First, I have to say that reducing the time limit on the first round picks from 15 minutes to 10 minutes was a genius move. The pace picked up and it wasn’t so agonizing that I could actually watch the whole round without thinking the world was passing me by. The first day was reduced from 6.5 hours to just fewer than 4. Great job Mr. Commissioner!

Congratulations to Vernon Gholston! The 6th overall pick to the New York Jets in the first round. Great decisions all around. I’m not a big fan of a player leaving early unless he is assured a first round selection and if he is legitimately ready for the next level at his position. Vernon is ready to play in the NFL and he went where expected, to a team that can really use a player with his abilities. Now it’s time to prepare for a much longer season in a whole new world. Good Luck Vernon!

We knew with so many Buckeyes electing to return for their senior season, the draft would be thin for the Bucks but I was glad to see Kirk Barton and Larry Grant get drafted. After the first couple of rounds, it is impossible to predict where you may go. There are so many trades and moves, that in some instances it is sometimes a good idea to wait and sign as a free agent, so you can pick a team that would give you the best chance of making a roster. But on the other hand, it is very hard to reject an offer to be drafted, regardless of the team.

Larry Grant was the first of the two to go in the 7th round (214 pick) to the San Francisco 49ers. Grant is from California and went to San Francisco Junior College, so he gets to go home and even though he didn’t get the spot light at OSU, I think the 9ers will be pleasantly surprised with their last pick. Good luck Larry!

Barton was the 247 selection in the 7th round to the Chicago Bears. This may be a tough place for Kirk to make the roster but a good place for him to prove his worth to the league and if he doesn’t make the cut, he could get picked up down the line by another team looking for a tough, well coached, high quality young man with great credentials. Hope he makes the cut but I still see him spending some time in the league. Go getem’ Kirk!

I thought the feel good story of the draft was Caleb Campbell from Army going in the 7th round to the Detroit Lions. Obviously he is a long shot to make the team as a DB but may make the roster as a special team player. The reason this is so cool, is that for the first time, the military has changed their policy on athletes going to the pros after their military commitment has ended. Caleb, if he makes the roster, will be able to stay with the team and serve his country in the off season in a domestic role as a recruiter or the like. Good PR move Mr. Chief of Staff.

Then there is always the Mr. Irrelevant pick. This is the last man selected in the draft. This goes to Davis Vobora, a DB from Idaho to the St. Louis Rams. Now, even though he did get drafted and has a very low chance of making the Rams roster, he does get a shot at stardom since Mr. Irrelevant gets a guest spot on the David Letterman show. Maybe he can sing or dance?

As far as the rest of the draft, beyond moving much faster, it went pretty much as planned. There were a couple very good moves for some teams moving up to get there picks. I think that Washington and Baltimore did well. I think the Brown and Bengals improved their opportunities and the Colts, Giants and Pats filled some of their holes. I thought it was interesting that the “character” issue was so pronounced in the league and with the media. I know it’s a lot of rhetoric for the “analysts” to waste hour upon hours talking about but I hope it makes the up and comers more aware of the off-the-field exploits in the future. We’ll see how it all falls out. A lot of guys go in every year and most of them end up preparing for the real world.

On the rest of the Bucks, only the two fullbacks, Dionte Johnson and Tyler Whaley signed free agent contracts on draft day. Dionte went to the Cardinals where his father’s teammate Maurice Carthon now coaches the running backs. Tyler was picked up by the Bengals where his dream will continue after walking on at OSU. Good luck guys, give’em your best.

Popularity: 25% [?]

I don’t know if you watched the Ohio State v Purdue game last night but I was so happy to see Jamar Butler carry the Buckeyes to a “must win” victory over the Boilermakers. With only 2 points in the first half, Butler came on to score 23 in the second and made some huge buckets in OT to help the Bucks stay in the Tournament race.

This team has had some serious ups and downs due to their youth. I love the way they play defense, but turnovers and strength inside are really hurting them. I wouldn’t say Koufos is overrated but he should be much more dominant especially against a Purdue team that is a little undersized. He had 15 points but mostly layups and dunks. Coach Matta stayed with Terwilliger for much of the second half even with 4 fouls, Matt exerted himself on defense and on the boards not to mention hitting a key jumper down the stretch.

