[DGUtley]

Maybe I am nuts, but contrary to what the Mark Mays of the world say, the Buckeyes aren't atrocious. We've had a fairly solid O line the past few games. A young aggressive Defense. When Braxton grows up a bit and we can eat more time, we'd be pretty good off. Am I crazy? I think future looks bright. On yesterday's game, nice win but i kept waiting for NCAA to say "psyche" and that those kids shouldn't have played.

[Warpath_ejh]

The passing game is atrocious. What they have against screens I'll never know. I'd love to see them rotate the three RB's and mix in Miller on the draw/zone read/option, and let him throw the ball 10-15 times a game. Other than that, the defense looks good whn they are rested. I thought the DB's played with attitude yesterday, and they laid some good licks on the Illini.

I told my Illini friends that OSU wasn't to be dismissed. In the end, the Buckeyes made the Illini dress up in a skirt and heels and put them on the street to make some money. We still got their number. They're gettnig better, week by week, and I think an 7-5 or 8-4 season isn't out of the question. Could they run the table? Doubt it, but Wisconsin better not look past them either. They've played no one either. I think OSU has played a better schedule to this point in the season.

Eric

[howmanypoints]

Well they are going to have to pass pretty soon. You can't be one dimensional.

But I wonder if Fickel didn't learn at least one thing from Tressel, and that is you better learn to run before you do anything else.

[Goldenrules]

Mike Adams back against Nebraska was huge, make no mistake, Mike Adams will be a 1st rd. draft pick. Adding Boom at RB was huge...There was a nice article in the dispatch about how much we really missed the suspended guys...This team w/ Pryor, Posey, Adams and Boom all season would be 7-0 right now and ranked top 5 just like the Badgers.

[DGUtley]

Thanks Guys for making me feel sane again. I am less concerned about the State of the Shoe than i was a few weeks ago. Yes, I know, we've got a long way to go; but if the NCAA doesn't kill us with sanctions, we should be ok. It'll make this climb to the top so much better after our purgatory. Admit it, it'd botten to the point that NC's were only going to be good enough and anything less was a disappointment. Some years major disappointment, some minor -- but a disappointment nonetheless. Now, we'll enjoy the pinnacle that much more.

[o.a.b.]

Did Carlos Hyde see the field Saturday ? Unless he's injured [ and taking into account our passing game ],he and Boom need to be in there together as often as the situation allows.They could be a very dangerous duo.

[Goldenrules]

Hyde was not hurt, just the coaches decision to play Boom and Hall, and they ran very well. Hyde was upset after the game with his lack of playing time and tweeted "I must not be good enough to play, i'll take my talents elsewhere"...then deleted the tweet later and wrote, "i'm not going anywhere".

[Salsa boy]

Originally Posted by Goldenrules

Hyde was not hurt, just the coaches decision to play Boom and Hall, and they ran very well. Hyde was upset after the game with his lack of playing time and tweeted "I must not be good enough to play, i'll take my talents elsewhere"...then deleted the tweet later and wrote, "i'm not going anywhere".

OMG......take your Punk *%#$$ and get out of CMH Please. We have had too many of those players on the team in the past.

[Lancer '65]

Sounds a little like a former Cleveland Cavalier??? "Take my talents elsewhere"??????? Please go right now if that is the attitude you bring with you.

[big_tiger_fan1]

its hard to be a good team and do it not having a qb.

[Lancer '65]

Well...it seems like the ship is righting itself and the Buckeyes are coming on. Now we are talking about the possibility of a 7-5, 8-4 record and we are talking with a little bit more Buckeye attitude. Given the difficulties we have been through and all the adjustments everyone had to make and the new coaching appointments that were necessary to give order out of the unfortunate chaos that could have choked the very life out of the Buckeyes this season, I think the Bucks have made a marvelous recovery from those dismal days of just a couple of months ago and are now headed back to where Buckeye football has always been and will be again very soon. I think that we need, now more than ever, to really get behind this program and most definitely get behind our coach and all the assistants who have worked so hard in the face of very difficult obstacles to put a good, competitive team on the field that is only going to get better as the season continues.

Now....Wisconsin is a very fine team and although the Spartans beat them, they are still very formidable. If you think not, I call your attention to last season at Camp Randall Stadium. Hopefully the Bucks can continue their resurgence under Coach Fickell and the staff against the Badgers, but if not, we are still on track for an 8-4 record if we can manage a victory over Meeeeeeeeeeeeechigan, and win out our remaining League games. I see no reason to keep throwing around name after name of those we think would do better than the men who are working their tails off to make sure that Ohio State continues to field a very competitive football team that it's fans can be justifiably proud of. I think it is insulting to the current staff to continually make negative comments when things are in fact getting back to normal in Columbus. We are all experts when it comes to football but I think we should let the guys who Ohio State has chosen to lead, lead. Our job as I see it, is to be the greatest fan base there has ever been and spend our time rooting the Bucks on to as successful a season as possible. I also think that the football coach at Ohio State should not be treated as a migrant worker but rather as the legitimate Head Coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes!

Just my two cents...

[Warpath_ejh]

I think that was a goos summation Lancer, and I myself am trying to buy tickets to the UW game with a co-worker. I let my wife take our alumni tickets earlier this year.

As for the coaching, I don't want to see Fickell fail because that means that the Buckeyes have failed. I just worry that he can't recruit like Tressel (even if he was a recruiter), and Fickell is destined to be replaced. If not, they would take the interim term away now. I just think they will explore replacing him, and that means the Nation is going to talk about UM and others as a possible replacement. Whatever happens, Fickell has done a great job pulling this team together.

Eric

[Goldenrules]

The young Buck's are going to give Wisconsin all they can handle Sat night. I esp. look for the defense to have a good showing. As long as Howard can play up to Roby's level, watch out.

[baseball]

Lets not jump up an down because we took down Illini, I really don't think they were that good despite being undefeated, it will be interesting if we should happen to take down Wisky. If we win Sat. it will be a big feather in the cap for Coach Fickel, and his opertunity to stay as coach will be much higher

[o.a.b.]

wow !!! [ W.in O.ver W.isconsin ]

[Goldenrules]

Very nice win for the young Bucks...3 true freshman with big nights...Brax, D. Smith and Shazier.

[jrccshoe]

If you really think about it, as bad as the Buckeyes played early on in the season (the U, MSU, & Nebraska), they really could be a ONE loss team right now. I would have to think that as young as they are, they will be making Big 10 teams take notice on what could once again be a championship run in 1 or 2 years.

[Goldenrules]

This team is absolutely loaded for a run the next 2 seasons...only 5 of the 44 on the 2 deep are seniors and both specialists are back. Luke was in over his head early on, along with all the turmoil the team went through. But he's def a quick study with the on the job training. The only thing he's done wrong in the past 3 games was let Bollman put Bauserman in the Neb. game and then let him call 12 pass plays while he was in there. Bucks future is bright.

[TV1985]

Buckeyes will win the next 2 games (Indy and PU) and then it is PSU at home. A win there and now it is a 5 game winning streak - win at Michigan and you have to give Fickel the job because he will have earned it.

[DGUtley]

I don't disagree that you have to give Luke the job; although I am concerned about whether he can recruit Ohio and elsewhere well. I feel good about where we've gotten after all the turmoil of the past 11 months. Now, we need the NCAA-mafia to do its thing soon, so we can move on.