SHOW THE WAY - Gatehouse Media

Transcription

BuckeyeXtra
Section G • The Columbus Dispatch • BuckeyeXtra.com
GAMEDAY+
PAGE G10
SHOW
THE
WAY
When it’s time
to lead a team,
J.T. BARRETT
has always
stepped into
the breach
JONATHAN QUILTER DISPATCH
GAME 12
ALSO INSIDE
•
at Michigan
Hunter: Take it easy on Bo-Woody analogies / G3
Amid comments, Elliott focuses on Michigan / G5
Rudock shows toughness as Wolverines QB / G8
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Plot twists add intrigue to The Game
By Bill Rabinowitz
T
his year’s Ohio
State-Michigan game was
always going
to be a special one.
It still is, but partly for
reasons different than it
seemed a week ago.
•
Until last week’s upset loss to
Michigan State, Ohio State
hadn’t lost since the second
game of 2014, a span of 23
games. After running back
Ezekiel Elliott criticized the
play-calling following Saturday’s game, the Buckeyes
were hit by questions about
whether that revealed deeper
fissures.
So this Michigan game transcends whether Ohio State can
somehow put itself back in
position for a championship.
(The Buckeyes will need a Penn
State win over Michigan State
for that.) It is just as much a
test of their resilience and character.
“I have a lot of confidence in
our guys,” Ohio State coach
Urban Meyer said. “This is a
very invested team. They had
something happen that hadn’t
happened in 400-some days.
They got hit right in the gut. It’s
my job, our coaching staff’s job
and our leaders’ job, to make
sure there is focus and attention to detail.”
When the season started,
today’s game looked to be significant for two reasons. First, it
would be Ohio State’s last obstacle on its way to the Big Ten
title game and expected spot in
the College Football Playoff.
Second, it would be the first
meeting between Meyer and
Jim Harbaugh. As soon as Harbaugh was hired as Wolverines
coach last December, the expectation was that the rivalry
would return to the fever pitch
it had when Woody Hayes and
Bo Schembechler stomped
along opposite sidelines.
Harbaugh’s arrival has rejuvenated Michigan, which had
been in decline since it lost to
Ohio State in 2006 in a battle of
the No. 1 and 2 teams in the
polls.
The Wolverines are a surpris-
Braxton Miller, right, is one of only two current Buckeyes to have lost to Michigan, a 40-34 defeat in 2011.
ing 9-2. A season-opening loss
at Utah and the botched-punt
disaster against Michigan State
are the only blemishes.
Michigan’s ascent and Ohio
State’s loss has created an unfamiliar dynamic. For the first
time all season, the Buckeyes
are not double-digit favorites.
After OSU opened as a slight
favorite, the game is now a pick
’em.
Braxton Miller and Joel Hale
are the only Buckeyes playing
today who have lost to Michigan, which last defeated Ohio
State in 2011. The other seniors
have a chance to complete a
career sweep, earning them a
fourth gold-pants trinket.
“Talking to my parents after
the (Michigan State) game,”
senior linebacker Joshua Perry
said, “I said the one thing that’s
really going to make me feel
better is getting that fourth pair
of gold pants.”
It won’t be easy. After underachieving seasons, Michigan
saved its best for Ohio State the
past three years. The Buckeyes
have little doubt that Michigan
will summon their best against
them.
The question is whether
Ohio State will — if anyone can
figure out what the best truly is
for this enigmatic Buckeyes
team.
Because of the media attention following the loss and
Elliott’s comments, the Buckeyes know all eyes are upon
them. Ohio State has been on
an almost unprecedented roll
since losing to Virginia Tech
early in 2014. Now they are
facing scrutiny.
Left tackle Taylor Decker said
it was crucial for the Buckeyes
to set aside the Michigan State
game.
“We can’t dwell on that, because if we dwell on that we’ll
go up there and lay an egg,” he
said. “And we can’t do that. We
just simply can’t go up there
and do that.”
If Ohio State beats Michigan,
the Michigan State debacle
might be looked back on as an
aberration — simply a bad day
against a good opponent that
played superbly.
If the Buckeyes lose today, no
second-tier bowl victory would
change the view that Ohio
State’s season was a disappointment.
BROOKE LAVALLEY
DISPATCH
“If we lose our last two
games, yeah, of course that
would be a failure,” defensive
end Joey Bosa said.
The Buckeyes are determined to make amends for last
week. Even in the midst of his
postgame comments last week,
Elliott sought to reassure anyone who thought the Buckeyes
would lose their edge after
losing.
“Oh, we’re hungry,” he said.
“I’m personally not going to let
anyone slack off, back off. This
game means the world to us
and everyone in Ohio.
“It’s going to look like a different team and a new team.
I’m excited to see how this
team rebounds from this loss.”
[email protected]
@brdispatch
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‘Ten-Year War’ comparison
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college sports, if not all of
sports. Not since Hayes
was fired for punching a
Clemson linebacker near
the end of the 1978 Gator
Bowl have both schools
had coaches of Hayes’ and
Schembechler’s stature at
the same time, and there’s
Commentary
an edge to Meyer and
Bob Hunter
Harbaugh that adds to the
////////////////////////////
comparison.
It’s always fun to imagine a trip back to the good
In case you haven’t
old days, and it’s even
noticed, the media will
better if we can envision
force-feed you a juicy
some especially nostalgic
story line until your belly
period reforming in the
feels ready to explode.
present, materializing
In today’s ravenous,
before our eyes. As much
tidbit-starved, 24-hour,
as Michigan fans enjoyed
seven-days-a-week news
the Wolverines’ period of
cycle, content providers
dominance in the 1990s,
believe that the viewer/
and the OSU faithful has
listener/reader can never
savored the Buckeyes’
get enough of a good
angle: You will see it, hear ruling the series since Jim
Tressel arrived in 2001,
it and read about it until
many have been conyour ears bleed and your
cerned about the state of
eyeballs fall out.
the rivalry. Harbaugh’s
So it is with the Jim
hiring was good news on
Harbaugh vs. Urban
that front.
Meyer reincarnation of
Finally, after almost 40
the “Ten-Year War.” From
years, there are two
the day Harbaugh was
coaches who have both
officially named coach at
Michigan — Dec. 30, 2014 the resumes and the temperaments to play the
— just about everybody
envisioned a rekindling of roles that Woody and Bo
the rivalry with Ohio State created for them. Starting
today in Michigan Stadias it was defined during
um, the war will begin
the days of Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes. anew.
But will it?
The narrative was as
There is no doubting
predictable as the ripped
that Harbaugh has done a
caps, stomped watches
terrific job of making
and broken down-markMichigan football relevant
ers that Hayes left in his
again. But until the Buckwake, especially after the
Buckeyes won the nation- eyes lost last week, there
were plenty of signs (startal championship last
ing with the recruiting
January. OSU won the
coups Meyer has won)
national title in 1968, and
that the Wolverines proas a first-year Michigan
gram had a ways to go to
coach, Schembechler
upset the unbeaten Buck- catch up to the juggernaut
eyes in 1969. Was that just Meyer had assembled at
Ohio State.
a coincidence or karma?
More to the point, howOSU’s upset loss to
ever, is that the college
Michigan State last Satfootball and Big Ten landurday ended any chance
of history repeating itself, scapes have changed a lot
since 1978. The Hayesbut it didn’t stop the
Schembechler era gave
Hayes-Schembechler/
Meyer-Harbaugh compar- the Big Ten its fabled Big
Two-Little Eight nickisons. Again, that’s not
name, because both
surprising.
schools pretty much
Today, most college
breezed into the OSUfootball historians regard
the so-called 10-year peri- Michigan finale which
determined the Big Ten
od from 1969 to 1978,
champion and the
during which Hayes and
league’s Rose Bowl repreSchembechler coached
against each other (Michi- sentative.
The league’s pecking
gan held a 5-4-1 edge), as
order is much more comthe high point of a rivalry
plicated now. Michigan
that may be the best in
State beat both OSU and
Michigan this season, and
the Spartans beat the
Buckeyes in the Big Ten
title game two seasons
ago. Wisconsin won the
league title in 2011 and ’12.
Even if OSU and Michigan
again become dominant,
their placement in the
East Division means that
one or the other will play a
team from the West for the
conference title after the
rivalry game. Whether we
like it or not, some of the
oomph has been removed
by that setup.
Even the coaching comparisons are unlikely to
hold up. In today’s college
football pressure-cooker,
there is a decent chance
that either Meyer or Harbaugh won’t be coaching
his team in five years,
much less 10.
Hayes hated Michigan
in ways that neither Meyer
nor Harbaugh could understand. Meyer and Harbaugh have no shared
coaching history; Schembechler was an assistant
on Hayes’ staff before
Schembechler became
head coach at Miami
University.
That led to the job at
Michigan, which led to a
famous story that Dispatch Washington correspondent Jack Torry recalled this week.
“One the Monday evening before the 1975
Michigan game, Kaye
Kessler of the old Columbus Citizen-Journal and I
caught up with Hayes
outside his tiny office at
the North Athletic Facility,” Torry said. “Earlier in
the day, some radio reporter from WJR (in Detroit) asked him what it
was like to face Schembechler. … Woody was
telling us about the WJR
reporter, got ticked off and
told us, ‘They couldn’t
beat me with one of their
own coaches so they had
to go out and hire one I
trained. Those arrogant
(bleep). (Bleep) em.’ ”
Sad as it is to say, that
kind of 10-year war will
probably never be fought
again.
Bob Hunter is a sports
columnist for The
Dispatch.
[email protected]
@dailyhunter
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!
KEY FACTORS
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By Bill Rabinowitz •
Harness emotions
Establish air attack
Last week’s loss to Michigan
State was devastating on
many levels. Now the Buckeyes have to bounce back
emotionally against their biggest rival, and
Michigan is eager to end Ohio State’s
21st-century dominance of The Game.
Can the Buckeyes summon the strength
for the challenge at a hostile Big House?
That might be a bigger question than
anything regarding X’s and O’s.
Ohio State’s passing game has
been inconsistent all season but
was nearly nonexistent last
week. With decent weather
expected today, there’s no excuse not to air
it out, and Michigan almost certainly will
force them to. Barrett hasn’t been as effective in the passing game this year as he was
in 2014, but he needs to be able to get the
ball to playmakers Michael Thomas, Braxton
Miller and Jalin Marshall.
Win the line of scrimmage
Beware of Peppers
The Spartans controlled both
lines of scrimmage last week,
attacking the Buckeyes’ experienced offensive line and
preventing Ezekiel Elliott from finding
room on the few carries he got. They also
kept J.T. Barrett in check. On offense, the
Spartans’ line got enough of a push to
turn modest gains into moderate ones. It
became death by 1,000 cuts. Michigan’s
lines, particularly on offense, are much
better than in recent years, so the OSU
linemen need an improved effort over last
week.