The Bucks looked to Butler and frosh Turner for much of the scoring in the second half and overtime. Even as much as Turner makes some mistakes, he plays hard and was very good in one-on-one opportunities. Butler was just stroking it in the second half. Using screens he gave himself open looks and buried them when he had the chance. The biggest shots may have been his two free throws in OT that sealed the win. Nothing but net.

The guys are playing hard but again due to their youth, they are not capitalizing when they have the chance and make mistakes when they can’t afford them. I like they way they extend the D with their reach but need to hit the D boards harder. Their offense may rely too much on threes especially Lighty, who always gives great effort, but his stroke leaves something to be desired. Othello Hunter has really come on and once he gets the ball on the block, he goes to the hole strong.

They have their work cut out for them against MSU. The Spartans are a VERY physical and athletic team and are still vying for the Big 10 Championship. The Bucks need to play an almost flawless game and catch a couple breaks along the way. I honestly hope that the Bucks make the Tourney as an at large bid. It always makes March Madness that much more fun. But if they do, I don’t expect them to go too far.

If everyone stays, and they should, the Bucks could really be a contender with the recruits they have coming in. Put Mullins in the post and Koufos out facing the basket, pick up another pure shooter with Diebler, add a much improving Lauderdale with Hunter, and get a point guard to replace Butler, and this could be a very good team in 09.

GO BUCKS!

Popularity: 43% [?]

It’s that time of year when we start to look at the future of Ohio State football by surveying the next recruiting class. As much as I always say that it is very premature to plot out the way that these young men are going to develop, it’s always interesting to look at them today and try to prognosticate a few things like: Which of these guys is going to live up to the hype? Which of these guys is going to surprise us by overachieving? Are there going to be any “total busts”? Who is going to make an immediate impact? And so on.

Having been around this process for 25 years, you think you have seen everything but you just never know. Who would have said that a guy who was recruited as an athlete would win the Heisman as a QB? Can anybody remember the guys that came in as “all-world” but never really made an impact? How about the guys that kind of hung around for three years and then came on strong their last two years and went on to the NFL? So let me just reiterate; it is just too soon to predict how these guys are going to develop both mentally and physically over the next few years and how they are going to “get it”.

Let’s take a look at the list as it stands today by position:

Starting with the O line which is where I think the strength of this class lies.
Mike Adams (6’8” 305) Michael Brewster (6’6” 305) J.B. Shugarts (6’7” 299) are obviously very big boys but having had a chance to meet them and see a little film I was impressed that they aren’t just hefty guys, they look like athletes and it’s my bet that they can all run. I think OSU has pretty decent depth on the line but with these three they will have more options. I think at least one of them will make an impact as a Frosh.

The Bucks picked up three solid WRs. DeVier Posey (6’3” 190) Jake Stoneburner (6’6” 223) Lamaar Thomas (5’11” 175) Again more size in the line up on offense and hopefully some more speed. Posey has the best credentials but the transition to college from high school at the WR position is not easy. The Bucks had some solid depth but has lost some in the last 2 years so these guys will need to step up. I like Stoneburner as a possession receiver maybe as an h-back where he can get matched up with a LB or safety and help in improving 3rd down conversions. Tight end Nic DiLillo (6’5” 225) will join the already stout tight end corps in the hopes to use the TEs a lot more in the passing game.

With depth at the RB position the Bucks look to fill some need by getting Glenville product Jermil Martin (5’11” 225). He is going to need to be a solid run/pass blocker but hopefully he has some hands to help with the pass. Devoe Torrence (6’2” 210) is a bigger back with some good speed and again for him to make any impact early, he is going to have to learn to pass block or he will struggle to see the field.

On defense the Buckeyes are obviously stack with only Gholston leaving for the NFL. Recruiting LBs is always a good idea even when you have solid depth. These guys are athletes and may be moved to a down position depending on how the develop and are always great to have on coverage teams. Etienne Sabino (6’3” 225) from Miami can probably run but can he stuff the run. Andrew Sweat (6’2” 225) Nathan Williams (6’4” 245) round out the crew and they are going to have a great opportunity to learn from a very good group of upper classmen. LB is also a tough transition and learning is going to be critical. Don’t expect these guys to make a big impression for a year or two.

Only two DBs in Travis Howard (6’1” 185) and the late addition of Zack Domicone (6’3” 215) must have something the coaches liked. This is the hardest transition but again with Jenkins returning and the rest of the crew they won’t have to make an impact early but can contribute on special teams. It’s been a little while since we’ve seen a safety (Domicone) of that size like Roger Harper that may make receivers think twice when the go across the middle and help in run support. You never know who may make an early showing but watch for Domicone.

