Former Browns and current Titans defensive tackle Shaun Smith has started trash-talking Alex Mack early.

John Kuntz / The Plain DealerCenter Alex Mack hopes that Titans defensive tackle Shaun Smith doesn't have his hands full on Sunday.

 BEREA -- Former Browns and current Titans starting defensive tackle Shaun Smith didn't wait for tomorrow's game to start trash talkin' Browns center Alex Mack, who last season accused him of grabbing Mack's private parts during the Chiefs-Browns game.

Smith told the Tennessean on Friday: “During (Mack's) rookie year, I used to tell him he should give his money back. I used to tell him he wasn’t worth a first-round pick. It’s nothing personal or anything like that. That’s just how I felt.”

And how did the then-rookie respond?

"He didn’t say nothing,” Smith said. “I mean, I was kicking his (butt) the whole camp and I had a good game when we played them last year.”

During that game, Mack -- who went on to play on the Pro Bowl -- accused Smith of grabbing his private parts. Mack lost his cool during the game after the incident.

 “You can’t believe everything you hear,” Smith said on Friday. “The league sorted it all out — no fine.”

Smith told the Tennessean that Mack is “pretty good, a decent player” and called him “a good guy.''

Said Mack on Friday: "I think he’s actually a pretty good defensive tackle. In terms of having a good game, I think it’s important for our team.''

As for any extra motivation, he said, "I’m here to play football. Let’s play a game.''
 

Get updates from the 'Shoe as the Buckeyes take on the Spartans today at 3:30 p.m.

View full sizeAP Photo | Al GoldisBuckeyes fans hope to see little of this kind of celebrating on Saturday afternoon.

Will the Buckeyes start conference play strong? Get updates on Twitter from Doug Lesmerises @PDBuckeyes and Bill Livinigston @LivyPD in the box below. Kickoff is at noon.

• College football scoreboard.

Former St. Ignatius High School quarterback was steered to a new career path by former Browns head coach Chris Palmer.

View full sizeNFL photo"It's been a weird week for me," says Titans wide receivers coach Dave Ragone, a former star at St. Ignatius, "knowing you're going to face those colors that you grew up just adoring, especially the 1980s Browns with Bernie [Kosar] and Ozzie Newsome."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As a kid growing up in Cleveland and playing quarterback at powerhouse St. Ignatius High School, Dave Ragone naturally dreamt of playing for the Browns -- or at least playing against them with another NFL team.

What he never dreamt of, even as an adult, was coaching against the Browns.

That's what unfolds Sunday when Ragone makes his first-ever visit to Cleveland Browns Stadium as wide receivers coach of the Tennessee Titans. He never made it to his hometown as a backup quarterback with the Houston Texans from 2003-05. He never entered the building at all as a Browns fan before that.

"My lasting memory is of Municipal Stadium," Ragone said in a phone interview this week. "It'll be great to go back. All my family's back in Cleveland, my siblings, my parents, so I do get back to Cleveland and to the high school.

"I don't think [I'd have believed it] if you would have told me at the age of 31 that I'd be a coach in there instead of a player. It's been a weird week for me, knowing you're going to face those colors that you grew up just adoring, especially the 1980s Browns with Bernie [Kosar] and Ozzie Newsome."

Ragone's path to the coaching ranks was unexpected. After his playing career ended with a trade and then release from the St. Louis Rams, he returned to Louisville, Ky., where he met his future wife while playing at the University of Louisville. He got bored doing sports talk radio and longed for the adrenaline rush football gave him.

His career break happened when Chris Palmer, the expansion Browns coach, came out of brief NFL retirement to coach the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League. Palmer, who had scouted Ragone and then coached him with the Texans, took Ragone under his wing and made him his quarterbacks coach.

When Palmer resurfaced in the NFL as offensive coordinator for the Titans, he recommended Ragone for a position on coach Mike Munchak's staff.

"After spending a half day with him, it was a no-brainer," Munchak said. "The guy is very impressive. I thought he coached like I did as a line coach. I think he teaches the concepts. I thought the receivers would enjoy the perspective from a quarterback. He's very detail-oriented, has got great drills, a lot of energy. He fills the room up.

"We're real happy with him. He's going to be a great coach in this league."

Ragone called Palmer "a great mentor to me." Palmer, a grandfather of two, is now in his 29th year as a pro coach. He's been with 11 teams in four different leagues. So Ragone has an idea of what lies ahead for him and his family, which includes kids aged 4 and soon to be 2.

"I kind of went into this thing with no agenda," he said. "It's going to take me and my family wherever it goes. I don't think I would have mapped out being a receivers coach this early or a receivers coach ever. I thought the opportunity made sense for me. Wherever the chips fall, that's where they fall.

"Just like a player, you realize you move around a lot. Job security isn't what it seems. The hours are long, but you never think about it because the passion you have for football. You just do it. And you love doing it.