Man for man, Ohio State is
more talented than Michigan.
But the most talented playmaker
on the field might be Wolverines
redshirt freshman Jabrill Peppers. The
former five-star prospect is primarily a
safety, but he also has seen time at running
back and is dangerous as a kick returner.
Blessed with speed, elusiveness and instincts, Peppers is a special talent. The
Buckeyes must be aware of him at all times.
[email protected]
@brdispatch
1
2
3
4
ON THE EDGE
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•
When
Buckeyes
run
When
Buckeyes
pass
When
Wolverines
run
When
Wolverines
pass
On
special
teams
Edge
MICHIGAN
Ohio State
must get
Ezekiel Elliott
untracked
against
Michigan’s stout
front seven.
Edge
MICHIGAN
J.T. Barrett must
be able to hit
intermediate
targets as well
as the occasional deep shot. It
won’t be easy.
Edge
OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes’
front was
pushed around
some last
week. That
can’t happen
again.
Edge
OHIO STATE
QB Jake
Rudock doesn’t
have the
strongest arm,
but Michigan’s
receivers are
dangerous.
Edge
OHIO STATE
Return man
Jabrill Peppers
is a weapon,
but Buckeyes’
coverage units
have been
excellent.
!
ASK THE
EXPERTS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
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Ezekiel
Elliott
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Dispatch reporters and
editors answer questions
about Ohio State athletics
at BuckeyeXtra.com:
RB / OHIO STATE
By Tim May
Lost in the firestorm of
Ezekiel Elliott’s complaints
about the play-calling by Ohio
State coaches in a 17-14 loss to
Michigan State last week and
his declaration that he had just
played his final home game,
was his pledge in regard to The
Game.
“I’ve got to make the most of
my time left,” the junior running back said. “And I just
want to thank Buckeye nation
for making this place so special. I’m sorry about (the loss).
“We’re going to come out a
different team” at Michigan
today.
The Buckeyes made just five
first downs and gained 132
yards against Michigan State.
Elliott — the Big Ten’s leading
rusher going in — got just 12
carries for 33 yards as his
streak of 100-yard rushing
games ended at 15.
The task doesn’t get any
easier this week — the Wolverines have the No. 1 rushing
defense in the Big Ten, allowing just 100.2 yards per game.
It was not lost on most observers that Elliott was an
KYLE ROBERTSON
afterthought in the loss that
snapped the Buckeyes’ 23game win streak. Meyer said
this week that Elliott made
valid points but that his choice
of making those points to the
media was not “the proper
forum.”
Meyer also said that after
meeting with Elliott he had no
intention of benching him or
not starting him at Michigan.
After speaking of his dis-
appointment from the Michigan State game and then declaring that he intends to enter
the NFL draft in 2016, Elliott
said what matters to him immediately is the team bouncing back in one of the biggest
rivalries in sports.
“I personally am not going
to let anyone slack off,” said
Elliott, who last year rushed
for 121 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan. “This
DISPATCH
game means the world to us
and everyone in Ohio. We
represent everyone in Ohio.
“We’re going to come out
and we’re going to play a hell
of a ballgame. I’m telling you,
you’re going to see a different
team, sort of like a new team.
I’m actually pretty excited to
see how this team really rebounds from this loss.”
[email protected]
@TIM_MAYsports
Jabrill
Peppers
DB/KR / MICHIGAN
By Tim May
•
Jim Harbaugh no doubt has
a plan for the multi-use of
three-way player Jabrill Peppers headed into The Game
today against Ohio State, but
the Michigan coach had no
intention in divulging it ahead
of time.
“We keep all options open,
all opportunities available,”
Harbaugh said. “Each week
you’d like your opponent to
think all those options and
opportunities are available.”
The 6-foot-1, 208-pound
Peppers, considered primarily
a defensive player at the moment, possibly could be a
full-time offensive player
down the road — or perhaps
starting this week. Harbaugh
didn’t mind the OSU defensive
staff having to consider that,
among other things.
OSU linebacker Joshua
Perry said the Buckeyes are
prepared for the possibilities
should Michigan’s No. 5 trot
onto the field.
“Just be on high alert, because they’re going to use him
in one way or another,” Perry
said. “Any time you see a
special formation or some-
G5
PATRICK SEMANSKY
body come in who generally is
not in the offensive formation,
you have to be on high alert.”
Not that Peppers has lit it up
just yet. On offense, he has six
catches for 54 yards, 11 rushes
for 43 yards and two touchdowns, and he has thrown one
incomplete pass. On defense,
he is fifth on the team with 40
tackles and has broken up 10
passes, but has no interceptions. On special teams, he
has returned 17 punts for an
average of 11.4 yards and re-
turned eight kickoffs for a 27.9
average.
It’s more like Harbaugh and
his staff have given Peppers
the chance to apprentice
across the field this season.
“He’s played corner, he’s
played nickel, he’s played
safety,” Harbaugh said. “He’s
been a running back, he’s
been a quarterback, he’s been
a slot receiver, he’s been a
wide receiver, he’s been a punt
returner and kick returner.
That’s eight positions right
ASSOCIATED PRESS
there.”
So what’s coming?
“He’s such a good player, I
can think of five different
positions he would be really
good at in football,” Harbaugh
said. “Can somebody be the
Willie Mays of football? Can
somebody be the five-tool
player, the five-position player? Maybe.
“Maybe it will end up being
Jabrill Peppers.”
[email protected]
@TIM_MAYsports
Question: Should the Ed Warinner/Tim Beck play-calling experiment be over after this season?
Why does it seem like the added
duties for Warinner have taken
away from the offensive line, and
is it fair to say the quarterbacks
and offense have regressed with
Beck?
— Michael Stanford
Louisville, Colo.
Dispatch OSU football beat
writer Bill Rabinowitz responds:
Those are all questions that I’m
sure coach Urban Meyer will ponder as soon as the season ends.
The Buckeyes acknowledged that
it took time to get the play-calling
mechanism in sync, and the calls
against Michigan State did nothing to prove to anyone that they’ve
found a magic formula. The line,
expected to be the strength of the
offense, has been inconsistent.
Whether that’s because Warinner
added offensive-coordinator duties is debatable — and will be
debated. As far as Beck’s work with
the quarterbacks, it would be hard
to sell that as a calling card on a
résumé: Neither J.T. Barrett nor
Cardale Jones built on last season’s
success. But Meyer is not someone
who fires assistant coaches just to
make a change.
Q: Ohio State loses for the first
time since week two of last season,
and Ezekiel Elliott throws the
coaching staff under the bus. Even
if you agree with his opinions on
the play-calling, what does it say
about a player so quick to point a
finger at the first sign of adversity?
— Jerry Miller, Columbus
Dispatch college football writer
Todd Jones responds: I agree with
Elliott’s assessment of the playcalling against Michigan State, but
it’s not a good look when the Heisman Trophy candidate torches the
coaches and declares he’s not
coming back next season. The
Buckeyes are 10-1, but not everyone seems to be rowing in the
same direction for Team Drama.
Q: Did Meyer ever give a reason
why OSU didn’t try to open the
field with more downfield throws
against Michigan State? Seems like
that’s a really basic concept. After
the game, even the MSU players
were calling the Buckeyes onedimensional.
— A.J. Miller, Clinton, Iowa
Dispatch sports reporter Rob
Oller responds: Meyer did not give
a reason, but his postgame comments — extending into this week
— indicated that he was not happy
with the lack of a passing game.
He appropriately pointed the
finger at himself for what amounted to a milquetoast offense and
has vowed to become more involved in the play-calling. Why no
throws to the tight ends? Why not
more deep balls? Where are the
slant routes? Ohio State is the
most-talented, least-effective
offense (for its potential) in the Big
Ten — and maybe the country.
G6
!
GAME PREDICTIONS
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Tim May
Bill Rabinowitz
Dom Tiberi
Bobby Carpenter
Rich Eisen
OSU BEAT WRITER
OSU BEAT WRITER
SPORTS ANCHOR
WBNS-10TV
97.1 THE FAN TALK-SHOW HOST
FORMER OSU/NFL LINEBACKER
NFL NETWORK HOST
1991 MICHIGAN GRADUATE
OSU
MICH
MICH
OSU
31 23
24 21
For a classic renewal what better
than a classic score — a throwback to 1995, except reversed.
The “Ten-Year War II” between
iconic coaches has been joined.
The Buckeyes are more talented,
but can they bounce back
against a motivated team and
hostile crowd? If OSU gets its
passing game going, it should
win. But it doesn’t get the benefit
of the doubt after last week.
OSU
MICH
OSU
MICH
20 13
27 22
Finally, it’s Meyer vs. Harbaugh:
Who will blink first? The Buckeyes ride Zeke to victory while
the Silver Bullets find the end
zone as well.
The Buckeyes rebound from last
week’s almost offense-less loss
with a strong offensive performance. Urban takes round one in
the rivalry with Harbaugh.
MICH
OSU
23 20
The Buckeyes hand off to Ezekiel
Elliott 30 times in the first half,
and Braxton Miller criticizes the
play-calling at halftime. Michigan
wins on a last-second field goal
set up by a botched punt snap
by Ohio State, because the
football gods owe us one.
READERS’ CHOICE
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BuckeyeXtra.com
readers predict
the results of this
week’s top games.
Vote next week at
BuckeyeXtra.com.
•
Ohio State at Michigan
21% — Ohio
State wins by
1-10 points
45% — Michigan
wins by 1-10
points
10% — Ohio
State wins by
more than 10
24% — Michigan
wins by more
than 10
Penn St. at Michigan St.
30%
Penn
State
70%
Michigan
State
Notre Dame at Stanford
28%
Notre
Dame
72%
Stanford
Oklahoma at Oklahoma St.
63%
Oklahoma
37%
Oklahoma
State
G8
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ACROSS THE BALL
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Tough Rudock wins over Wolverines
RUDOCK FILE
By Andrew Erickson
I
" Position: Quarterback
" Year: Fifth-year senior
" Vitals: 6 feet 3, 208 pounds
" Hometown: Weston, Fla.
n the second half
of Michigan’s 28-16
win over Penn
State last Saturday,
quarterback Jake Rudock was faced with
something familiar: a
brutal hit from a Big Ten
defender.
Rudock jumped and released
a short pass and was met midair with a helmet-to-helmet hit
from Penn State defensive
tackle Anthony Zettel.
It was ruled targeting. After a
short review, the penalty was
waved off.
“I don’t know the rules of
targeting, and I don’t think I’ll
understand them after this
year,” Rudock said after the
game. “Whatever they call, I’m
sure they’re the ones who read
the rulebook and know all that
stuff.”
What wasn’t open for debate
was Rudock’s toughness. The
graduate transfer quarterback
stayed in the game, earning the
praise of his coach, Jim Harbaugh, himself a former Michigan quarterback.