With Gholston gone the Bucks lose a serious pass rusher but with some others (Heywood) stepping up, they are still going at least 7 deep. Although the learning curb is shorter for the D line, the physical part is much more demanding and it is very hard to predict how these young guys are going to develop. Another Glenville product Shawntel Rowell (6’4” 325) highly recruited Willie Mobley (6’3” 262) and Garrett Goebel (6’5” 270) are going to want to get to work immediately if they want to see the field but there is room. Rowell’s size may give him an edge at the nose.

Kicking and Punting are always interesting but I’ve heard nothing but good things about Ben Buchanan (5’10” 190). He has distance having made a kick from almost 60. Word has it that the ball explodes off his foot much like Tupa and he is a great kid. Don’t be surprised if he gets some chances early to over take the current kicking duties and then inherits the punting duties from AJ.

Then if they can pull it off adding Pryor to this list would make it a very good class. Again, as much as he is listed as a can’t miss, the transition is very difficult. Not only is the mental aspect incredibly demanding, he will also have to adjust to the speed. It took Vince Young some time to realize that he could always out run the D and he learn to pick his spots and that made him look so incredible. I would love to see him choose OSU because I think of all of his choices, Tress would probably give him the best shot at getting to the next level. If he comes, give him a year to watch under Boeckman and get some reps in pressure games, then compete with Henton for the job in ’09.

Would like to hear what everybody else thinks!

Popularity: 33% [?]

I know I didn’t comment on the Championship game and have been listening to everyone complaining about the loss. But other than a handful of critical mistakes and penalties, the Bucks hung in with a very good LSU team. If anyone would have told me that the Bucks would have been in their second consecutive BCS Championship game, I would have responded that they were a year or two away. They were suppose to finish third or fourth in the Big Ten. So I feel pretty good about the results and with the recent developments, I am really looking forward to the 08 season.

Speaking of those recent developments, I have been asked many times about the guys leaving early for the NFL and most people thought that Gholston, Jenkins and Laurinaitis were gone for sure.

My philosophy on leaving early is that if you are not a “sure” first round selection you should come back and improve your game to a first round level. I hear the injury argument but injuries can happen anytime. It’s part of the game and the risk can be reduced with preparation, conditioning and technique. The money issue is always a consideration that many of these young guys must consider. I know they need to consider their families but if they are not a first round selection and fall further than they expect the dollar amount could be considerable even though it is still more than they would make coming out of college as a student. The problem is that although the league tries to give them an idea of where they may get drafted, there are so many variables, it is never a sure bet. They could do poorly in the combines, there are hundreds of smaller school guys that are scouted into the mix, they could have off-season injury, others at position test better, he may have trouble with mental acuity part, teams may not have need in that position at the draft spot or any other number of things that could cause them to fall in the ranks.

My thoughts were that Gholston is absolutely ready to move on. He has the size, speed and strength to compete at that level and will definitely be a first round pick.

I was surprised at Malcolm Jenkins decision because I thought his first round selection was going to be close but that he had a good chance based on the past OSU DB’s performance in the league. I think he had some things to work on but overall he could make a team and contribute. I’m also thinking there may have been a glut of DBs coming out and that could make his selection a little cloudy so I think it was a good choice and great to have him back.

I actually wasn’t surprised at Laurinaitis’ decision. I think he really likes it at Ohio State and don’t think money was a big consideration. They have him slated as high as the 7th pick overall and thee first linebacker but definitely a first rounder. Don’t know what his other personal decisions were but I think he has more to prove and wants that championship. With him back, the Bucks are a shoe-in for pre-season top ten ranking.

I know they made a big deal about Alex Boone and I think Alex will be a good NFL lineman some day but he has plenty to work on. I’ll leave the analysis to Lachey but I think it was a great decision and he will anchor what will be a very good line and with the incoming frosh, could be very deep as well.

I think the guy that people underestimated was Brian Robiski. I think he already has all of the tools to be a very good possession receiver in the Pros as well as being a deceiving deep threat. He runs very good routes, has great hands and understands the passing game thanks to Dad. But with all of the other talent and the lack of a passing game the last part of the season, he didn’t get the accolades and ink he probably deserved. His return gives the Bucks a very experienced receiving corp. with new blood on the way.

