all Four of them Grey Shirt until which time they learn how to Qualify.
I am asking for your opinion on this greyshirt issue for qualifying for test scores or GPAs, and how that could work. Taking in mind that while they are trying to qualify, there is ONGOING attrition of 85 other guys losing eligibility everyday, getting homesick, getting hurt, getting in trouble, etc. etc.

One last thing. Do you have any word on who it is that is leaving after winter quarter that is opening up that extra schollies for Schuck, Gantz, and Ingham to get theirs?
I sent a email to Gene Smith asking where the three extra schollies came from that made 86, and his compliance people gave me this NCAA privacy act policy that they couldnt give me the player's name! It must be an early graduation thing after fall quarter.

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