$2.50 PERIODICAL NEWSPAPER CLASSIFICATION DATED MATERIAL PLEASE RUSH!! C M VVol.ol. 332,2, NNo.o. 6 ““ForFor TThehe BBuckeyeuckeye FanFan WhoWho NNeedseeds TToo KKnownow More”More” Oct. 13, 2012 Y PPoppedopped K CCornorn OOhiohio StateState EarnsEarns MMarqueearquee VictoryVictory AAgainstgainst NebraskaNebraska JOSH WINSLOW PHOTOS LOWERING THE BOOM – Ohio State senior defensive end John Simon (54, above) was one of several Buckeyes to make an impact – literally – on Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez (3, above), much to the delight of OSU defenders Ryan Shazier (10), Etienne Sabino (6) and Johnathan Hankins (52), all of whom con- gratulated Simon on his sack (left). By MARCUS HARTMAN Buckeye Sports Bulletin Staff Writer If the last game of September was one small step for the Ohio State football team, the first game of October just might turn out to be a giant leap for Urban Meyer’s program. Ohio State’s 17-16 win at Michigan State on Sept. 29 had Meyer, the national championship-winning coach in his first season leading the Buckeyes, beam- ing as he embraced everyone he could find after the final seconds ticked off at Spartan Stadium. He told reporters afterward how thrilled he was to get his first Big Ten win under his belt, but the words were unnecessary for anyone who merely saw the look on his face. Two days later, though, his mood was different as preparations for No. 21 Nebraska began. After doing his usual postgame film review, Meyer was still grateful for the victory but sounding like a man still not satisfied. He spoke almost regretfully about not being able to put more points on the board in the first five games, about the inconsistency of his ballyhooed spread offense, the one born in Ohio at Bowling Green but known for lighting up scoreboards in the West at Utah and the South at Florida. “I have a great message for the fans,” Meyer said Oct. 1. “We appreci- ate what they’ve gone through the first four weeks (at home). We are getting better, and I think they’re going to enjoy watching their home Continued On Page 8 LLETTERSETTERS TTOO TTHEHE EEDITORDITOR Blame Falls On Smith Meyer Ran It Up number. But the three years under Rich Per Mark Rea’s Final Thoughts in the Sportsmanship is obviously one thing Rodriguez, they were really bad and the Oct. 6 issue (“Editor’s Notebook”), I’ll tell Urban Meyer did not discover in his one-year remaining six years Michigan was good you who the “genius” (and I use that word sabbatical from coaching college football. maybe two of those years. loosely) is that decided last year’s team I do not understand his philosophy of There’s no denying Tressel milked that should play in a bowl. His name is Gene attempting to score meaningless touchdowns national title (with John Cooper’s players) Smith. with less than a minute to play, especially in for the rest of his tenure with the Buckeyes. FAN POLL Anyone who doesn’t think Smith was run- a year where we are not bowl-eligible and Mr. Hansgren, after winning the national Go to www.BuckeyeSports.com and visit ning the entire football program last season there is no incentive to impress voters of title, name me one top-10 team Tressel beat, the Ask The Insiders forum to check out the is delusional. He wanted to make sure that various polls. not to mention how he got wasted against next poll. Or, starting this season, check out Buckeye Sports Bulletin on Facebook to find his buddies Dan Herron and DeVier Posey There will be a game sometime in the Florida and LSU. I don’t think Oregon was the poll as well. Results will be printed in the got “rewarded” for having to serve suspen- future where the score will be piled on the in the top-10 in the loss to OSU in the Rose next edition of BSB. sions and miss chunks of their senior year. Buckeyes and we’ll have no one to blame Bowl. Will OSU be 10-0 after the next Remember how he whined that Posey’s but ourselves – or more specifically Coach For a coach to say the punt is the most four games? extended ban was too harsh? Baloney, Gene. Meyer. important play in the game (and the field Yes: Neither of those two should have been Marc Tobias goal), to lose to really bad Illinois, Southern allowed back on the team, but do you seri- Lima, Ohio California at home against true freshman 92.0 percent ously think Luke Fickell would have been Matt Barkley, Texas at home when they had No: able to pull the trigger on that kind of deci- Needs Some Aggression the game