In my estimation they all made good choices but I especially like the comments about the recruiting class staying together and the fact that they liked their teammates. They have more to prove and want to take the risk to help their friends achieve the ultimate goals. I know in today’s world they need to look out for themselves and make a decision based on their needs, goals and dreams.

It is a real refreshing twist that these guys were also thinking about their teammates, coaches and the fans. Nice job guys. Good luck Vernon. Looking forward to 2008. Go Bucks!

Popularity: 32% [?]

I have had the occasion to see LSU play quite a few times this year and even though I have seen better Tiger teams in the past, the 2007 team doesn’t have many holes. Beyond the talent, they also have some great leadership on the field in all aspects of the game.

Offensively the Tigers are led by senior QB Matt Flynn who has a lot of confidence in the talent around him. He’s thrown for 17 touchdowns but with 10 int’s he has a tendency to thrown into coverage if pressured. His back up is soph Ryan Perrilloux who is been in and out of the doghouse but plays frequently especially in running downs but throw the ball when asked. Although Flynn calls the plays, the real leader on this offense is fullback Jacob Hester. With over 1000 yards he is obviously a very good runner but it is his dependability that makes him so good. When they need a big play on the ground or in the air, they look for Hester. Most of his teammates have more speed but Hester is undoubtably the go-to guy. Williams and Holliday see the ball out of the backfield too. Williams is a much bigger and more of a pounder, but Holliday is a World Class sprinter and at 5’5” he is tough to find and once you do…….he may be gone. The receivers are all very fast. Led by senior Early Doucet with 50 catches, he missed a few games this year but when Flynn needs a catch downfield, he looks for Doucet. LaFell and Byrd are also pretty good with some of the biggest clutch catches of the year made by Byrd. TE Dickson gets into the mix especially around the goal line but if they do get down there, keep your eyes on #18 Hester. The O line is big and physical led by the whole left side of the line, Johnson at 6’7” 350.

Defensively the Tigers are led by senior/consensus All Am Glen Dorsey. If he is healthy (bad back) he can dominate the line of scrimmage and put a bunch of pressure on TBoeck. With a couple of weeks of rehab, I would expect him to be ALL there. But he is not the only playmaker on the D. All Am senior safety Craig Steltz and senior linebacker Ali Highsmith are both serious football players and can make plays both against the run and in the passing game. The supporting cast are all good athletes with speed and run to the ball. Steltz leads the team in INT’s but senior corners Jackson and Zenon are always a threat to take a chance for a pick 6. Former Buckeye and soon to be Cornhusker Head Coach Bo Pelini does a great job with this talent and has some depth to work with. He is aggressive but always protects his assets. He will pressure TBoeck relentlessly but with a healthy Dorsey, he may not have to release the dogs. Maybe he should get to Nebraska early to start recruiting?!@#$%^&*(

Special Teams have always been pretty good at LSU. This year is no different. Colt David the kicker is 25-32 with a long of 49 and one blocked. Senior punter Patrick Fisher is averaging 44 yards with 12 knocked down inside the 20. The scary part is their returners, especially lil Holliday. have taken one kickoff back to the house and they have run 2 punts back for scores. Because of the Tigers depth at “speed” they cover really well and don’t make many-if any-mental mistakes.

Coaching is a very interesting match up. Les Miles is no slouch when it comes to X’s and O’s and he is a very good motivator. Then you throw in Bo who has a wealth of experience which includes stints in the NFL. Tress knows he is going to be challenged so don’t be surprised that the Bucks change a few things and take a few chances.

This LSU team is very talented and has some very good leadership, but does have the potential to make some mistakes and play to their opponent (UK and Ark). If we look anything like we did last year at this time……well we better duck.

Too soon for a prediction…..let me go back and forth about fifty more times.

GO BUCKS!

Popularity: 25% [?]

Michigan is always the biggest game of year!

This season has been a literal rollcoaster ride. Sure we are all disappointed with the loss to the Illini, but if you would have said that Ohio State was going to be 10-0 going into that game and ranked number 1, you might have been kidding. Yet they got to that point and then lost to a strong Illinois team in a tough game.