"There's no better feeling than winning as a player and coach. I would say it's much worse to lose as a coach than as a player because you've invested so much of your heart and soul and time into it. It's pretty sickening. It's devastating."

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Boston and Atlanta wasted big leads in the wild-card race. The reaction to their twin collapses differed greatly in each city.

View full sizePatrick Semansky, Associated PressBoston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia looked like he knew what was going to happen to the Red Sox just minutes after their Wednesday night loss to the Orioles. The Boston media are still sorting through the debris of the Red Sox collapse.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How did Boston and Atlanta deal with two of the biggest folds in baseball history? Boston fired manager Terry Francona, perhaps its most successful manager. Atlanta fired first-year hitting coach Larry Parrish.

In Boston, the media ripped Red Sox's players for being out of shape and unwilling to play with injuries. They chastised starting pitchers for drinking beer in the clubhouse during games when they weren't scheduled to start. One writer called the team "a bunch of slugs." Another took aim at the front office, blaming John Henry for being an owner obsessed by Moneyball principles, who had a bull's-eye painted on Francona's forehead for the last two years.

Francona took heat as well. The media said he ran a country club instead of a ballclub and lost the clubhouse. Francona admitted Friday that he could no longer reach certain players.

There were shots at GM Theo Epstein for the expensive, and so far unproductive, contracts given to free agents Carl Crawford and John Lackey.

In Atlanta, where baseball is not seen as a blood sport, the reaction was more subdued. GM Frank Wren said Jason Heyward, the hot-shot rookie from 2010 who flopped this year, would have to win a starting job next spring. He added veteran right-hander Derek Lowe probably cost himself a job in next year's rotation by going 9-17 with a 5.05 ERA, even though he's still owed $15 million on the final year of his contract.

Postseason games started Friday, but they were dwarfed by the sheer totality of Boston and Atlanta's September failures.

Boston led the AL East by 1 1/2 games on Aug. 31. On Sept. 3, they had a nine-game lead in the wild card. The Red Sox went 7-20 in September. They never won two games in a row. Tampa Bay, the AL East rival that overtook Boston to win the wild card, went 17-10. While Boston was losing seven of its last 10 games, the Rays won their last four games.

The Braves opened September with a 81/2-game lead in the wild card. They held at least a share of the lead since June 8. Yet Atlanta was caught and passed by St. Louis. While Atlanta went 9-18 in September, the Cardinals went 18-8. The longest winning streak Atlanta could manage was a two-gamer. They did it twice. The Cardinals had September winning streaks of two (twice), three, four and five games.

The Braves lost their last five games. The Cardinals won four of their last five.

Pitching hurt the Red Sox. Francona's starters went 4-13 with a 7.08 in September. Due to injuries, Francona needed Andrew Miller (0-2) and Kyle Weiland (0-2) to make starts. Veterans Jon Lester (1-3), Tim Wakefield (1-2) and Josh Beckett (1-2) struggled as well.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez didn't have a lot of offense or pitching in September. Atlanta hit .235 (216-for-919) in September. They averaged 3.22 runs and hit .195 with runners in scoring position.

The Braves played September without injured starters Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrjens. Lowe contributed to the situation by going 0-5 in September. In the bullpen, rookie closer Craig Kimbrel and set-up man Jonny Venters hit the wall. Gonzalez was criticized for squeezing them too hard throughout the season.

Kimbrel, who saved 46 games, blew three saves and had a 4.76 ERA in September. Vetters, who led the NL with 85 appearances, finished the year with a 1.31 ERA and a .157 batting average against. In September his ERA rose to 5.11 and opponents batted .283 against him.

The Red Sox and Braves were eliminated Wednesday on the final game of the regular season. They were tied with their closest pursuers at the start of the day, Boston and the Rays at 90-71, the Braves and Cardinals at 89-72.

Boston lost to Baltimore, 4-3, after blowing a 3-2 lead in the ninth. Moments later, Tampa rallied from a 7-0 deficit to beat the Yankees, 8-7 in 13 innings. The Braves lost to the Phillies, 4-3, in 13 innings after Kimbrel blew a save in the ninth. St. Louis beat Houston, 8-0, earlier in the night.

Lester, who started Wednesday for Boston, was asked what he would remember about the season. His answer was one word: "September."

Wrapping up the season with the Indians' top player in 2011.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerAsdrubal Cabrera found plenty of reasons to feel pleased with the Indians' 2011 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Wrapping up the season with the Indians' top player in 2011.

Q: What do you feel your biggest accomplishment was this season?

A: Staying out on the field as long as I did (151 games) this year.

Q: You set career highs in games played, at bats, runs, hits, homers and RBI. How do you feel about your year overall?

A: I'm really happy for my numbers. Right now, I'm more happy because we finished the season in second place. We enjoyed that moment.

