Spartan Nation 2009 Scouting Report: The Ohio State Buckeyes

Biggest Game: September 12, 2009 USC

Predicted record: 12-0 (8-0)

Projected Big Ten standing: 1st

Returning Starters: 12; OFFENSE 5, DEFENSE 7 Lettermen returning: 38

Head Coach: Jim Tressel 9th Season at OSU Last Season: 10-3 Lifetime: 218-76-2

Top assistant: OC Jim Bollman

Number of Players on the All Spartan Nation Big Ten Team: 8; QB Terrelle Pryor, WR DeVier Posey, C Mike Brewster, OG Justin Boren, LB Ross Homan, CB Chimdi Chekwa, SS Kurt Coleman, PR Ray Small

Analysis: If Jim Tressel isnâ€™t the best coach in the nation, then he is 1B only behind Urban Meyer and that is a big IF. He is a brilliant person with people, and he runs an excellent football program. People who attack his character are simply jealous of his success or simply ignorant. As great of a coach that he is, he is an even better human being.

At MSU, we are blessed to have Mark Dantonio who is without a doubt his own man. Dantonio, however, took the best of Tressel and both men who are close are also mirror images of integrity and character.
Tressel showed his brilliance last season when he lost to USC in game three and made the switch to a freshman QB knowing that the national attention of USC was over. He has proven that although he wants to run a certain type of program, good coaches adapt to the talents of their players and he is willing to do that. You can see that Steve Spurrier at South Carolina is struggling, because he wonâ€™t adjust his system to the talent he can get. Rest assured, any team Tressel coaches has an advantage before the kickoff simply because of his coaching.

Tressel (like Dantonio at MSU) is from the school that you play your players. He knows that injuries happen and that is why year after year the Buckeyes can lose a load of talent and simply reload the next season. That is one of the many reasons he is such a great coach, and I asked him while I was in Columbus to spend a few hours with him about that philosophy. â€œWe do play a lot of guys, but we believe if they are good enough to come to Ohio State, that they are good enough to play. That way they know when they are called on to play major minutes that they can do it and that we believe in them.â€

Tressel pays incredible attention to special teams, and consistently the Bucks are among the nations best. Tressel told me, â€œSpecial teams is the most critical part of the game of football.â€ He isnâ€™t one to waste words and he doesnâ€™t say what he doesnâ€™t mean. His players know that because of the time he gives special teams in practice and unlike most programs the stars play there. At Ohio State, they look to the stars first for that unit. In fact, FMR LB James Laurinaitis told me last year, â€œAt Ohio State, there isnâ€™t a bigger honor than being selected to play special teams.â€

The Buckeyes will host the men of Troy on September 12th, and if they win that game at the shoe, their only tough road game is at PSU and they avoid the up and coming Spartans. The Buckeyes are 7-1 against Michigan since Tressel took over winning the last five. The rivalry took a dip last season when Michigan was acclimating to a new system and this season should be more of the same.

Things are special in Columbus and if the people who simply love to hate Tressel step back and look, unless you are Florida or USC, every other program in the nation would trade records and success with them. That makes the Buckeyes special and should make the Spartan Nation excited. Mark Dantonio was a huge part of laying the foundation for this success and he is following the same plans and prescription at Michigan State.

Predicted Win/Loss:
1.Navy WIN
2.USC WIN
3.Toledo WIN
4.Illinois WIN
5.@ Indiana WIN
6.Wisconsin WIN
7.@ Purdue WIN
8.Minnesota WIN
9.New Mexico State WIN
10.@ Penn State WIN
11.Iowa WIN
12.@ Michigan WIN

National title game against the winner of the Texas vs. Oklahoma game.

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