“He is so tough, this past
game the toughness was on
display. To say he’s as tough as
a $2 steak doesn’t even give it
real justice,” Harbaugh said on
Monday. “This guy is tough as
nails, hard as hen’s teeth. He
has been a godsend for our
team.”
Rudock was sacked twice
and hit hard several other
times by the Nittany Lions, but
managed to complete 25 of 38
passes for 256 yards and two
IOWA STATISTICS
(AS JR.-SR. STARTER)
Games ........................................25
Completions-attempts .........417-691
Percentage ...............................60.3
Yards ......................................4,819
Touchdowns.................................34
Interceptions................................18
Rushes-yards......................134-394
Rushing touchdowns ......................8
MICHIGAN STATISTICS
(2015 SEASON)
PATRICK SEMANSKY
(=>849
“We knew what he was capable of, and we trusted him,”
junior tight end Jake Butt said.
“Not all those turnovers were
his fault either. It’s a team
effort most of the time.”
Rudock might be the new
kid in the Michigan program,
but his teammates have given
him an endearing nickname:
Dad.
“He just acts like a dad,”
Butt said. “I’m not mad about
it either. He’s just a calm, softspoken guy, doesn’t ever get
too excited or get too down or
anything like that. It’s kind of
everything you’re looking for in
a quarterback.”
touchdowns, making him the
first quarterback in Michigan
history to pass for at least 250
yards in three straight games.
Through 11 games, the former Iowa QB has his best completion percentage (64.4) of
any of his three seasons as a
starter in the Big Ten. He has
thrown for 2,476 yards and 16
touchdowns, 11 of which have
come in the past four games.
Rudock has come a long way
from his three-interception
debut in a season-opening loss
at Utah, and he has timed his
growth well, with Michigan’s
rushing attack sputtering over
the past several games.
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Quarterback Jake Rudock has earned the nickname “Dad” from his Wolverines teammates.
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Butt said he admires Rudock
for having the same demeanor
every play, whether he throws
a touchdown pass or takes a
big hit. Rudock said that he
saw his teammates during
spring practice as a group of
players who “want it bad” after
back-to-back losing seasons in
the Big Ten.
The two traits have meshed
well over the past few weeks.
Michigan has won four straight
after a last-second loss to Michigan State and enters today’s
game against Ohio State with a
shot at its first 10-win season
since 2011.
“He has been fantastic, play-
Games.........................................11
Completions-attempts .........210-326
Percentage ...............................64.4
Yards......................................2,476
Touchdowns .................................16
Interceptions .................................9
Rushes-yards........................50-145
Rushing touchdowns ......................4
ing at a very high level,” Harbaugh said of Rudock. “In
terms of respect and appreciation, that has left a deep, indelible warmth in our heart for
him.”
Rudock’s recent surge also is
pushing him up the leader
board for Michigan’s singleseason passing record, currently held by John Navarre, who
threw for 3,331 yards in 2003.
With 253 more yards, Rudock
will tie Harbaugh’s 1986 passing mark for fifth all-time.
That’s just fine by Harbaugh.
“Have at it,” he said.
[email protected]
@AndrewRErickson
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RECRUITING WATCH
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Battle for Ohio hasn’t heated up — yet
By Bill Rabinowitz
er New Jersey prospect — running back Kareem Walker. Originally committed to Ohio State,
the Buckeyes cooled on Walker
hen Jim
once he decided to take other
Harbaugh
visits, including to Michigan.
was hired
Ohio State then offered Wisconsin commit Antonio Williams,
as Michiwho switched to the Buckeyes.
gan’s coach last DecemWalker is now weighing his
ber, the Ohio State-UM
options, though he appears
clashes on the field
unlikely to be coming to OSU.
“They want guys who want to
weren’t the only battlebe Buckeyes,” said Steve Wiltfield that was eagerly anfong, director of recruiting for
ticipated between the
247sports.com. “Kareem obviously didn’t really want to be a
programs.
Buckeye anymore.”
Another battle to watch inThe prospect of Harbaugh
volves New Jersey athlete Jordan
and Buckeyes coach Urban
Fuller, who is being courted by
Meyer duking it out for top proNotre Dame and Penn State, as
spects had followers of recruitwell as Ohio State and Michigan.
ing salivating. Meyer is one of
Though Harbaugh has spent
the country’s top recruiters.
the past several years in the NFL,
Harbaugh, with his boundless if
he is an adept recruiter.
quirky enthusiasm, would be
“He’s creative,” Wiltfong said.
formidable competition.
“You’ll see them sending out
So far, however, those expectbirthday cakes to top targets.
ed recruiting showdowns have
Some of these coaches are stoic
been rare, and they’ve been
concentrated outside of their
NEWARK (N.J.) STAR-LEDGER and stiff. Harbaugh definitely is
not that. He’s not afraid to just
normal territory. Michigan tradi- Michigan and Ohio State, among others, have New Jersey athlete Jordan Fuller in their crosshairs.
hang loose and be fun around
tionally has poached stars from
these recruits.”
Ohio. The list of Ohioans who’ve
Even without Harbaugh makjob with the NFL’s Chicago
is there, and he’ll do what virBucknuts recruiting analyst
tormented the Buckeyes as
ing inroads into Ohio, the WolBears.
tually every other Michigan
Bill Kurelic theorized that HarWolverines is too long to list.
verines have a strong 2016 class.
In the 2016 class, both procoach has done and focus on
baugh didn’t want to concenBut Michigan has treaded
Michigan is ninth in
grams want five-star defensive
lightly in Ohio since Harbaugh’s trate his initial recruiting efforts Ohio,” Kurelic said.
247sports.com’s rankings, with
tackle Rashan Gary from ParaThe times when Ohio State
on a state that would take time
arrival. Not one of the Wolvemus, N.J. Once thought by some the potential to rise if it can reel
and Michigan have squared off
rines’ commitments for the 2016 to mine successfully. Meyer is a
master recruiter, and Ohio State recently for the same prospects, to be leaning toward Ohio State, in Gary, Walker and others.
class is from this state.
Ohio State’s 2016 recruiting
Gary is now considered likely to
they have been players from
is coming off a national chamAccording to 247sports.com,
class is ranked No. 1.
be headed to Ann Arbor. In
Michigan or elsewhere. The
pionship, while Michigan had
of Michigan’s 138 offers to 2017
But given Ohio’s annual pipeFebruary, Harbaugh hired Chris
slipped to mediocrity. The Buck- most heated involved Mike
prospects, only seven are to
line of talent, it seems a matter
Weber, the Detroit running back Partridge as Michigan’s recruiteyes already have gotten comOhioans. Cleveland Heights
of time before the battle in the
ing operations coordinator.
who was initially angered when
mitments from four of the top
receiver Jaylen Harris and CinBuckeye State is fully joined.
Ohio State running backs coach Partridge just happened to be
five 2017 prospects in Ohio.
cinnati Moeller tight end Matt
[email protected]
Gary’s high-school coach.
Stan Drayton left the day after
“My gut feeling is that’s going
Dodson are among the players
@brdispatch
Then there’s the case of anoth2015 national signing day for a
to change the longer Harbaugh
with offers from both schools.
W
STATS THAT
MATTER
PLAY OF THE WEEK
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Two tight, Y
post-corner
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
OHIO STATE / DEFENSE
By Tim May
•
Few things proclaim coach
Jim Harbaugh’s influence on
Michigan football in his first
season as much as the twotight end sets the Wolverines
employ from time to time.
It denotes a devotion to
power, due to the seven large
men it arrays across the offensive front. And with a wide
receiver on each end, it also
declares to any defense that
the Wolverines can pass out
of it, too. Harbaugh did similar things at Stanford when he
turned that program around
in a hurry, and with the San
Francisco 49ers when he
guided them to the Super
MICHIGAN / OFFENSE
TODD BAYHA | DISPATCH
Bowl.
Which brings us to this play
— let’s call it “two tight, Y
post-corner” — that they have
run often this season, and is
one that Ohio State will likely
see today. For Ohio State, it
also has a local flavor: the “Y”
is tight end Jake Butt, a Picke-
rington North graduate.
As Michigan deploys in this
set, the defense’s primary
concern is stopping a power
running game. And as throwback as the two-tights, twowides formation appears, it
actually spreads the field
much like the modern sets. It
demands that six potential
power-point gaps between the
tight ends be accounted for
by the defense, and a playaction fake by quarterback
Jake Rudock after the snap
enhances that.
But it also means that as
the play unfolds, Butt often
can run straight up the field
past a linebacker, who has to
discern quickly that the play
is not a run but a pass.
Last week at Penn State,
with the cornerbacks caught
up in man-to-man coverage
on the two wideouts and with
the running back continuing
into the flat for a possible
check-down pass, Butt found
himself one-on-one with a
safety. Butt faked a cut to the
post and bent it back on a
move to the corner, and Rudock delivered a 26-yard
touchdown pass.
[email protected]
@TIM_MAYsports
17
Number of consecutive road wins
(games on an opponent’s home field)
for Ohio State, the longest current
streak in the country.
1
Number of times in the past 11 meetings that Michigan has beaten Ohio
State.
263.1
Yards per game allowed by Michigan
this season, second-best in FBS.
4
Number of Big Ten teams in the top 10
of the latest College Football Playoff
rankings (Iowa No. 4, Michigan State
No. 5, Ohio State No. 8, Michigan
No. 10), the most of any conference.
G10
!
!
G11
Through thick and thin,
J.T. Barrett has earned
the trust of coaches and
teammates to take command
and show the way
ALWAYS
A LEADER
A
By Tim May •
t Rider High School in Wichita Falls, Texas, there
was a standing rule regarding the halftime locker
room during the era when J.T. Barrett was the
quarterback. • “It was ‘Nobody talks but J.T.,’”
former coach Jim Garfield recalled. • While the
coaches huddled in an adjacent area discussing adjustments,
Barrett had the floor with his teammates. Much as he commands
the room at times now with Ohio State, Barrett had carte blanche
at Rider to speak his mind, Garfield said, because the coach had
confidence Barrett’s message would come from his football savvy
mind and from his competitive soul, not from his ego.
“It was always that way with him,”
Garfield said. “He knew what to say and
how to say it.”
That’s also why Garfield believes the
Ohio State offense is in good hands from
a leadership standpoint headed into
The Game today at Michigan. The Buckeyes are rebounding from their first loss
in 24 games, an upset to Michigan State
a week ago that likely took them out of a
chance to defend their College Football
Playoff national championship.
“You see where you are as a team,”
Barrett said. “Are you going to bow your
head and turn away? Or are you going to
lift your head up, decide that we didn’t
play well and that we’ve got to get better?
“I think that’s where we are as a team.
We’re going to keep our head up and be
like, ‘Well, we lost. This is a fact. We got
outplayed.’ So the next step is finding
out why that happened and make the
changes in order to get better.”
Garfield has witnessed such straight
•
talk from Barrett before.