Q: Your son, Asdrubal, has been in the clubhouse a lot this year. Would you like him to be professional baseball player?

A: I don't think so. Not too many people reach the big leagues. When you're in the minors, it's hard. But he loves baseball. Whatever he wants to do, he can do. I think he's going to be a good player. I think he'll be better than me.

Q: You hit the most home runs in a single season by any shortstop from Venezuela. How did that make you feel?

A: I'm really happy with that. I'm proud of it.

Q: How do you feel the Indians as a team played this year?

A: We did a good job this year. Everybody on this team worked hard. We played hard every day and worked together. We're really happy to be where we are right now.

PARMA, Ohio -- Glenville High football coach Ted Ginn Sr. is standing on the Byers Field sidelines watching the Tarblooders warm up in preparation for tonight's nonleague game against St. Ignatius. Ginn didn't coach in last week's Senate Athletic League victory over Collinwood, wasn't at any of this week's practices and on Friday, said he didn't know if he'd...

PARMA, Ohio -- Glenville High football coach Ted Ginn Sr. is standing on the Byers Field sidelines watching the Tarblooders warm up in preparation for tonight's nonleague game against St. Ignatius.

Ginn didn't coach in last week's Senate Athletic League victory over Collinwood, wasn't at any of this week's practices and on Friday, said he didn't know if he'd be at the game.

"It's personal,'' Ginn said earlier in the week referring to his absence at the Collinwood game. "I've got some things going on right now that I'm working through.''

Twitter fanatics have had a field day during the week, speculating on Ginn's health and suggesting tonight's game will be his last as Glenville's coach. When asked about the rumors, Ginn shook his head and walked away.

Asked if he would coach tonight, Ginn just shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller was ineffective, along with the entire OSU offense, and eventually replaced by Joe Bauserman.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerMichigan State cornerback Darqueze Dennard (left) outwrestled Ohio State's Devin Smith for an acrobatic interception late in the second quarter Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium. MSU safety Trenton Robinson followed the play. The Spartans' defense totally dominated the Buckeyes in the 10-0 MSU victory.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Forced into a tough situation by suspensions, a coaching change and injuries, the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday made everything look exactly as tough as it is. And maybe worse.

An anemic, one-dimensional offense couldn't take advantage of Michigan State's attempts to keep the Buckeyes in the game, and Ohio State's final 10-7 loss wasn't a true indication of how far below their recent standard the Buckeyes are playing. The Buckeyes avoided their first home shutout since 1982 only by scoring on a desperate touchdown pass with 10 seconds to play.

Ohio State (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten) couldn't run consistently, couldn't stop the Spartans' aggressive pass rush and could barely even attempt a passing game to counter the blitzes. Freshman quarterback Braxton Miller gave way to fifth-senior Joe Bauserman, the starter for the first three games, in the fourth quarter, complicating an agonizing defeat.

Ohio State's only choice as a team is to hope that the return of three suspended offensive starters for the primetime road game at Nebraska next week will fix something.

"Without those guys, we've still got to be a team," sophomore safety Christian Bryant said.

Saturday wasn't close to good enough.

"It's just hard when nothing is working for you," junior fullback Zach Boren said.

All week, Ohio State planned for the attacking defense of MSU head coach and former defensive coordinator Mark Dantonio, and OSU coach Luke Fickell said after the loss, "I don't know that they did a lot to surprise us offensively."

Yet the Buckeyes looked unprepared, allowing pressure up the middle and off the edges while giving up nine sacks. The Buckeyes gained a total of 178 yards, an average of 2.8 yards per play, and 30 of their 64 snaps went for no gain or negative yardage.

And they couldn't stop, or wouldn't try to stop, Michigan State's basic plan.

Miller finished 5-of-10 for 56 yards with an interception before Bauserman came in down 10-0 and went 7-for-14 for 87 yards, including the touchdown to Evan Spencer, in the final 15 minutes.

"It was frustrating at times. It seemed like there were guys everywhere," senior center Mike Brewster said of the MSU defense. "Even sometimes when we had good protection, it seemed like they would break free after four seconds. There's not much to say, I guess."

What, typically, is the answer to that kind of defensive pressure?

"You've got to pass the ball," Brewster said. "You've got to get them out of there. That's really the only thing you can do. Pass the ball and hopefully that will draw them back a little bit."

Miller, clearly, isn't prepared to read complex defensive looks, or make quick decisions under pressure. Few, if any, true freshmen quarterbacks are. So he hesitated at times, and when he didn't throw, he wasn't able to do anything to hurt Michigan State as a runner, gaining five positive yards but absorbing 32 negative yards on the ground.

But Ohio State's game plan did little to help Miller's cause. It featured few short, quick passes and few of the misdirection run plays or screens that might cause the Spartans to put on the breaks a bit.

