Football
Buckeye Football: 2006
By John PorentasThe strong finish to the 2005 football season has the eyes of the Buckeye Nation focused firmly on the 2006 season. And while many analysts are concerned about the OSU defense in 2006, there is room for optimism.
The Buckeyes should be as strong offensively in 2006 as they have been during the Tressel era. The Buckeyes will return eight of the 11 starters who were on the field for the first snap of the Notre Dame game, losing center Nick Mangold, left guard Rob Sims, and wide receiver Santonio Holmes. Everybody else will be back.
Here is a unit-by-unit capsule of OSU's prospects for 2006.
Offensive Line
The departure of Sims and Mangold represent a loss of 40% of the offensive line, but the Buckeyes appear well stocked at that position and have both experienced and talented players waiting in the wings.
The likely candidates to replace Mangold at center are this year's starting left tackle, Doug Datish, or redshirt freshman Jim Cordle who impressed the coaches before suffering an injury that ended his season.
If Cordle wins the spot, Datish could move to left guard to make room for freshman Alex Boone in the starting lineup at the left tackle spot. If Datish wins the spot at center, Boone will most likely be the man at left tackle.
The most likely replacement for Sims at the left guard spot will be Steve Rehring. Rehring sat out most of this season due to an injury, but played extensively last season at left tackle and was taking snaps at guard this season before his injury. As stated, Datish could also be a factor at guard if he does not play center.
Mangold and Sims were the unqualified leaders of the offensive line this season. If one of the returning veterans such as Datish or right guard T. J. Downing or right tackle Kirk Barton step up to assume that leadership role, the offensive line could be excellent next season. We see Datish and Downing as the most likely candidates for those roles. Downing has an outgoing personality that lends itself to leadership, and Datish is an extremely intelligent player who should have no trouble making line calls.
In a Nutshell: The Buckeyes will probably be bigger and stronger along the offensive front in 2006, but perhaps not quite as mobile. Both Mangold and Sims run well, and replacing them in terms of mobility will be difficult. They will however by very strong and should protect the passer well. They will also have depth with Datish, Downing, Barton, Boone and Rehring all returning with starting experience, and players such as Cordle, Ben Person, Kyle Mitchum and Jon Skinner waiting in the wings.
The-Ozone Best Guess Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Alex Boone, 6-8, 315
Left Guard: Steve Rehring, 6-8, 329
Center: Doug Datish, 6-5, 295
Right Guard: T. J. Downing, 6-5, 305
Right Tackle: Kirk Barton, 6-7, 325Wide Receiver
Holmes was not only a big-play receiver, but like Mangold and Sims, was the leader of his unit. It will be difficult to replace his big play ability, and equally difficult to replace his leadership.
The prime candidate to replace Holmes in the big play department is of course Ted Ginn. Wide receiver coach Darrell Hazell said early this year that Ginn would mature into the big play type player that Holmes is, and in the Fiesta Bowl, Ginn demonstrated that Hazell knows what he is talking about. Ginn finished the season with 51 receptions, just two less than Holmes who had 53. He also averaged 15.7 yards per catch. and caught four touchdown passes. While Ginn is the likely big play guy, the leadership role could well fall to Anthony Gonzalez. We also expect Gonzalez to be more of featured receiver in 2006.
The Buckeyes have a wealth of young receivers to replace Holmes, as well as veteran Roy Hall. Hall is probably the top candidate to step in as OSU's number three receiver, with Ginn and Gonzalez moving up to options one and two. Also waiting in the wings are unproven but talented Brian Hartline, Brian Robiskie, Albert Dukes as well as junior Devon Jordan and sophomore Devon Lyons.
In a Nutshell: It will be tough to replace Holmes, but we expect Ginn to be an improved player in 2006 and to fill in the big-play void left by Holmes' departure. There is plenty of young talent for depth. Don't be surprised if there is a budding star waiting in the wings among the young players.
The-Ozone best guess projected starters;
Ted Ginn Jr.; 6-0, 175
Anthony Gonzalez; 6-0, 195
Roy Hall; 6-3, 240 or Albert Dukes; 6-1, 190Quarterback
Troy Smith will return for a run at not only a winning season, but the Heisman Trophy as well. With the departure of Texas quarterback Vince Young to the NFL, Smith will be a candidate for that award in 2006. Top backup Justin Zwick will also return, despite persistent speculation that he might transfer. We just don't see that. Todd Boeckman will be back for his sophomore season and Robby Schoenhoft will return after taking a redshirt his freshman year. Troy Smith's improvement during the 2005 season was dramatic. If he can continue that trend, he will be outstanding in 2006. OSU threw just five interceptions in all of 2005 and had one of the most efficient passing games in the nation.
In a Nutshell: The Bucks are loaded at quarterback. There is skill, experience, and talent in abundance. Smith threw for 2,282 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2005, completing 62.9 per cent of his passes. He also rushed for 55.5 yards per game as OSU's second-leading rusher.