“It was his sophomore year in high
school. We had started out rough and
we were in Kennedale, Texas, a road
game,” Garfield said. “It was halftime,
and it was a tight game, and at halftime
he just took control of the locker room.
“He said some things like ‘This is not
the way the Rider football team is going
to play, and we’re going to show the
state of Texas what we’re made of.’ Then
we came out and we got a big win that
day.”
Ohio State now turns from the misery
of the loss to the Spartans to the challenge of taking on a revitalized Michigan
in its first year under coach Jim Harbaugh. Garfield — though he is more
than 1,200 miles away, now in Elgin,
Texas — said he could imagine what
Barrett is telling his OSU teammates.
“Something he has always been very
good at is when facing adversity, he has
See Barrett Page G12
•
EAMON QUEENEY
DISPATCH
G12
!
MEET A BUCKEYE
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Tate plays hoops with football mindset
By Ray Stein
there full-time? How did that
shape your childhood?
A: It definitely was something I
had to adjust to. But since I
was the oldest it made me
mature a lot because I had
people looking up to me.
Jae’Sean Tate
Sport: Men’s basketball
Year: Sophomore / Age: 20
Hometown: Pickerington (Central H.S.)
Major: Exploration
Q: Your dad played pro ball,
you play college ball, your
brother Jalen will play in college next year — do you guys
ever play against each other?
A: I still always go back to Pick
Central in the summers and
play open gyms with them. I
haven’t played my dad since I
was 14 and beat him.
Question: The Ohio StateMichigan game is today in
your old sport, football. Do
you ever miss playing football?
Answer: Yeah, all the time.
There’s just a certain type of
energy that you get when you
play football. You get to rip the
other guy’s head off, and who
doesn’t like that?
Q: I remember hearing some
chatter when you were in high
school that you were a better
football player than a basketball player. Is there any truth
in that, from your perspective?
A: Everyone has their opinion,
but I think I chose the right
path with basketball. Football
was fun, but when the weather
plays a role in it, I’d rather be
in the gym.
Q: What positions did you play
in high school? And what aspects of football appealed to
you?
A: I played outside linebacker
and tight end. I didn’t really
like the offensive part, but I
liked to tackle people, so defense was my preference.
Q: What ultimately made you
pick basketball?
A: I had a shoulder injury
when I was a junior and they
said basketball would be the
best way to go.
Q: Back to OSU and Michigan:
As far as you’re concerned, is
Ohio State’s big rival in basketball Michigan, or a different
Barrett
FROM PAGE G10
•
been the one guy who would
identify the elephant in the
room and then basically say,
‘How do you eat an elephant?
That’s one bite at a time,’” Garfield said. “I think that is what’s
going to happen (today). He is
going to have his mind ready for
this game.”
Barrett took a similar approach when, despite starting
all 12 games of the 2014 regular
season and finishing fifth in the
Heisman Trophy race after
setting myriad school records,
he found himself running second to Cardale Jones when this
season started. Jones, of course,
took over after Barrett was injured against Michigan last
season and led the Buckeyes’
JONATHAN QUILTER
DISPATCH
Forward Jae’Sean Tate, right, decided in high school that basketball was a better option for him, but
he prides himself on his scrap, hustle and defense.
Your father, Jermaine, played at
OSU for a year before transferring to Cincinnati. Did that
factor in your decision to be a
Buckeye?
A: No, it definitely did not. It
was more of a coincidence
because I wanted to stay close
to home. I’m also terrified of
Q: For you personally, is the
tornadoes, hurricanes and wild
Michigan game more important because your former Cen- animals, so I thought Ohio was
tral teammate, Caris LeVert, is a safe place to live.
there?
A: I have a lot of teammates in Q: If you divided your attributes, which aspects of your
different places, including
Javon Bess at Michigan State. I personality and ability are
more like your father, and
dislike the whole state of
which are more like your
Michigan and all the teams
there because I’m an Ohio guy. mother, Jenice?
A: I would say the hard-workQ: Let’s talk about your family. ing part comes from my dad.
team?
A: As of now, I would say that
our rival is Michigan State, just
because we saw them a couple
times last year and games
against them always come
down to the wire.
run to the national title.
“It wasn’t one of those things
where I was mad or sad, I just
didn’t practice well,” Barrett
said of watching while Jones
made the first seven starts. “I
started practicing better and
then I transferred that to the
game.”
Barrett saw that staying in the
moment in an inspirational
way, even when he wasn’t playing, was part of his duty. Garfield, again, had seen it before.
“When he went down in the
Brewer game (with a knee injury) his senior year in high
school, it was a traumatic experience,” Garfield said. “But I
think, as fantastic of a leader as
he was before, he actually became a better leader after that
situation.
“He really took charge of it
after he got hurt, talking to the
quarterback playing in his
place, coaching him up, asking
him what he was seeing, talking
to the offensive line, things like
that. He has always been a fantastic leader because he was
raised that way.”
Barrett did the same thing
after he suffered the ankle injury last year. He stayed in the
ear of Jones and other teammates as the title run ensued.
“Imagine how you’d feel if you
were having a great season
personally like he was, only to
have it end, playing-wise, like it
did for J.T.,” Garfield said. “But
when he came back out of the
locker room and found a place
to sit in the stands where he
could watch the last few minutes of that game against Michigan, that says a lot for a young
man, that it’s all about the team
with him.”
Even though he can be quiet, I
got my intensity and all of that
from him. Caring for people
comes from my mom.
Q: You are the oldest of five
children, right? What are there
names and ages?
A: Jalen Tate is 17 and he just
signed to play basketball at
Northern Kentucky. Jada is 14
and a freshman at Central and
Jocelyn is my youngest sister,
she’s 12. I also have a younger
brother, Damien, who lives in
Dayton.
Q: One of the things that fans
seem to like about you is that
you’re a decent-sized guy who
plays a lot bigger than 6 feet 4;
how important is a scrappy
attitude when you’re trying to
bang in the Big Ten?
A: It’s the most physical conference and there are some big
guys out here, so you just have
to learn how to want it more
and do your work early.
Q: There were times last you
when you had to guard Frank
Kaminsky of Wisconsin, who’s
a 7-footer. How do you manage that?
A: You just have to have the
mentality that nobody can
score on you. No matter how
short, big or tall you have to
think, “I’m a defender and
you’re not going to get a bucket on me.”
Q: After your dad left UC, he
played professionally overseas
for 10 years. Was that hard for
you as a kid, not having him
Q: Truth serum: Would you
rather be a laid-back natural
scorer who can get 22 points
every night, or is it more fun
being a scrapper who has to
work to get 16-17 or whatever?
A: I’d say scrapper. It makes
the games interesting. Who
doesn’t want to watch a guy
get excited and dive on the
ground?
[email protected]
Garfield saw another example
when Barrett was cited for OVI
in during the off weekend this
season for the Buckeyes on
Oct. 31. Barrett did not run from
what he had done, he owned up
to it, Garfield said.
Barrett, elected as a captain
despite being just a third-year
sophomore, never lost his station as a team leader after the
traffic stop. Linebacker Joshua
Perry said there is a major reason for that.
“He has the ability to really
connect with people,” Perry
said. “He’s just so real. He
doesn’t sugarcoat things. He
doesn’t try to hide things. He
doesn’t stand in the shadows of
whatever is going on at time. He
is always out there.
“A lot of times it’s hard to
respect a guy who doesn’t step
out there, but J.T. is always out
there. That’s huge for us. Every
time I see him I feel like we are
in good hands. That’s the way
I’ve felt from the moment I met
him. As long as J.T. is around, as
long as J.T. has a voice, we’re
going to be in great hands.”
Having such a player who can
own the room is vital for a
coach, Garfield said, especially
in such an urgent time.
“It has to happen, because
once those kids cross that white
line and head onto the field
there is no coach going out
there with them,” Garfield said.
“You raise the young man in
such a way to be able to give
him some authority so that he
can reach out and say to his
teammates, ‘Look, we’ve got to
take this thing by the horns, and
we’ve got to go.’”
[email protected]
@TIM_MAYsports
!
OHIO STATE ROSTER
TEAM STATS
MICHIGAN ROSTER
Special teams
YR
K
KO
P
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
So.
So.
LS
H
KR
Coach: Urban Meyer
48-4 in fourth season
152-27 in 14th season overall
PR
Sean Nuernberger
Jack Willoughby
Cameron Johnston
Sean Nuernberger
Bryce Haynes
Liam McCullough
Cameron Johnston
Curtis Samuel
Warren Ball
Jalin Marshall
Curtis Samuel
TWO-DEEP
Others
Offense
1
2
3
4
5
6
9
10
11
12
13
14
14
15
16
18
19
19
20
20
21
23
24
25
26
26
28
29
30
30
32
33
34
35
36
38
39
42
44
44
46
47
48
53
56
57
58
60
61
62
63
67
69
70
71
76
77
77
80
84
86
87
88
89
91
93
94
NO PLAYER
Coordinators: Ed Warinner, Tim Beck
POS NO PLAYER
HT WT YR
LT
6-8
6-5
6-4
6-4
6-2
6-5
6-5
6-7
6-5
6-7
6-6
6-5
6-3
6-1
6-0
5-10
5-11
6-1
6-2
6-5
6-0
6-0
6-2
6-0
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
WR
WR
WR
QB
RB
H
68
74
54
78
50
79
65
75
57
59
81
85
3
21
4
82
7
83
16
12
15
25
1
4
Taylor Decker
Jamarco Jones
Billy Price
Demetrius Knox
Jacoby Boren
Brady Taylor
Pat Elflein
Evan Lisle
Chase Farris
Isaiah Prince
Nick Vannett
Marcus Baugh
Michael Thomas
Parris Campbell
Curtis Samuel
James Clark
Jalin Marshall
Terry McLaurin
J.T. Barrett
Cardale Jones
Ezekiel Elliott
Bri’onte Dunn
Braxton Miller
Curtis Samuel
315
310
315
305
285
300
300
305
310
305
260
255
210
205
195
185
205
200
225
250
225
215
215
195
Sr.
So.
So.
Fr.
Sr.
Fr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Fr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
Fr.
So.
So.
So.
Fr.
So.