Missing those suspended players -- receiver DeVier Posey, running back Dan Herron and tackle Mike Adams -- as well as injured receiver Corey "Philly" Brown and departed quarterback Terrelle Pryor, offensive coordinator Jim Bollman's plan seemed to point exactly at what the Buckeyes didn't have.

"I think we should have done a couple quick routes," junior running back Jordan Hall said. "When they're in man, do a couple quick routes and get the ball out faster."

"It just got to the point where they started bringing seven or eight guys and just playing the run," running back Carlos Hyde said. "We couldn't pass the ball, so they just played the run. It my opinion it was more than we could handle.

"Right now, I feel like people are just thinking, 'They can't pass,' so they stack the box."

Hyde, who carried five times for 33 yards, was so frustrated, he forgot the Buckeyes got on the board. "I know our guys are capable of scoring points. It's frustrating we couldn't score," he said.

It felt that way. Practically for both teams.

Michigan State receiver B.J. Cunningham was the lone spark as the best offensive player on the field, with nine catches for 154 yards. His 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter was nearly all the Spartans needed. His 52-yard catch in the third quarter also helped change field position, and that led eventually led to Dan Conroy's 50-yard field goal.

Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins allowed the Buckeyes to hang around, with two interceptions, and several other close calls, among his 250 passing yards. The Spartans had 321 yards to Ohio State's 178.

Though the defense kept the Buckeyes in the game, it wasn't enough to win it.

"Of course it hurts. But we'll get after it, trust me," Bryant said. "Our offense has got some work to do. They've got some work to do. But they'll get better."

Just like after the 24-6 loss to Miami in week three, it's hard to imagine that it could get worse.

The Bobcats (4-1, 1-0) did enough to dismiss the Golden Flashes, even as OU spent most of the opening half giving KSU (1-4, 0-1) many opportunities to pull off an upset.

ATHENS, Ohio -- Kent State is a physical, but still offensively disjointed, football team, and Ohio University was able to take advantage for a 17-10 Bobcats victory on a cool, gray, misty Saturday before 17,155 in Peden Stadium.

The game was really never in doubt. The Bobcats (4-1, 1-0) did enough to dismiss the Golden Flashes, even as OU spent most of the opening half giving KSU (1-4, 0-1) many opportunities to pull off an upset.

"It was frustrating," KSU coach Darrell Hazell said. "We didn't execute the way we should have executed. The game was right there in our reach, and we couldn't get it going offensively to take the pressure off the defense."

• Eastern Michigan tops Akron, 31-23

The floundering Flashes just could not get out of their own way. Two blocked OU kicks, both recovered by the Flashes, and a recovered fumble generated little. Two interceptions erased the chances created by the special team.

After the fumble recovery, Kent finally gave the ball to 6-1, 260-pound Trayion Durham who bulldozed the Golden Flashes to the 1. Quarterback Spencer Keith scored KSU's lone TD.

By the end of the day Kent had three interceptions and lost a fumble to offset a defense that left the Bobcats battered and bruised.

Bobcat quarterback Tyler Tettleton (28-of-42, 276 yards, 2 TD) could not finish the game due to a leg bruise. Three OU defenders may be out for several games, if not the season. Physically, Kent clearly left its mark, but the score is another matter.

Spencer Keith (15 of 35, 117 yards 2 INT, 0 TD) struggled, but KSU did briefly have a 7-3 lead following a fumble forced by linebacker C.J. Malauulu.

Ohio put together a 10-play, 58-yard touchdown drive, capped by Tettleton's four-yard TD pass to LaVon Brazill for a 10-7 halftime lead. The margin grew to 17-7 late in the third quarter on a seven-yard TD pass from Tettleton to Ryan Boykin who ran over Kent defensive back Darius Polk.

"I made the catch," Boykin said. "It was just [Polk] and the goal line. I wasn't going to let him stop me."

A 31-yard Freddy Cortez field goal with 5:42 to play gave Kent's defense the challenge of getting the ball back for a miracle finish. It took 3:42 to get the job done, following an OU punt that left KSU's offense 99 yards to go, with the Flashes ineffective in four plays to end matters.

Undefeateds Buffalo and Detroit could be primed for upsets on Sunday.

View full sizeDavid Duprey, Associated PressAre Drayton Florence and Bills fans going to suffer a letdown Sunday ... against the Bengals?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Picking the winners and losers on Sunday.

Buffalo at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Early line: Bills by 3.

Tony's take: Bills fighting letdown after beating Patriots. Bengals 24, Bills 21.

Carolina at Chicago, 1 p.m.

Early line: Bears by 6 1/2.

Tony's take: Cam Newton's doing everything but win. It'll come. Bears 24, Panthers 17.

Detroit at Dallas, 1 p.m.

Early line: Cowboys by 1.

Tony's take: If Tony Romo isn't squashed by Ndamukong Suh, Cowboys will prevail. Cowboys 27, Lions 24.