won – I could go on how he lost to 9.0 percent sion? I am told that crow is very chewy and every good team he played and many times All the selfish individuals, minus Terrelle greasy. Personally, I hope I get put into a barely beat nonconference nobodies. Poll ran on Oct. 7 Pryor, who helped get the team into the position to eat some. Tressel could recruit, but with outstand- “I’m glad we have Purdue at home because NCAA pit that they are in now got to play in However, the Luke Fickell and Mike ing talent on board he still could not beat they always play us tough. I think Meyer keeps a worthless bowl game. Teams that finish 6- Vrabel defensive alignments place the cor- the big boys. the guys focused and we do go into the Wisconsin 6 don’t deserve bowl games, no matter who nerbacks 5 to 8 yards off the line of scrim- Rich Foust game 10-0.” you are. I agree with Mark – a one-year post- mage. Too many drives are kept alive by the Troy, Ohio – HBBuck season ban was coming. Take it last year for quick out for 5 or more yards. (Oregon was ranked No. 7 prior to its an undeserving 6-6 team with troublemakers The tackling is improving and the rebuild 2010 Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State. Ed.) “I will say, we have a little problem with on the roster. of the entire team is looking very good. I just Keep in mind that not only does this don’t see any improvement in stopping the If you would like to express an opin- spread teams that dink and dunk. Indiana does year’s team deserve a bowl game (although quick out. ion concerning Ohio State University sports, that very well. Must tackle.” none is forthcoming), they’ll miss out on Vrabel and Fickell are the men orches- please send your letter to BSB Letters, P.O. – MagicBuc almost a month of extra sanctioned practice trating the defensive deployment. Come on, Box 12453, Columbus, OH 43212, or email to lay the groundwork for next season. And have a little faith in your cornerbacks. it to [email protected] for use in BSB. “I vote no. I think it’s more likely that we somehow after all this, after OSU getting hit Don Goss Letters must be signed and include the writ- lose one of the next four games than we lose with the second harshest penalty the NCAA Cortland, Ohio er’s hometown and a daytime telephone num- one of the last two. Purdue and Penn State can levy, Smith is somehow still employed as ber for verification. Publication priority will could surprise us. Forty-nine percent chance the athletic director. Tressel Still Overrated be given to those letters that are brief, and of being 10-0 come Nov. 4.” Joe Hylton I must agree with Larry C. Hansgen (BSB we reserve the right to edit letters for publica- Hilliard, Ohio Letters, Oct. 6). Jim Tressel had Michigan’s tion. – Kurt23 From The Pages Of BSB 30 Years Ago – 1982 Despite all that, the Buckeyes could have won the game After months of speculation about whether prep All- Wisconsin stunned Ohio State, 6-0, in Ohio Stadium, the had dependable kicker Tim Williams’ 44-yard field goal not America offensive lineman Derek Morris would be eligible, he Badgers’ first win ever in the storied venue. sailed wide left in the final minute. enrolled in classes only to be released from his scholarship five That was not the only negative note associated with the It all added up to drop Ohio State to 0-2 and to the bottom days later. Buckeyes’ loss. Earle Bruce’s crew fell to 2-3 for the first time of the conference standings by themselves for the first time When pressed by reporters one day later, Ohio State head since 1967, lost its third straight game for the first time since since 1947. coach Jim Tressel refused to clarify just why that happened. 1971, lost a third straight game in Ohio Stadium for the first time ever and failed to draw a sellout crowd for the first time 15 Years Ago – 1997 Five Years Ago – 2007 since 1968. No. 2 Penn State rallied from a 10-point deficit in the The fourth-ranked Buckeyes jumped out in front with two UW running back John Williams scored the only touchdown fourth quarter to snatch a 31-27 victory away from seventh- early touchdowns and scarcely looked back en route to a 23-7 of the game on a 1-yard run in the first quarter, and Ohio State ranked Ohio State in Happy Valley. win over No. 23 Purdue. defender Jerome Foster blocked Mark Doran’s ensuing extra After trailing 17-10, the Buckeyes scored 17 points in a Ohio State’s domination – along with Purdue’s fall break point.