Jr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Defense
Coordinators: Luke Fickell, Chris Ash
POS NO PLAYER
HT WT YR
DE
6-6
6-5
6-4
6-4
6-3
6-4
6-4
6-5
6-2
6-2
6-2
6-1
6-4
6-3
6-0
6-0
6-1
5-11
6-3
6-2
5-11
5-11
5-11
6-0
97
6
DT
92
52
DT
90
51
DE
59
10
OLB 43
35
MLB 5
55
OLB 37
33
CB
8
2
CB
13
3
SS
23
24
FS
11
26
NB
3
2
Special teams
POS NO PLAYER
96
98
95
96
41
49
95
4
28
7
4
Joey Bosa
Sam Hubbard
Adolphus Washington
Donovan Munger
Tommy Schutt
Joel Hale
Tyquan Lewis
Jalyn Holmes
Darron Lee
Chris Worley
Raekwon McMillan
Cam Williams
Joshua Perry
Dante Booker
Gareon Conley
Marshon Lattimore
Eli Apple
Damon Webb
Tyvis Powell
Malik Hooker
Vonn Bell
Jarrod Barnes
Damon Webb
Marshon Lattimore
275
265
290
300
290
295
260
265
235
225
240
225
254
233
195
195
200
193
210
205
205
193
193
195
OHIO STATE
SCHEDULE
10-1, 6-1 BIG TEN EAST
Sept. 7: at Virginia Tech .W, 42-24
Sept. 12: Hawaii ..............W, 38-0
Sept. 19: N. Illinois.........W, 20-13
Sept. 26: W. Michigan ....W, 38-12
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
So.
So.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
So.
Fr.
So.
So.
Jr.
Fr.
Jr.
Jr.
So.
Fr.
POS
Erick Smith................................ DB
Dontre Wilson ........................... ..H
Damon Arnette...........................CB
Jerome Baker ........................... .LB
Johnnie Dixon ...........................WR
Torrance Gibson ........................WR
Jashon Cornell .......................... .DL
Joe Burrow ............................... QB
Justin Cook ............................... QB
Denzel Ward ..............................CB
Stephen Collier.......................... QB
K.J. Hill .....................................WR
Joshua Norwood ........................CB
Cameron Howard..........................S
Cam Burrows ............................ DB
Kato Mitchell .............................WR
Eric Glover-Williams....................CB
Joe Ramstetter .........................WR
Khaleed Franklin...........................S
Mike Weber ...............................RB
Trevon Forte...............................CB
Devlin McDaniel.........................WR
Rashod Berry ............................ .TE
Logan Kelleher ...........................CB
Michael Lawless ...........................S
Patrick Wise...............................RB
Michael Cibene .............................S
Mike Maduko................................S
Jared Drake .............................. .LB
Tyler Durbin..................................K
Elijaah Goins ..............................CB
Austin Clutter............................WR
Nick Conner .............................. .LB
Jeffie Johnson............................RB
Zach Turnure ............................. .LB
Craig Fada................................. .LB
Kyle Berger ............................... .LB
Darius Slade...............................DE
Guy Ferrelli ............................... .TE
Aaron Mawhirter ....................... .LS
Cin’Quan Haney............................S
Justin Hilliard............................ .LB
Joe Burger................................ .LB
Davon Hamilton..........................DT
Matthew Burrell .........................OL
Robert Landers...........................DT
Joshua Alabi ..............................DT
Blake Pfenning ...........................OL
Logan Gaskey.............................OL
Aaron Perry................................OL
Kevin Woidka .............................OL
Grant Schmidt ............................OL
Brandon Pahl..............................OL
Chris Fong..................................DE
Kyle Trout...................................OL
Branden Bowen ..........................OL
Kevin Feder................................OL
Michael Hill ............................... .DL
Noah Brown ..............................WR
Corey Smith ..............................WR
Dre’Mont Jones..........................DE
Alex Stump ...............................WR
A.J. Alexander ........................... .TE
Jeff Greene ...............................WR
Philip Silverman......................... .TE
Tracy Sprinkle ........................... .DL
Dylan Thompson ........................ .DL
Oct. 3: at Indiana ..........W, 34-27
Oct. 10: Maryland..........W, 49-28
Oct. 17: Penn State ........W, 38-10
Oct. 24: at Rutgers ..........W, 49-7
Nov. 7: Minnesota ..........W, 28-14
Nov. 14: at Illinois ............W, 28-3
Nov. 21: Michigan State ...L, 17-14
Nov. 28: at Michigan ............Noon
Go to
SCORING
Ohio State
Opponents
1
2
3
4
52 114 104 108
20 50 27 58
OSU total: 378 • Avg.: 34.4
OPP total: 155 • Avg.: 14.1
PER-GAME AVERAGES
Rushing .........................................230.4
Passing ..........................................193.7
vs. rush ..........................................133.7
vs. pass..........................................164.3
TEAM LEADERS
Rushing: RB Ezekiel Elliott, 232 att, 1,458
yds (6.3 avg), 17 TD; QB J.T. Barrett, 73
att, 447 yds (6.1 avg), 8 TD
Passing: J.T. Barrett, 65 of 101 (62.5 pct),
668 yds, 9 TD, 3 int
Receiving: WR Michael Thomas, 47 rec,
659 yds (14.0 avg), 8 TD; WR Jalin
Marshall, 29 rec, 417 yds (14.4 avg), 4 TD
Tackles: LB Raekwon McMillan, 105
(50 solo)
Interceptions: S Vonn Bell, S Tyvis Powell,
CB Gareon Conley, 2
Michael
Thomas
H
TWO-DEEP
KR
Offense
Michigan
SCORING
Michigan
Opponents
1
2 3 4 OT
73 130 63 74 14
25 57 31 44 7
MICH total: 354 • Avg.: 32.2
OPP total: 164 • Avg.: 14.9
PER-GAME AVERAGES
Rushing..........................................161.4
Passing .........................................227.7
vs. rush..........................................100.2
vs. pass .........................................162.9
TEAM LEADERS
Rushing: RB De’Veon Smith, 145 att, 621
yds (4.3 avg), 6 TD; RB Drake Johnson,
47 att, 212 yds (4.5 avg), 3 TD
Passing: Jake Rudock, 210 of 326 (64.4
pct), 2,476 yds, 16 TD, 9 int
Receiving: WR Amara Darboh, 52 rec,
635 yds (12.2 avg), 5 TD; TE Jake Butt,
43 rec, 566 yds (13.2 avg), 3 TD
Tackles: LB Joe Bolden, 67 (29 solo)
Interceptions: S Jeremy Clark, 3
HT WT YR
NO PLAYER
LT
6-5
6-7
6-6
6-4
6-6
6-5
6-5
6-5
6-6
6-5
6-6
6-6
6-2
6-3
6-3
6-0
6-3
6-6
6-0
6-0
5-11
6-1
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
12
13
14
16
17
18
19
20
22
23
24
27
29
30
32
33
34
37
38
40
41
45
46
49
51
53
54
55
56
58
59
63
70
75
79
80
81
83
88
89
90
92
93
96
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
WR
WR
QB
RB
52
77
71
55
61
57
67
76
78
62
88
84
82
85
86
9
15
3
36
39
4
20
Mason Cole
Grant Newsome
Ben Braden
David Dawson
Graham Glasgow
Patrick Kugler
Kyle Kalis
Juwan Bushell-Beatty
Eric Magnuson
Blake Bars
Jake Butt
A.J. Williams
Amara Darboh
Maurice Ways
Jehu Chesson
Grant Perry
Jake Rudock
Wilton Speight
Joe Kerridge
Sione Houma
De’Veon Smith
Drake Johnson
42 / OREgON
HT WT YR
6-3
6-6
6-2
6-6
6-5
6-6
6-2
6-1
6-1
6-3
6-3
6-1
6-1
6-2
5-10
6-4
6-2
5-11
6-2
6-0
6-1
6-2
69
33
NT
73
50
DT
43
99
DE/LB 52
15
ILB
3
42
ILB
35
15
OLB
15
14
CB
26
34
CB
8
28
FS
22
44
SS
5
25
Willie Henry
Taco Charlton
Maurice Hurst
Tom Strobel
Chris Wormley
Matt Godin
Royce Jenkins-Stone
James Ross
Desmond Morgan
Ben Gedeon
Joe Bolden
James Ross
James Ross
Allen Gant
Jourdan Lewis
Jeremy Clark
Channing Stribling
Brandon Watson
Jarrod Wilson
Delano Hill
Jabrill Peppers
Dymonte Thomas
307
285
282
282
303
288
245
241
244
248
237
241
241
227
175
210
181
191
210
212
208
195
MICHIGAN
SCHEDULE
9-2, 6-1 BIG TEN EAST
Sept. 3: at Utah ..............L, 24-17
Sept. 12: Oregon State.....W, 35-7
Sept. 19: UNLV ................W, 28-7
Sept. 26: BYU ..................W, 31-0
ST
UM
EDITI
JANUARY 12,
W N
D
Sr.
Jr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Jr.
ITION
2015
OHIO STATE
IN FIRST- bEATS
b KS
U gS
!
OREgON
STATE EVER cOllEgE
IO PlAYO
FF
TS OREgON cHAMPIONSHIP
-EVER
E WINSFIRSTPlAYOFF
STAT
EgE
OHIO ST-EVER AMPIONSHIP
FIR
OFF
PlAY NSHIP
PIO
cHAM
O
ATE
FF
$
DISPATCH PHOTO
1.00
T-E
EVER
SH
HIIP
areas
Price is $1.50 in County.
outside Franklin
BY KYLE ROBERTSON
Dispatch photo
by freD squillante
by freD squillante
Dispatch photo
Dispatc
•
1.00
$
Price is $1.50 in areas
outside Franklin County.
Tuesday,
T
y, Jan. 13,,
“day after”
front page
Tw
Two-page
celebration
photo from Sunday
Sunday, Jan
Jan. 18
18,
special section
h photo
by Jonath
an q
u ilter
Dispatc
h photo
by eamon
queene
y
As sseen during ESPN’s
post-game coverage
POS
Oct. 3: at Maryland..........W, 28-0
Oct. 10: Northwestern ......W, 38-0
Oct. 17: Michigan State...L, 27-23
Oct. 31: at Minnesota ....W, 29-26
Nov. 7: Rutgers...............W, 49-16
Nov. 14: at Indiana ..W, 48-41 2OT
Nov. 21: at Penn State ....W, 28-16
Nov. 28: Ohio State..............Noon
20
tit$e sin#e 2002.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Sr.
Reuben Jones.............................DE
John O’Korn .............................. QB
Keith Washington ...................... DB
Shane Morris............................. QB
Tyrone Wheatley........................ .TE
Mike McCray ............................. .LB
Da’Mario Jones .........................WR
Alex Malzone............................. QB
Terry Richardson........................ DB
Drake Harris ..............................WR
Jack Wangler ............................WR
Freddy Canteen ..........................CB
A.J. Pearson.............................. DB
Henry Poggi .............................. .TE
Matt Mitchell............................. DB
Karan Higdon .............................RB
Jordan Glasgow..........................RB
Wayne Lyons ............................. DB
Derrick Green.............................RB
Ross Taylor-Douglas ...................RB
Reon Dawson ............................ DB
Ty Isaac.....................................RB
Wyatt Shallman..........................RB
Deyanco Hardwick ......................FB
Bobby Henderson .......................FB
John Andrysiak.......................... .LB
Kennth Sloss .............................WR
Brian Cole .................................WR
Chase Winovich ......................... .TE
Michael Wroblewski................... .LB
Anthony Dalimonte .................... DB
Greg Froelich..............................OL
Mario Ojemudia ..........................DE
Dan Liesman ............................. .LB
Garrett Miller ............................ .DL
Jameson Offerdahl .................... .LB
Alex Kaminski............................ .LB
Noah Furbush............................ .LB
Ben Pliska..................................OL
Nolan Ulizio ................................OL
Jon Runyan ................................OL
Drew Berube............................. .DL
Khalid Hill.................................. .TE
Michael Jocz ............................. .TE
Jaron Dukes..............................WR
Jack Dunaway........................... .LB
Brad Anlauf ...............................WR
Bryan Mone ...............................DT
Cheyenn Robertson.................... .LB
Lawrence Marshall .....................DE
Ryan Glasgow ........................... .DL
NO.1U
IIS& Ic
HN
VI E! RY!