Minnesota at Kansas City, 1 p.m.

Early line: Vikings by 1 1/2.

Tony's take: Believe Jared Allen will dominate in his return to Arrowhead. Vikings 28, Chiefs 10.

New Orleans at Jacksonville, 1 p.m.

Early line: Saints by 8.

Tony's take: Maurice Jones-Drew can't carry the whole Jaguars team. Saints 30, Jaguars 20.

Pittsburgh at Houston, 1 p.m.

Early line: Texans by 3.

Tony's take: Texans should match up fairly well here. Texans 33, Steelers 27.

San Francisco at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.

Early line: Off.

Tony's take: Eagles defense is a mess. Eagles 24, 49ers 23.

Washington at St. Louis, 1 p.m.

Early line: Pick.

Tony's take: I'm going one more time against the Skins and for the Rams. Rams 20, Redskins 16.

Atlanta at Seattle, 4:05 p.m.

Early line: Falcons by 4.

Tony's take: Falcons seem to handle these cross-country games well. Falcons 27, Seahawks 17.

N.Y. Giants at Arizona, 4:05 p.m.

Early line: Giants by 3.

TV: WJW Channel 8.

Tony's take: Giants are off on one of their unpredictable years. Cardinals 24, Giants 20.

Denver at Green Bay, 4:15 p.m.

Early line: Packers by 13.

TV: WOIO Channel 19.

Tony's take: Packers look unbeatable. Packers 31, Broncos 14.

Miami at San Diego, 4:15 p.m.

Early line: Chargers by 9.

Tony's take: It's all unraveling for the Dolphins. Chargers 32, Dolphins 21.

New England at Oakland, 4:15 p.m.

Early line: Patriots by 6.

Tony's take: Patriots defense can get creased by Darren McFadden. Raiders 19, Patriots 17.

N.Y. Jets at Baltimore, 8:20 p.m.

Early line: Ravens by 3 1/2.

TV: WKYC Channel 3.

Tony's take: This will be a physical blood bath. Jets 20, Ravens 17.

GROSSI UPDATE:

Last week overall: 10-6 .625

Season overall: 33-15 .688

Last week vs. spread: 9-7 .563

Season vs. spread: 26-20-2 .563

It's easy to criticize the quarterbacks and players on the field for the mess at Ohio State. But they didn't create it. They are just trying to clean it up.

View full sizeMarvin Fong, The Plain DealerMichigan State linebacker Denicos Allen (top center) celebrates with his teammates after one of the nine sacks of Ohio State quarterbacks Joe Bauserman (14) and Braxton Miller on Saturday.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The sky looked like the bruise the Ohio State football team absorbed Saturday from Michigan State.

A television camera whistled like a zip line rider above the wreckage on the field, giving the audience a bird's-eye view of a landscape of loss. Joe Bauserman, the deposed quarterback, in relief of Braxton Miller, the quarterback presumptive of tomorrow, drove the Buckeyes to the last-minute, half-loaf score that is better than none.

It was cold and misty at the Horseshoe, as Ohio State lost to the Spartans, 10-7, in a game that was close only because Michigan State's mistakes made it that way. The camera and the weather, if not the quality of play, seemed out of November games in seasons past.

That was when the Buckeyes were winning or sharing six straight Big Ten championships. That was when BCS games against the other members of the cabal that runs college football were considered a birthright here. That is a memory now, one that is almost certainly not going to be freshened this season.

Miller, said Luke Fickell, the coach hauled into the spotlight to manage this mess, is still the starting quarterback. Then again, Fickell also said he was going to open up the competition. "Rattled" might be the term for Fickell's view at the moment.

They say if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. But when the quarterback who was the franchise for the last three seasons, Terrelle Pryor, is commenting about the game on Twitter from Oakland as a suspended member of the Raiders, that's when you really, most sincerely, have nothing.

Except maybe regrets.

If Fickell turns the game over to Miller or Bauserman, what are they going to do with it? It is easy to criticize the unready (Miller) and the unable (Bauserman), but no one expected Miller to be starting this soon and no one expected Bauserman to do anything but mop up as a fifth-year senior and career backup. They can do better than this and the bookend nightmare in Miami two weeks ago, of course.

So can the coaches, who seem to have no screen pass in their playbook against a ferocious pass rush such as Michigan State showed and whose routes for young receivers seem to consist of 18-yard, slow-developing patterns.

Ohio State wants to run, an imperative in the cold and wind with an inexperienced quarterback like Miller. But feeding smallish Jordan Hall against an opponent with nine defenders in the box was as self-defeating as it was revelatory of the utter lack of creativity on the staff the defensive-minded Fickell inherited.

