Spartan Nation 2007 scouting report: The Ohio State Buckeyes
Spartan Nation 2007 scouting report:Â The Ohio State Buckeyes
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Predicted record:Â 11-1 (7-1)
Projected Big Ten standing:Â 1st
Returning Starters:Â OFFENSE:Â 5 DEFENSE:Â 6 Lettermen return:Â 41Â
Head Coach:Â Jim Tressel 12-1 Lifetime 197-71-2
Top assistant: OC Jim Bollman          Â
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Jim Tressel is, in my opinion, the finest coach in the nation. That is why when listening to him and Mark Dantonio makes me so excited. Tressel preaches special teams (like all the greats do) and at MSU media day yesterday you heard Dantonio echo one of his mentor’s most famous statements: The punt is the most important play in football.
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Tressel’s team lacks experienced starters on offense but that was the case when they won the national title. They have playmakers and one area that Tressel is the best in the nation is at getting reps and plays for guys down the depth chart. That is why you can essentially see them not have to rebuild each year because he has a keen ability to see the depth chart two to three years down the road and never seems to be caught with guys that don’t have on field experience.Â
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If you look back at MSU’s history, how many times do you find the Spartans with guys having to step onto the field that haven’t played? Those days are over with Dantonio who is much more like Tressel than Saban and he plays a huge percentage of his roster like his mentor Tressel.
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That said there are issues with the offense but just like the national championship year they will run the ball and pass only when they want to. Tressel won’t be forced into anyone’s game plan other than his own because his teams are so skilled on special teams and he isn’t afraid to punt the ball away and live to play another series with his ever tough defenses.
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LB James Laurinaitis is a Spartan Nation All American and they have the best defensive backfield in the nation. The Buckeyes will have a great season once again, but I think and 10/27 battle in Happy Valley with the Lions of PSU will be the one game they lose. If they should escape Happy Valley, the Bucks could be back in the BCS yet again.
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Mark Dantonio told me a story once that really showed me the respect the coaching staff at OSU has for Tressel. He told me that in his entire time either at Youngstown or at OSU Tressel never one time ever overruled a defensive play that he called. Tressel believes in setting the game plan and letting his coaches coach. It is the same philosophy that Dantonio has and it is a blue print of where MSU is going. This will be a good year for the Bucks and for the Spartans to see what MD is doing!
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