ARY
JANU
20
Kenny Allen
Andrew David
Blake O’Neill
Kenny Allen
Scott Sypniewski
Andrew
Robinson
Blake O’Neill
Jake Rudock
Jabrill Peppers
Jourdan Lewis
Jabrill Peppers
Jehu Chesson
EDITION
U
S
STADI
ON
12, 2015
•
by Kyle robertson
So.
Fr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Fr.
Sr.
So.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
Sr.
DE
Running back
R
KIEL ELLIOTT
EZEK
capped hi
rin
record-shatte
wi
posstseason
s
fourr touchdow
to
nd 246 yard
an
S ate
deliiver Ohio
nal
itss first nati
since 002.
t
title
Runnin! "a#k
EZEKIEl EllIOTT
#apped his
re#ord-shatterin!
postseason with
four tou#hdow
ns
and 246 yards
to
de$iver Ohio State
its first nationa$
Dispatch photo
305
300
322
316
301
297
305
325
305
290
250
275
215
210
200
184
203
239
248
242
228
210
POS NO PLAYER
S
CHAMPIONS!
UNDISPUTED
OHIO STATE
12
15
5
26
5
86
POS NO PLAYER
13, 2015
13, 2015
91
16
12
91
31
50
Others
Coordinator: Tim Drevno
STADI UM
TUESDAY, JANUARY
PR
Coordinator: D.J. Durkin
cHAMPIONS!
Sr.
Fr.
Sr.
Sr.
Jr.
So.
Coach: Jim Harbaugh
9-2 in first season
67-29 in eighth season overall
Defense
OHIO
YR
PK/KO
LS
FB
STATE 42 / OREGON
POS NO PLAYER
P
Ohio State
TUESDAY, JANUARY
oSUPhotoStore.com
to bUy
colUmbUS diSPatch
front PaGe PoSterS
& more today!
G13
The Buckeyes take
the field before the
national title game
E
•
M
E
M E N T
M
UM
•
—
DISPATC H
F ILE PHOTO
—
Ohio State running back
Chris “Beanie” Wells leaves
Brandon Harrison (27) and
the Michigan defense behind as he scoots free on a
52-yard touchdown run in
the second quarter of the
contest dubbed “The Game
of the Century.” The topranked Buckeyes and No. 2
Wolverines played one day
after legendary Michigan
coach Bo Schembechler
died at age 77.
BEANIE
BREAKS
AWAY
42 39
OSU
11.18.2006
OHIO STATE VS.
MICHIGAN
O
M
O R A B
L
S
G14
!
G16
!
REAR-VIEW
MIRROR
OHIO STATE HISTORY
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1969 upset recalled with humor
By Rob Oller
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
NOV. 28, 1942
Each week, GameDay+ takes a
look at an Ohio State game played
on this date:
T
ime was running out on
Ohio State
when backup
quarterback Ron Maciejowski turned to Kevin Rusnak, the Buckeyes’ third-string QB,
with a word of warning.
“I throw a pick late, my
second. Rex (Kern) had four,
so I’m coming off the field
and I say to Kevin, ‘Get ready,
because they might want you
in a minute,’ ” Maciejowski
said, recalling the final minutes of the painful 24-12 loss
to Michigan in 1969 that still
ranks as one of the biggest
upsets in rivalry history.
“And Kevin says, ‘I can’t,’ ”
Maciejowski added. “He
opens his cold-weather cape
and doesn’t have his jersey
on. He had given it to his
girlfriend a couple minutes
before that, in one of the rows
behind the bench. I muttered,
‘Oh God.’ ”
Maciejowski chuckled as he
recounted the story.
“And that’s why I don’t get
too upset when these guys
today do stupid stuff,” he
said.
Ohio State-Michigan —
affectionately known in both
school’s circles as The Game
— often conjures images of
football savagery. Of blue
paint rubbing off on silver
helmets under gray skies, of
the breathy vapor of gladiators going at one another in
huge open-air arenas.
Behind the scenes, however, are humorous stories depicting what at the time were
horrific situations.
Like giving a jersey to your
girlfriend during the game. Or
missing the team bus to Michigan Stadium.
Maciejowski need only
remember the flashing lights
of the police cruiser that
whisked him and roommate
Jim Otis to the entrance of the
Ohio State locker room to
remind himself that college
players are not perfect. Never
were, never will be.
Ohio State
BENTLEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Top-ranked Ohio State committed seven turnovers and lost to a fired-up Michigan team in its
first season under coach Bo Schembechler. The Wolverines were ranked 12th.
MICHIGAN 24,
OHIO STATE 12
NOV. 22, 1969 "MICHIGAN STADIUM
BY QUARTERS
Ohio State
Michigan
2 3 4
6 0 0
17 0 0
FIRST QUARTER
OSU: Jim Otis 1 run (Jan White kick
failed), 7:38
MICH: Garvie Craw 2 run (Frank
Titas kick), 3:35
SECOND QUARTER
OSU: White 22 pass from Rex Kern
(Kern run failed), 14:52
MICH: Craw 1 run (Titas kick),
11:54
MICH: Craw 2 run (Titas kick),
10:10
MICH: FG Tim Killian 25, 1:15
A: 103,588
Maciejowski and Otis
thought the bus was scheduled to leave the Ann Arbor
hotel for the game at 9:45
a.m.
“Apparently, it was 9:40,” he
said this week. “We go walking down and — no bus. We’re
SAVE 40% OFF
PRINT AND EBOOK
EDITIONS OF
THE CHASE
•
1
6
7
USE PROMO CODE
“CHASEHOLIDAy”
(Valid Black Frida!–December 4)
like, ‘Oh, crap. Where is the
bus?’ The guy at the desk of
the Ramada Inn said it already had left, so the desk
manager says to jump in the
hotel van and he’ll drive us.”
Things went relatively
smoothly until the van ran
into traffic on I-94.
“It was a parking lot,” Maciejowski said. “Nothing was
moving, so our driver says,
‘See that cop over there? Jump
out and tell him you’re Ohio
State guys.’ We jump in and
the cop turns on the siren and
here we go.”
The officer pulled inside the
Michigan Stadium gate and
dropped the pair at the front
door of the locker room.
“We open the door and the
sunlight shines in and everybody is in there,” he said. “We
walk in and nobody says
anything, and we quietly go
about our business.
“A lot of crazy things happened that day.”
The game was just one of
them. Until Ohio State lost to
Michigan State last Saturday,
today’s game was being closely compared to 1969, when
the 12th-ranked Wolverines
stunned the No. 1 Buckeyes in
coach Bo Schembechler’s first
year at UM.
“They obviously were prepared to play us, but it wasn’t
like they stuffed us,” Maciejowski said. “We had 400
yards, but we turned ball over,
no doubt about that. It was
painful.”
Ohio State committed seven turnovers, including one
fumble, but the biggest giveaway was the national title. A
win would have secured
OSU’s second straight national championship.
Tom Campana, a sophomore tailback for the Buckeyes in 1969, said he learned
an important lesson that day.
“It was my first experience
to the Ohio State-Michigan
game, and what I learned was
the kind of emotion you have
to have going into that game,
regardless of the personnel
differences,” Campana said.
“When you have emotion and
pride going for you, you can
accomplish anything. And
that’s what they had. Bo
brought out the best in those
guys. They played as well as
they had all year.”
[email protected]
@rollerCD
CHASINg
CHAMPIONSHIP
IMMORTALITy
Iowa Seahawks
Setup: It’s not news that college
football was a different beast 70-plus
years ago. But the underwhelming
nature of the national championship
chase of 1942 would shock any
current fan who traveled back in time
— through newspaper microfilm or, if
such thing existed, bodily transit. For
Ohio State, The Game was The Game
— a 21-7 victory over Michigan the
week before locked down a Big Ten
title for the Buckeyes. The subsequent
week’s game against Iowa Seahawks,
a team composed of navy pre-flight
officers — was considered little more
than a postseason exhibition, which
explained the paltry Ohio Stadium
crowd of 27,259.
Stars: Outsized across the line by the
burlier Seahawks, whose roster included college graduates and some
professionals, Ohio State took to the
edges with speed and won going
away. Future Heisman Trophy winner
Les Horvath and Paul Sarringhaus
had two touchdowns apiece, and the
Buckeyes completed 6 of 7 passes
for 159 yards.
Turning point: Sarringhaus set the
tone with a 66-yard run on the second play from scrimmage, and his
42-yard pass to Horvath late in the
second quarter set up Sarringhaus’
2-yard touchdown run to give the
Buckeyes a 27-6 halftime lead.
Interceptions set up two third-quarter
scores for OSU to blow it open.
Impact: Not that anyone was talking
about it, but Ohio State’s nationaltitle chances, seemingly zero after a
late October loss to Wisconsin, were
revived when top-ranked Georgia was
beaten by Auburn the same day as
OSU’s win over Michigan. The Buckeyes stood No. 3 as they entered the
game against the naval cadets, but
No. 2 Georgia Tech was thumped by
Georgia 34-0 and No. 1 Boston
College was thrashed 55-12 by a
four-loss Holy Cross team, handing
Ohio State its first national title.
Quotable: “These boys like to win.
They plan on it, they work and sacrifice for it, have all season. I have a
great bunch of boys. If they aren’t the
greatest football team in the world,
they’re at least the finest so far as
their character and living goes. I never
can hope for a better group.” — Ohio
State coach Paul Brown.
— Ray Stein, [email protected]
In The Chase, Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus
Dispatch goes inside the Buckeyes’ sometimes
bumpy chase for championship immortality and
the now legendary wins that made it a reality.
ORDER ONLINE AT
TRIUMPHBOOKS.COM/THECHASE
OR CALL 1-800-888-4741
(10a.m. – 6p.m. EST)
!
TOP GAME
BIG TEN
BIG TEN SPOTLIGHT
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hackenberg sure can take a hit
By Todd Jones
U
pon further
review, it appears that
Penn State’s
offensive line couldn’t
block the Joe Paterno
statue if the bronze
monument still stood
outside Beaver Stadium.