It says here that Miller can play. Everything he showed in the frost at Canton's Fawcett Stadium for Huber Heights Wayne in the big-school championship game against St. Edward last December did not melt away like snowflakes on your tongue. But he is not the same athlete as the NFL defector and scandal trigger, Pryor. Few are.

Shambles on the field were Pryor's meat and potatoes. Everything would be broken, all plans in flames, and there he would go, reversing field at Iowa and gaining 14 yards on fourth-and-10 in the fourth quarter, throwing it up for Jake Ballard to go and get in the Rose Bowl on third-and-long, gold spun from soiled straw.

Pryor, along with Jim Tressel, the coach who coddled him and covered up his transgressions and those of his teammates, should take the blame for the state of Buckeyes football now. Not Fickell, not Miller or Bauserman, and not the confused offensive line that gave up nine sacks to the Spartans.

Tressel escapes his portion of the blame to many people, what with high school coaches saluting him on the opening weekend of games and Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio, Tressel's former OSU aide, holding him in such reverence that the only way the Spartans might have lost was if Fickell had worn a sweater vest on the sideline.

Fans have no problem heaping all the scorn they can summon up on Pryor, though. Pryor spent the afternoon and evening tweeting about the game, drawing down criticism from fans who made it clear that, as one tweeted, "You're not one of us."

In a tweet Pryor later took down, he said, "I know I made mistakes. Never heard of one that didn't but one. But I'm always going to be a Buckeye. Like it or not."

The messianic biblical reference should be clear. And he made it just in time for the return next week at Nebraska of the four suspended players who didn't flee to the NFL (DeVier Posey, Dan Herron, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas).

Fans will look at them as saviors. They deserve a second chance. But this season at Ohio State has devolved into one of salvage, not salvation.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

The Zips get 122 yards rushing, a TD run and a TD pass from running back Jawon Chisholm.

View full sizeABJ fileAkron's Jawon Chisholm.

YPSILANTI, Mich. — Dominique White ran for 164 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday, leading Eastern Michigan to a 31-23 victory over Akron.

The Zips (1-4, 0-2 Mid-American Conference) got 122 yards rushing, a TD run and a TD pass from running back Jawon Chisholm.

White scored twice, on runs of 14 yards and 1 yard, to give the Eagles (3-2, 1-0) a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter. Clayton Moore threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Keith Sconiers for the Zips to cut the deficit in half. Moore finished 14-of-28 for 155 yards.

White's third TD run, a 2-yarder, gave Eastern Michigan a 24-10 lead on its first drive of the third quarter.

The Zips then drove to the Eagles' 2 before Marcus English recovered a fumble for EMU.

The Akron defense stiffened, but Eastern Michigan was bailed out by Jay Karutz's 62-yard punt from his end zone.

Akron went to a trick play to score on its next possession, with Chisholm throwing an 8-yard pass to Moore with 3:09 left in the third. The point-after kick missed, making it 24-16.

Eagles quarterback Alex Gillett scored on a 4-yard run with 12:43 left to make it 31-16. Gillett attempted only nine passes, completing four, as Eastern Michigan ran for 228 yards.

Akron cut it to a one-possession game with 3:18 left on a 1-yard run by Chisholm.

The Zips had one more shot after a short punt but only could advance to the EMU 34.

Luke Fickell is sticking with Braxton Miller as his starting quarterback, but anything beyond those words is uncertain.

View full sizeNeal C. Lauron, Columbus DispatchMSU linebacker Max Bullough closes in on one of the Spartans' five sacks of freshman QB Braxton Miller on Saturday. "You've always got to have confidence in what you do," Miller said after Ohio State's 10-7 loss to Michigan State. "You've got to come back stronger and practice hard."

Adam Jardy

Special to The Plain Dealer

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State head coach Luke Fickell is sticking with Braxton Miller as his starting quarterback, but anything beyond those words is uncertain.

In addition to Saturday's 10-7 home loss to Michigan State, the Buckeyes managed to rekindle the fires of a quarterback controversy burning since Terrelle Pryor was first suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season.

With the Buckeyes trailing the Spartans, 10-0, as the fourth quarter opened, Fickell gave the ineffective Miller the hook and inserted fifth-year senior Joe Bauserman. When the season began, Bauserman was the starter while Miller was expected to grow and seize the spot as the year went on. It took a lackluster offensive performance against Miami in Week Three that led Fickell to make the change to Miller.

One week removed from two touchdown passes in the win over Colorado, Miller was sacked four times, tossed an interception and threw for 56 yards. Bauserman began warming up late in the third quarter and was told to be ready when the fourth quarter began.

"We thought our best option was to go with a guy that probably could see the field a little bit better and maybe throw the football a little bit better," Fickell said of the switch.

Once Bauserman entered, Miller spent little time in the sideline huddles. As Bauserman directed the attack, the freshman stood impassively near the line of scrimmage.