Now it’s time for MICHIGAN! Regardless of the records or rankings, the Ohio State v Michigan game IS the biggest rivalry in college football. It is also the most physical football game I have ever seen or played in. Both teams have a healthy respect for each other and there is a huge amount of personal pride involved. Here it is 21 years after my last UM game and people still ask if I won and the UM guys won’t let me forget it. (Especially Harbaugh…)

Just to take you back a little bit……in 1985 we played a pretty good game in Ann Arbor and except for one slip up (Kolesar goes 80+ for a TD late in the game) we had that thing won. CC had a huge game and I would say that as a team we left it on the field. In ’86 we were in control of the game and the ball late into the fourth quarter. It was 4th and 3 with a couple minutes left in UM territory. We had the D on their heals and, in my estimation, could have easily got the first down and continued the drive. Coach elected to try the field goal and it was missed wide right. The O line deserved a chance after the game they played and I sat with the band cuz I didn’t want to look. Anyway, I hated to lose to those guys but was very proud of the way my team played and to a man. They left it all on the field those two days.

This year doesn’t look any different. UM has a lot to prove after two early losses to App St. and Oregon. At 8-3 they’re thinking that the Rose Bowl looks very good. Ohio State, with Nat’l Championship hopes mostly dashed are going to be hungry to meet the challenge.

This is going to be another classic, especially if Michigan comes with its full array of talent. Hart and Henne both sat out last week but I’ll bet they are ready for the Bucks. Ohio State is healthy for the most part and will need to play their best game of the year in Ann Arbor. In this game the big players must play huge and the others must play even bigger. Look to the trenches and that’s where you will find your winner.

Another great OHIO STATE v MICHIGAN game: OSU wins 24-17

Popularity: 30% [?]

Now that the VooDoo game (Wisconsin) is behind us, the Buckeyes focus is going to be centered on the next two games, one at a time. Everybody is talking about the Bucks coming back after getting behind to the Badgers, but I was more impressed that they didn’t get out of their game plan and just picked up the pace of play. Not that they were lazy in the first half, but they were kind of traveling at 55 mph and then picked it up to 65 in the second half. No panic, no throwing the ball deep down field for a quick score…..just give the ball to Beanie, let the line block, make the safeties creep up and then rack up some scores.

Now the Illini come to town. Ron Zook (former OSU coach) knows what it is to be in the Shoe and will relate that to his players. But …..the Illini have not had much luck in Ohio Stadium and probably won’t this year. Don’t get me wrong….they are a much improved team, but I don’t think a running QB with an average arm is going to beat this OSU defense. Juice Williams is a dynamic player, but if you contain his running he has thrown more picks than TDs and his backup Magee, who they think is the thrower, has 3 picks and only 1 TD. If Illinois is going to win, it has to start with TB Mendenhall. If he gets the running game going straight at the Bucks D, that will make Juice way more effective. If he doesn’t, the fighting Illini will struggle to score and the Bucks will go 11-0.

As far as the Illini D, they have a very good linebacker in J Leman and always are talented in the backfield. But I don’t think they can go 4 quarters with the consistent Buckeye offense. The Bucks need to control the basics of the game: time of possession, field position and turnovers. The Illini D is giving up over 110 yards per game rushing and 19 points per game which doesn’t make their job any easier against the Buckeyes. I just think the Bucks have too much firepower and will get the job done early.

They have some quality wins over Syracuse, Wisconsin and Penn St. But of course those teams have proved to be average and they had a bad loss to Iowa in Iowa City. I think the Illini are definitely an improved football team, but are probably not ready to contend for a Big Ten championship.

Buckeyes will 27-10

Popularity: 22% [?]

Over the years the Badgers have won some pretty big games against the Bucks. I always hated playing them in Madison, but they have also had plenty of success in Ohio Stadium. I don’t really know what it is but Wisconsin seems to always get up for the game regardless of the quality of team the put on the field.

This year’s Badger team is no different. They have a solid line-up and started the season in the top ten but have yet to live up to expectation. Coach Bielema, although very young, will have this team ready to play with the Buckeyes early. The big question is if they have the horses to go 10 rounds or will they peter out down the stretch.

PJ Hill carries the load for the Badgers and if he’s healthy, and if his big O line gets a good push, the Bucks could be in for a long day. The big problem with that is that the Bucks are so deep up front and play the run so well, that I really don’t see PJ getting off for 150 plus even if he plays. And if he does gain a bunch of yards, so what? they don’t have much else. QB Tyler Donovan is a 5th year senior but at 6”1’ 185 I don’t know how he sees over and around that huge O line. Donovan’s main weapons are seniors, but the offensive doesn’t really lend itself to a big passing threat. They will hurt you if you’re not paying attention.