•
Count the bruises on the
body of Christian Hackenberg,
aka Sackenberg, if you need
more proof of the Nittany
Lions’ inability to pass protect.
Hackenberg has been
sacked an astounding 101
times in 36 starts during his
three seasons as Penn State
quarterback. Call him a demolition car in cleats.
The beatings have been
especially prevalent during
James Franklin’s two years as
coach of the Nittany Lions,
during which Hackenberg has
been sacked 80 times, including 36 this season.
Michigan had four sacks of
Hackenberg — and hit him
hard on numerous other occasions — during a 28-16 win
over Penn State last week.
“He’s taken a pounding for
the past year-and-a-half,”
Franklin said. “The fact that he
hasn’t missed a game, or really
missed a series, is impressive.
No one really can question
Christian Hackenberg’s mental
or physical toughness.”
Hackenberg, as is his custom, didn’t complain after the
Michigan loss about taking so
many shots, a couple of which
left him slow to get up. Why
did he keep getting up?
“Teammates. My personal
pride,” Hackenberg said. “It’s
part of playing this game. The
guys are looking at you, and
you have to leave everything
you have out on that field, no
matter the circumstances.”
Look for Hackenberg to take
another pounding today when
Penn State (7-4, 4-3) closes the
regular season at Michigan
State, where the Spartans (10-1,
6-1) know a win earns them the
East Division title and a spot in
the Big Ten championship
game against Iowa.
Today could be Hackenberg’s last Big Ten game, although the junior won’t talk
about whether or not he plans
to enter the NFL draft. Draft
prognosticators viewed Hackenberg as a first-round pick
before this season because of
his size (6 feet 4, 228 pounds)
and strong arm. However,
pundits now see him as a second-rounder because of his
inaccuracy and inconsistency.
Still, Hackenberg has already
thrown for more yards (8,061)
in his career than anyone in
G17
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spartans
can book
trip to Indy
with win
Penn State
at No. 6 Michigan State
3:30 P.M., EAST LANSING, MICH.
Favorite • Michigan State by 11
Records • Penn State 7-4, 4-3 East
Division; Michigan State 10-1, 6-1
East
Last meeting • Michigan State won
34-10 last season in State College,
Pa. Series tied 14-14-1.
CHRIS RUSSELL DISPATCH
Ohio State’s Chris Worley sacks Penn State’s Christian Hackenberg as Tyvis Powell, right, arrives
at the scene during the Buckeyes’ 38-10 win on Oct. 17.
BIG TEN STANDINGS
LEAGUE
W L PCT
6 1 .857
6 1 .857
6 1 .857
4 3 .571
1 6 .143
1 6 .143
0 7 .000
EAST
Michigan State
Ohio State
Michigan
Penn State
Rutgers
Indiana
Maryland
WEST
Iowa*
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Nebraska
Illinois
Minnesota
Purdue
W
7
5
5
3
2
2
1
L
PCT
0 1.000
2
.714
2
.714
4
.429
5
.286
5
.286
6
.143
OVERALL
W L PCT
10 1 .909
10 1 .909
9 2 .818
7 4 .636
4 7 .364
5 6 .455
2 9 .182
W
11
9
8
5
5
5
2
*-clinched division
Penn State history. His 46
touchdown passes are tied
with Matt McGloin for the
school record.
Beyond statistics, Hackenberg should be remembered
for accepting a scholarship to
Penn State even though the
Lions weren’t bowl-eligible (an
NCAA sanction since rescinded) because of the Jerry Sand-
L
PCT
0 1.000
2 .818
3 .727
6 .455
6 .455
6 .286
9 .182
SCHEDULE
TODAY’S GAMES
Penn State
at Michigan State
Ohio State
3:30 p.m................ESPN
at Michigan
Noon........................ABC Wisconsin
at Minnesota
Indiana
3:30 p.m. .................BTN
at Purdue
Noon........................BTN
SATURDAY, DEC. 5
Maryland
Big Ten
at Rutgers
Noon........................BTN championship game
LUCAS OIL STADIUM,
Northwestern
INDIANAPOLIS
vs. Illinois
3:30 p.m. ............ESPNU East champion
vs. Iowa
(Soldier Field, Chicago)
8 p.m. .......................Fox
Note: Standings do not reflect Friday’s Iowa at
Nebraska result
usky scandal.
Hackenberg also showed
loyalty by staying at Penn State
when Bill O’Brien left as coach
for the NFL after helping the
quarterback earn the 2013 Big
Ten freshman of the year honor.
His statistics have since
slipped, and Penn State’s victory total hasn’t been as high as
he hoped for, but Hackenberg
has at least earned the respect
of his teammates.
“He’s resilient. He’s a tough
guy who leads by example,”
tight end Brent Wilkerson said.
“When you have a tough guy
back there like that, you just
want to keep playing for him.”
[email protected]
@Todd_Jones
So much is in front of Michigan State, so long as it can
finish the job at home this
afternoon.
The Spartans’ 17-14 win at
Ohio State last week placed
them firmly in the driver’s seat
for the Big Ten’s East Division
title. Their 27-23 win over
Michigan on Oct. 17 ensured
that only a loss to Penn State
today could derail their plans
to face Iowa for the conference
championship in Indianapolis.
If they can win two more
games, the College Football
Playoff could also be in their
future, as they are currently
ranked fifth.
But it all starts with the
Nittany Lions, who are coming
off a 28-16 loss to Michigan
and have played inconsistently
all season.
Under normal circumstances, the Spartans might have
been viewed as a heavier favorite over a shaky opponent,
but they have dealt with injury
uncertainty all season, and are
in wait-and-see mode with
quarterback Connor Cook,
who is listed as day-to-day
because of a shoulder injury.
He didn’t play at Ohio State
last week, though backups
Tyler O’Connor and Damion
Terry proved capable of managing the offense in his absence.
With an offensive line that is
finally healthy, Michigan
State’s running game and lead
back LJ Scott (577 yards, nine
touchdowns) will be relied on
to carry the load again.
The defense has dealt with
injuries as well, but might
have played its best game last
week, holding the Buckeyes to
132 yards — OSU’s lowest
output of the season.
Penn State’s defense has
been the most stable part of
the team, allowing just 18.6
points per game.
— Chris Voloschuk
G18
!
Now
Hiring!
TOP GAME / NATIONAL
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last chance for statement by Irish
http://www.watchasort.com
Seasonal
Bonus
PACKAGE
HANDLERS
No. 4 Notre Dame
at No. 13 Stanford
Up to $13/hr.
7:30 P.M., PALO ALTO, CALIF.
Favorite • Stanford by 4
Records • Notre Dame 10-1;
Stanford 9-2
Last meeting • Notre Dame
won 17-14 last season in
South Bend, Ind. Notre Dame
leads series 19-10.
Expect Notre Dame to
hold nothing back when
it faces Stanford today in
its regular-season finale.
The room for error is
gone for the Fighting
Irish, who lost any cushion they had with a
24-22 loss at Clemson
on Oct. 4. For two
weeks, they occupied
the fourth seed in the
College Football Playoff
rankings, but fell to sixth
this week.
Iowa and Oklahoma
were additions to the
playoff top four, and
No. 5 Michigan State is
still in the hunt, making
the Irish’s mission clear:
don’t just beat Stanford
this evening, but make a
statement while doing
it.
The Irish haven’t
made the best statement
Think Fast.
Think FedEx Ground.
Columbus Hub
6120 South Meadows Dr., Grove City, OH 43123
Please sign up at watchasort.com
or call 614-871-9675
FedEx Ground is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer
(M/F/D/V), committed to a diverse workforce.
KEITH SRAKOCIC
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DeShone Kizer leads a Notre Dame offense that averages 34.6 points per game.
in the past month-plus.
On one hand, they have
won six in a row to follow
up the Clemson loss. And
the offense has shaken off
numerous injuries at the
skill positions and scored
40 or more points in three
of those six victories. But
turnovers, as well as lapses on defense, have allowed opponents to hang
around, not giving the
Irish the best look of the
remaining playoff contenders.
A 24-20 win over Temple wasn’t assured until
Notre Dame scored the
go-ahead touchdown
with 2:09 left in regulation. It was outgained
by Wake Forest despite
winning 28-7. Last week’s
19-16 victory over Boston
College included five
turnovers, three inside
the red zone.
While the Irish will be
fighting for their playoff
lives, Stanford’s path is a
little more clear — at
least in its own conference — having already
locked up the Pac-12
North Division and a spot
in the title game Dec. 5
against either UCLA or
Southern Cal. A 38-36
loss to Oregon on Nov. 14
all but assured the Cardinal will not get top-four
consideration.
Both teams have had
similar output on both
sides of the ball. Notre
Dame averages 34.6
points and 465.9 yards
per game, while Stanford
averages 36.8 and 439.0.
On defense, the Irish
allow 21.0 points and
357.0 yards per game,
while the Cardinal has
given up 22.0 points and
361.7 yards.
— Chris Voloschuk
!"# $%&'() *'#+ ,$!"#$%&'()*+,-'$
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NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oklahoma State rolls with two QBs
By Cliff Brunt
for his senior season.
Gundy and offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich
created a plan that made
STILLWATER, Okla. —
Walsh the red zone and
Oklahoma State coach
Mike Gundy has often said short-yardage quarterback.
that he is not in favor of
Rudolph has passed for
two-quarterback systems.
3,591 yards, with 21 touchJ.W. Walsh changed his
downs and only eight
mind.
interceptions for the
Walsh, best known for
his running ability, was the ninth-ranked Cowboys.
Walsh has 11 touchdowns
starter last season before
both rushing and passing,
he suffered a seasonand Oklahoma State ranks
ending right foot injury.
fourth nationally in redEventually, true freshman
zone efficiency and sevMason Rudolph stepped
enth in scoring heading
in and helped the Cowinto tonight’s showdown
boys beat Oklahoma and
against No. 5 Oklahoma.
win the Cactus Bowl.
“I think that we need to
In the offseason, Gundy
announced that Rudolph, give the offensive staff and
coach Yurcich some creda 6-foot-4, pro-style pasit,” Gundy said. “It’s not
ser, would be his starter.
easy to game plan and to
Walsh could have transferred, but he chose to stay be as diverse as we are at
ASSOCIATED PRESS
•
times. They have done a
good job of trying to play
to the strengths of both
quarterbacks.”
Gundy said the plan had
to involve the right players
to work.
“The reason that we’re
able to have success with
both of those players to
this point is because
they’re both great human
beings,” he said. “They’re
unselfish. They’re team
players, and they put the
team first.”
Oklahoma coach Bob
Stoops noted the talents of
both Cowboys quarterbacks.
“They are both good
athletes,” Stoops said.
“Both are good throwers,
but one throws it better
and the other guy is bigger
and stronger to run it
with.”