In one quarter, Bauserman completed half of his 14 passes for 87 yards and the team's lone score. Of the team's 178 yards of total offense, the Buckeyes compiled 75 with Bauserman under center and a clear intent to throw the football.

"You come in there and you're cold and it's a nasty day out there," Bauserman said. "That doesn't help, but you try to get some momentum going and try to get the guys going. It was tough but we finally got a little momentum there at the end. I wish we had another quarter. It might've been a different story."

Bauserman said he took roughly 30 percent of the first-team snaps during practice. This week, Fickell said backups Kenny Guiton and Taylor Graham could reenter the fray.

"We're going to have to continue to battle," the coach said. "We're going to see who can compete and maybe those guys will get a shot [in Sunday's practice]."

Miller said he expects the final verdict on the position to be a game-time decision at Nebraska, while Bauserman said he believes he is still the backup. Even Fickell seemed unsure of his starter. When asked directly if Miller is No. 1, Fickell hesitated before affirming the freshman as if the thought had not yet crossed his mind.

"Joe knows the playbook and he knows how to read the plays very well," sophomore running back Carlos Hyde said. "That's a good thing. I'm happy they switched that around."

Despite the struggles, Miller said he believes he can lead the team.

"You've always got to have confidence in what you do," he said. "You've got to come back stronger and practice hard."

A number of Buckeyes described the struggles as part of the growing pains associated with bringing along a young quarterback. Senior defensive back Tyler Moeller said he expects both quarterbacks to improve.

"Braxton will be fine," he said. "He's a young guy but from what I see, I see some maturity in him. He'll handle it fine and Joe will handle it fine. Fans boo and put the blame on them, but it's not their fault."

Adam Jardy is a freelance writer based in Columbus.

Ohio State needs more leaders like Zach Boren to keep this season from getting away.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When Ohio State was down at the half Saturday, we know of at least one Buckeye who had something to say about it. Junior fullback Zach Boren stood up and spoke.

"I feel like I'm in a position now where I can be a leader, and I want to be a leader on this team," Boren said. "I'm the vocal guy and I like being the vocal guy. I like leading."

Ohio State needs that right now, desperately. Some of its other leadership this season has come from two of the players returning next week from five-game suspensions, receiver DeVier Posey and running back Dan Herron. But you can't only get leadership from some of the guys who helped create a big part of the problem.

A loss is a loss. That's fine. It happens. Saturday was rough, as bad as a Miami loss two weeks ago that seemed like a low point. But the Buckeyes can't let emotion beat them at Nebraska or at Illinois the next weeks. If the Nebraska defense or the Illinois offense beats them, so be it.

But while the Buckeyes talked a lot after Saturday's 10-7 loss to Michigan State about how they fought the whole way, that wasn't readily apparent. Michigan State kept Ohio State in the game, and Boren said the sidelines didn't feel like a place where the Buckeyes were ready to seize the moment.

Boren said it was the Spartans who came in ready to play on Ohio State's home turf.

"You could tell by how much they were hooting and hollering, and showing more emotion than we were," Boren said. "And that's an issue. That's definitely an issue.

"It's easy to turn around. You start getting into it and start being vocal on the sidelines. You have to start showing emotion, you have to be fighting. I would say at times it was there, but at other times we could have done better at that."

Emotion and leadership will be the story of the second half of this season. If the Buckeyes lose at Nebraska next week and start 3-3, that shouldn't be a shock to anyone who had a realistic view of this season. It will be about talent more than anything else.

If the Buckeyes go 3-3 in the second half of the season, that won't be about talent. That will be about a team letting the season get away because of a bad start and will rest at the feet of the coaching staff and the upperclassmen. But the fight starts now. At Nebraska will be a tall order, but it's not just about winning and losing, but how you conduct yourselves.

This, frankly, is strange to Ohio State. Fans can reference the three-game losing streak in 2004, but these players know nothing about that. So they've got to figure this out on their own. Boren can't be the only one trying to show his teammates the way.

Roby learns: All anyone can hope for after a loss like Saturday's is signs of progress. Somewhere. Coach Luke Fickell used his second-half timeouts more effectively than he did at Miami, when he saved them for an offensive possession that never came. Progress. Redshirt freshman cornerback Bradley Roby, a player fans will be hearing about for years, showed his progress as well.

At Miami, Roby gave up a touchdown pass when he never found the ball in 1-on-1 coverage on a pass to the corner that was mediocre at best. After the loss, Roby called it a "stupid mistake." And Saturday, he fixed it.

"I vowed to myself, 'That's not going to happen, no matter what,'" Roby said. "I've especially got to better in the red zone, so I'm glad that didn't happen again."

What happened instead was that Roby saw on film that when Michigan State's 6-5 tight end Dion Sims came into the game, the Spartans typically threw a fade. So when Sims came in on third-and-6 early in the fourth quarter, Roby was ready. He played the fade perfectly and tipped the pass into the air and safety C.J. Barnett made the interception to keep the MSU lead at 7-0.