UW defense is always stout and don’t usually make too many mistakes although they have given up a lot of points this season, especially in the spanking they took from Penn St. 38-7 and the 31 they gave up in a loss to Illinois. They will definitely wear down if the Bucks keep on them for four quarters. The big key as always for the Buckeyes is going to be turnovers. If they hold on to the ball and be sound up front, I expect the O to rack up at least Penn St. numbers and then some.

Special teams need to keep a lid on KO returns and the punter/kickers need to continue to do a good job.

As much as I have experienced the Badger “cloud” over the Bucks in the past, I don’t see it this year in the Shoe.

Buckeyes win 35-17

Popularity: 35% [?]

You had to know when you looked at this year’s schedule that the Buckeye’s were not going to be truly challenged until this week against Penn State. Not that I think that the Nittany Lions are a better football team, but that playing a JoPa team in Happy Valley is an extremely difficult task.

Does Penn St. match up well for the Bucks? Well let’s look. The Lion’s are always prepared on defense and since the Buckeye offense is not nearly as potent as last year’s team, the PSU “D” can buckle up and play base with a little emphasis on putting some pressure on TBoeck much like the Spartan’s did in the 3rd quarter last week. They’re strong against the run and if they can get pressure on the QB they can do a descent job in pass defense. I think that PSU will be able to hold down the Bucks for awhile but eventually the depth of OSU will wear them down and the big play guys, Robinski, Beanie, Hartline and maybe a tight end will prevail.

The area that is up in the air is the Lion’s offense against the stellar Buckeye defense. Can PSU get anything done on the ground? They have never been known for being able to throw the ball very effectively in the past. If they can move the ground game, I think they will struggle scoring and that will probably be the case. Not only do I think that the Buck’s defense will stand up but I also think they will continue to create turnovers, especially with big pressure on the young Lion’s QB.

Barring any really big plays against the special teams or brain farts by the offense, I expect the Bucks to play a pretty boring game and rack up another win. Not a big offensive showing but still good enough to outscore the Nittany Lions: Buckeyes win 27-17

Popularity: 25% [?]

I just read an article in the Dispatch that the Kent State coach is going to play every player who makes the trip to Columbus so his starters can get some rest to finish the MAC conference schedule.

Coach Doug Martin said:

We’ve got to come out of this game healthy so we can finish our conference schedule effectively.

What he really means is that he wants to hold back his better players back so he can reserve them for the rest of the MAC schedule. Essentially, he doesn’t think his Golden Flashes have a shot at beating the Buckeyes.

This is probably the most curious comment I have ever encountered in my years in the game. Why would you ever admit to holding players back because you knew you were going to lose anyway? Tress would never tell us he is going to take it easy on some of his players because they play a sub-par team that week. What does that tell your players? We can never beat Ohio State so we are going to rest our stars for the chance to win the M..A..C. Don’t try too hard since I (your coach and leader) know that you can’t win.

He’s also saying, “let’s go in and take the $600k, lose and move on.” As a spectator, I have a serious problem with paying a large sum of money to watch what the Kent State coach already admits is a foregone conclusion. I would want my money back if he doesn’t field his best team or put forth his best effort.

If I were a Kent State fan or a member of their Board of Trustees I would be concerned that my coach doesn’t have the faith in his players that they could give OSU a run for their money. Nor does he have the experience or sense to keep his real opinions to himself.

Can you imagine what the Kent State practices are going to be like for the rest of the week? If I were on the Buckeyes coaching staff, I would put his comments on the Kent State players’ lockers because the comments came from inside their own camp. Think about the poor second or third team guy who went to a MAC school to get an education and he gets “thrown to the Buckeyes” because the coach wants to save his REAL players for the rest of the season.

Plus let’s get real, the Golden Flashes are 3-3 and 1-2 in the MAC. They have losses to Miami U, Akron and Kentucky but their wins haven’t been bad. They beat Iowa St., Delaware St. and Ohio U. So they while they have something to hang their hat on, they’re not going to win the MAC championship and they’re going to struggle to earn a bowl bid.

I think Doug Martin should get a serious tongue lashing from the schools AD if not the Prez. He has basically told everyone, including the fans, the world of college football, the students and worst of all , his players that they can’t win and shouldn’t try. I hope Tress lays the wood to this guy and I also hope that none of those second and third stringers get hurt because of their coach’s ridiculous approach to competition and valor.

I’m glad none of my coaches ever gave up before the game even started.

Popularity: 29% [?]