The-Ozone best guess projected starter;
Troy Smith 6-1, 215
Running Back
Antonio Pittman had a fine sophomore season finishing with 1,360 yards and seven touchdown on 243 carries for an average of 5.5 yards per carry. Pittman averaged 110.9 yards per game in his first year as a full-time starter. Pittman proved remarkably durable in 2005 after having injury problems in 2004.
Also returning in 2006 for his sophomore season is Maurice Wells. Wells saw limited duty in 2005, but did get on the field enough to have 61 carries. That experience should serve him very well in 2006. We see Wells as being much like Pittman was last year. He is extremely fast and quick, but needs a year in the weight room in order to able to be effective as a Big Ten running back. We think Wells will be a much-improved ball carrier in 2006.
Incoming freshman Chris Wells will be the big back that the Buckeyes have not had since Maurice Clarett. At 6-2, 235, Wells is a punishing runner who was named the MVP in the Army All-Star game for outstanding high school seniors across the country. Some have ranked him as the top running back prospect in the nation coming out of high school this year.
In a Nutshell: The Buckeyes were good at running back in 2005, and should be better in 2006. Pittman will continue to improve, and we expect M. Wells to be an improved player as well. The addition of C. Wells to the mix might mean that we will see more two-back offense in 2006, if for no other reason than to get him on the field.
The-Ozone best guess projected starter: Antonio Pittman, 5-11, 195, early, with Chris Wells, 6-2, 235, breathing down his back all season.
Tight End/Fullback
The tight end and fullback positions have become somewhat of a hybrid at Ohio State, so we're going to consider them together.
When the formation calls for a big-speed guy in the backfield, returners Stan White Jr. and Dionte Johnson will be on hand to answer the call. White got bigger in 2005 and found himself on the field considerably as the season progressed. Johnson is a heavy hitter between the tackles, but must work on his agility on the outside to become a more-rounded player at his position. Both are capable runners and capable receivers, but blocking is their primary role in the OSU offense. Both will be bigger, faster, stronger, and more experienced in 2006.
When the formation calls for a tight end on the line of scrimmage the Buckeyes will have returners Marcel Frost and Rory Nicol to call on. Frost got considerable playing time this year after Ryan Hamby was injured and Nicol sat out the season with an injury after playing as a true freshman last year. The good news is that Nichol was able to gain a redshirt year in doing so.
The Buckeyes had considerable success in the Michigan game when they lined up Andre Tyree at a tight end and just overpowered the Wolverines. Don't be surprised of another offensive lineman is groomed for that role next season.
In a Nutshell: There is veteran talent returning at all the offensive big speed positions in 2006. We think Stan White Jr. will be incorporated into the offense more in his senior season, and that both Rory Nicol and Frost will be utilized more in the passing game, particularly with the departure of Santonio Holmes.
The-Ozone best guess projected starters;
In the backfield, Stan White Jr. 6-3, 245
On the line of scrimmage: Marcel Frost 6-5, 255, but only because we're not sure how Nicol's (6-5, 260) injury has healed. If he is healthy, it could be a real dogfight for playing time at tight end.Coaching:
The offensive coaching staff was rather maligned in Jim Tressel's first four seasons at OSU, but the nay-sayers have disappeared. Smith's improvement this year is a testament to both Joe Daniels and Jim Tressel. Dick Tressel did a great job bringing along Antonio Pittman and grooming Maurice Wells. Darrell Hazell's influence on Santonio Holmes, Anthony Gonzalez and Ted Ginn Jr. is unmistakable and marks Hazell as a coach to watch.
No one took more heat than Jim Bollman in the first four years of the Tressel era, but we don't hear too many people carping these days. OSU's offensive line was very efficient this year, and as offensive line coach, Bollman deserves much of the credit. He was helped in that endeavor by John Peterson, who in name is OSU's tight ends coach, but also works with the offensive line. That coaching combination was excellent in 2005.
Bollman also deserves credit as OSU's offensive coordinator. Ohio State opened the season with an offensive philosophy that had four or five receivers on the field much of the time, and was focused on getting the ball to the wide receivers near the line of scrimmage. It didn't work, and Bollman was flexible enough to scrap that idea and move toward a three-wide attack that featured down-field passing and the running game between the tackles.
In a Nutshell: Five years in, the offensive staff has proven their ability to develop players. The offensive line and Troy Smith in 2005 are glowing examples of that. This season, they also exhibited the flexibility to change a plan. As Troy Smith and Antonio Pittman developed, the offense evolved to take advantage of them. As far as game planning goes, the Notre Dame game and the insertion of Tyree into the Michigan game speak for themselves.
The offense as a whole:
The offense should be better in 2006 than it was in 2005, and that's saying a lot. After a slow start in 2005, the offense was deadly at season's end. If Troy Smith stays healthy, the Buckeyes will be hard to stop in 2006. Smith will most likely run less in 2006 for two reason. First, he is improved as a quarterback and thinks pass first now. Secondly, he will have LOTS of help in the running game in 2006. Ohio State should be both explosive and consistent in 2006.
Tomorrow: Defense and Special Teams
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