Rudolph said Walsh
makes his job easier.
“When he gets in there,
he converts whenever he’s
in,” Rudolph said. “I knew
the kind of player he was
from day one and the
competitor that he is and
that I am. I can’t say that it
has surprised me. He has
done an awesome job.”
At the start of the season, Walsh spent time
helping Rudolph along.
Now, Rudolph is clicking
and has passed for more
than 400 yards three times.
“As the season goes on,
there’s not as much mentoring going on as there
was in the beginning,”
Walsh said. “He has it
figured out and is a great
leader for our football
team.”
!"#" $%& '("#" )*
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OTHER OHIO
GAMES
TOP GAME / OHIO
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dayton wins without scholarship players
“The only difference in our players is
they might be an inch or 2 inches shorter or
20 pounds lighter from getting a full ride
somewhere else.” — Dayton coach Rick
Chamberlin
Western Illinois
at Dayton
NOON, DAYTON
Records • Western Illinois 6-5;
Dayton 10-1
Last meeting • First meeting
The cheering from University of Dayton players after
they found out their firstround matchup in the FCS
playoffs was at a crescendo
when the announcer on the
telecast might as well have
kicked them in the seat of the
pants and out the door.
“The man said that we
would be one-and-done because we’re nonscholarship,”
coach Rick Chamberlin said.
Even before kickoff today in
Welcome Stadium, Dayton
trails Western Illinois 63-0.
That’s the number of athletic
scholarships the Leathernecks
spread among their players,
to none for the Flyers.
Dayton players receive
financial aid only through
academic performance and
need.
Chamberlin, who played for
the Flyers from 1975 to ’78
and was an assistant for 28
years until becoming head
coach eight seasons ago, said
the nonscholarship route has
allowed the university to have
a football team.
Through the 1977 season,
Dayton struggled playing in
Division I against the likes of
Miami University, Bowling
Green, Toledo, Marshall and
Cincinnati.
The economics also didn’t
work. Rather than drop the
sport, as Xavier did, Dayton
entered Division III in 1978.
The Flyers won national
championships in 1980 and
’89 and were runners-up in
’81, ’87 and ’91.
But there was deep resentment from universities in the
division. With an enrollment
of 6,500, Dayton was double
the size of its opponents in
G19
getting a Division I experience with our university,
facilities, travel and support.”
Dayton didn’t have to put a
hard sell on running back
Tucker Yinger of DeSales. His
brother, Mitch, was a cornerback for the Flyers. The mechanical engineering school
also attracted him.
most cases.
“I wasn’t heavily recruited
“That’s when the NCAA
by scholarship teams,” Yinger
came out with what a lot of
said. “I talked to some MAC
people called the ‘Dayton
and Ivy League teams, but
rule’ in 1993,” Chamberlin
there wasn’t anything there.
said. “Universities couldn’t
This is a good fit for me.”
have a Division I basketball
The merit scholarship aid
team and Division III football
that Yinger receives, however,
team. It had to be one or the
is nowhere close to the uniother. Division I nonscholarversity’s yearly tuition of alship has worked for us. The
framework is just like Division most $40,000.
Still, Yinger is making the
III.”
most of it. The redshirt freshThe Flyers have won 13
man has run for all but 16 of
championships in the nonhis 652 yards in the past sevscholarship Pioneer Football
en games, after taking over
League. The NCAA has
for injured senior Connor
awarded the conference an
Kacsor. Yinger realizes the
automatic bid into the FCS
Flyers’ task against Western
playoffs since 2013.
Illinois.
Chamberlin said Western
“It is surreal to make the
Illinois is a heavy favorite.
“The only difference in our playoffs for the first time,” he
said. “You could say that we
players is they might be an
inch or 2 inches shorter or 20 are at a deficit. That gives us
pounds lighter from getting a extra motivation.”
— Mark Znidar
full ride somewhere else,”
[email protected]
Chamberlin said. “We tell our
@markznidar
recruits that they will still be
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albright (10-1)
at Mount Union (11-0)
NOON, ALLIANCE, OHIO
The skinny • Quarterback Taurice
Scott and running back Logan
Nemeth have excelled for topranked Mount Union, but the team’s
strength could be its defense.
Safety Alex Kocheff is a finalist for
the Gagliardi Trophy, which is the
NCAA Division III version of the
Heisman Trophy. Tom Lally is regarded as the best lineman in the
division hands down. He has 141⁄2
sacks. Mount Union should have
few problems with Albright, which is
in the playoffs for the first time
since 2009. That season ended
with a 55-3 loss to Mount Union.
Ohio Northern (9-2)
at Wis.-Oshkosh (10-1)
1 P.M., OSHKOSH, WIS.
The skinny • The Polar Bears
reached the second round by rallying from a 16-0 halftime deficit to
defeat Franklin 27-22 in a snowstorm. Ricardo Johnson threw for
190 yards and Justin Magazine ran
for 153. For third-seeded Oshkosh,
quarterback Brett Kasper threw for
336 yards and two touchdowns in a
48-0 romp over St. Scholastica last
week. Ohio Northern has lost two of
its past three second-round games.
— Mark Znidar
ON THE AIR
ABC (Channel 6)
Ohio State at Michigan ......................Noon
UCLA at USC ................................3:30 p.m.
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State ............8 p.m.
OTHER GAMES
CBS (Channel 10)
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fox (Channel 28)
Alabama at Auburn ......................3:30 p.m.
Notre Dame at Stanford ...............7:30 p.m.
Big Ten Network
Indiana at Purdue ..............................Noon
Maryland at Rutgers...........................Noon
Wisconsin at Minnesota ...............3:30 p.m.
ESPN
•
No. 5 Oklahoma
at No. 9 Oklahoma State
No. 14 Florida State
at No. 10 Florida
No. 22 UCLA
at Southern California
8 P.M., STILLWATER, OKLA.
Favorite • Oklahoma by 7
Records • Oklahoma 10-1, 7-1
Big 12; Oklahoma State 10-1,
7-1 Big 12
Last meeting • Oklahoma State
won 38-35 last season in
Norman, Okla. Oklahoma leads
series 84-18-7.
The skinny • The Big 12 title
and a spot in the College Football Playoff are on the line for
Oklahoma, which survived a late
rally by TCU to win 30-29 last
week and earn its place in the
driver’s seat, as well as a topfour seed in this week’s playoff
rankings. All that stands in the
way is rival Oklahoma State,
which fell out of first place after
last week’s loss to Baylor and its
third-string quarterback. The
Sooners beat the Bears two
weeks ago, meaning a win today
wraps up the conference. With
Baylor still in the picture and
facing TCU on Friday, the Cowboys will need a win over the
Sooners and a Bears loss to
claim the title.
7:30 P.M., GAINESVILLE, FLA.
Favorite • Florida State by 21⁄2
Records • Florida State 9-2;
Florida 10-1
Last meeting • Florida State
won 24-19 last season in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida leads series
34-23-2.
The skinny • Florida is a 10-win
team with a lock on the Southeastern Conference’s East Division, but optimism isn’t exactly
swelling this week. The Gators
are limping into tonight’s rivalry
clash with visiting Florida State
with 11 injuries — mainly on the
defensive line — threatening to
hurt their conference title chances. In addition, they are playing
with a backup quarterback,
Treon Harris, a leading playmaker who is a freshman in
receiver Antonio Callaway and a
kicker in Austin Hardin who has
struggled so much at times that
he was benched earlier this
season. The Gators have managed to keep winning, but have
won their past three games by a
total of 18 points.
3:30 P.M., LOS ANGELES
Favorite • USC by 3
Records • UCLA 8-3, 5-3 Pac-12
South; USC 7-4, 5-3 Pac-12
South
Last meeting • UCLA won 38-20
last season in Pasadena, Calif.
USC leads series 44-31-7.
The skinny • The Pac-12 South
Division and the right to face
Stanford for the conference title
on Dec. 5 are on the line when
UCLA and Southern Cal meet,
despite each team having three
conference losses and struggling
at different times this season.
UCLA has continued to grow with
true freshman quarterback Josh
Rosen (3,124 yards, 19 touchdowns) guiding the offense, and
a defense that has had its share
of issues more often than not
(392 yards allowed per game,
67th in FBS), while the Trojans,
who started the season ranked in
the Associated Press top 10,
endured unexpected losses
(Arizona State, Washington
State) and a midseason coaching change.
No. 2 Alabama at Auburn
3:30 P.M., AUBURN, ALA.
Favorite • Alabama by 14
Records • Alabama 10-1, 6-1
SEC West; Auburn 6-5, 2-5 SEC
West
Last meeting • Alabama won
55-44 last season in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Alabama leads series
43-35-1.
The skinny • When it comes to
this year’s Iron Bowl, underdog
Auburn doesn’t appear to be
leaving much off the table. On
his radio show on Monday,
coach Gus Malzahn said that he
would consider using trick plays.
An injury is likely to lead to the
Tigers using two quarterbacks,
Sean White and Jeremy Johnson,
during the game. White, a redshirt freshman, suffered a left
knee injury on Oct. 24 during a
loss to Arkansas. The two have
combined for 1,937 passing
yards and nine touchdowns.
Alabama has only gotten stronger since a loss to Mississippi,
and its defense hasn’t allowed
an opponent to score 20 points
in more than a month.
— Chris Voloschuk
Clemson at South Carolina..................Noon
Penn State at Michigan State .......3:30 p.m.
Florida State at Florida.................7:30 p.m.
ESPN2
Georgia at Georgia Tech .....................Noon
North Carolina at N.C. State .........3:30 p.m.
Mississippi at Mississippi State.....7:15 p.m.
Nevada at San Diego State .........10:45 p.m.
ESPNU
Virginia Tech at Virginia......................Noon
Northwestern vs. Illinois...............3:30 p.m.
Connecticut at Temple.......................7 p.m.
Air Force at New Mexico .............10:15 p.m.
ESPNews
SMU at Memphis................................Noon
SEC Network
Louisville at Kentucky.........................Noon
Vanderbilt at Tennessee ....................4 p.m.
Texas A&M at LSU........................7:30 p.m.
Fox Sports 1
Iowa State at West Virginia................Noon
Kansas State at Kansas ....................4 p.m.
Arizona State at California...............10 p.m.
CBS Sports Network
Cincinnati at East Carolina..................Noon
BYU at Utah State ........................3:30 p.m.
Colorado State at Fresno State..........9 p.m.
Fox Sports Ohio
Southern Miss at Louisiana Tech .........Noon
UTEP at North Texas.....................3:30 p.m.
SportsTime Ohio
Boston College at Syracuse.........12:30 p.m.
WWHO (Channel 53)
Charlotte at Rice..........................3:30 p.m.
NBC Sports Network
Southern U. at Grambling State .........5 p.m.

SHOW THE WAY - Gatehouse Media

Transcription

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