"I knew it was coming," Roby said. "That ball hung in the air forever. I tried to do my best."

He did even better later, intercepting MSU quarterback Kirk Cousins to again keep the OSU hopes alive with 4:24 left.

Roby is the kind of young player the Buckeyes already can rely on at this point. He gave up some other throws when the OSU cornerbacks were forced to play way off the line of scrimmage, because, he said, of the way the MSU receivers lined up, tight together. He found that frustrating, but knew it was part of the plan, and giving up short throws is better than giving up big plays.

"You win some, you lose some," Roby said. "They got the short, easy stuff, but at the same time, they weren't getting into the end zone."

They didn't get there one time because Roby is showing the progress the Buckeyes need.

PARMA, Ohio -- Though he was not coaching the team, Glenville High School football coach Ted Ginn Sr. was on the Byers Field sidelines Saturday night. Not even Vince Lombardi could have been of any assistance to the Tarblooders. After a sluggish first half by both teams, St. Ignatius scored 17 unanswered points in the second half for a...

St. Ignatius' Tim McVey fights for extra yardage in the third quarter Saturday night as Glenville's Denzell Burton closes in. - (Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer)

PARMA, Ohio -- Though he was not coaching the team, Glenville High School football coach Ted Ginn Sr. was on the Byers Field sidelines Saturday night. Not even Vince Lombardi could have been of any assistance to the Tarblooders.

After a sluggish first half by both teams, St. Ignatius scored 17 unanswered points in the second half for a 24-6 nonleague victory which all but officially put an end to Glenville's Division I, Region 1 postseason playoff hopes.

Ginn, who missed last week's game and also some practices for personal reasons, declined to comment after the game.

"This is a huge win, the confidence it builds for us," said St. Ignatius senior safety and Miami of Ohio recruit Mike Svetina. "We can only build from this, and I'm excited for the rest of the season."

The 10-time state champion Wildcats (5-1), who entered the crucial game ranked No. 5 in The Plain Dealer, 16th in the Division I state poll and fifth in Region 1, kept the big-play Tarblooders (2-3) at bay in the final 24 minutes.

Giving different looks and formations, the Wildcats defense completely shut down Glenville, ranked 11th in the area and 20th in Region 1. The top eight teams in each region qualify for the postseason.

"Our linebackers -- Zack Ryan, Rustom Khouri and James Sheehan -- had a heckuva of a game and played their hearts out," added Svetina. "We were focusing on weak side, and if it bounced back, we were going to keep filling over [the] top.

"We let those guys do their job on strong side, and we just covered backside."

St. Ignatius wasted little time taking over, improving its lead to 14-6 on its first possession of the second half when Tim McVey scored from three yards out, capping a four-play march which was sparked by quarterback Eric Williams' 20-yard completion to Conor Hennessey.

Air Force recruit Tim Shenk, who kicked a 48-yard field in the third quarter, added three extra points.

An 8-yard scoring jaunt by McVey on the Wildcats' next possession pushed their advantage to 21-6 three minutes later.

"We went over a few of the passing plays [at halftime] because we had the wind," said St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle. "We wanted to take advantage of that, then the running game kicked into gear and that was important."

Williams unofficially completed 6 of 12 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, while McVey gave the offense balance by rushing for 89 yards and two touchdowns.

"The defensive line was key," said Kyle. "You go into the game knowing Glenville's got good size, and you wonder if you're going to get pushed around, but I thought we held up well."

The Wildcats scored the second time they got their hands on the ball, going 80 yards on 11 plays for a 7-0 lead.

Williams' 10-yard touchdown pass to Tim McCoy completed the drive, keyed by McVey's 24-yard run.

Glenville got on the board with 1:11 remaining in the first half when Justin Hardee scampered 78 yards on an end-around play, only to have Aykee Henderson's conversion kick sliced left.

"When Ignatius plays Glenville, there's always wild plays," said Kyle. "We missed a tackle, and the kid runs for a touchdown, but overall, the defense was outstanding."

The Tarblooders, postseason qualifiers the past eight seasons, alternated quarterbacking duties between Quan Robinson Jr. and Christopher Overton, and also tried their hand at the wildcat with V'Angelo Bentley at the controls.

Nothing clicked.

"I really think a lot of it had to do with Willie Henry and Alex Pace having to go both ways on the line because we were trying some things with the offensive line buy they weren't working," said Tarblooders assistant coach/offensive coordinator Tony Overton, who ran the team for the game.

Despite the loss, Overton was happy to have Ginn nearby.

"I think Coach coming to the game lifted the kids, but our kids always play hard," said Overton. "I just hope he comes back real soon because it would give the kids a big lift the last half of the season."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: bfortuna@plaind.com, 216-999-4665

On Twitter:@BobFortuna

Sarbaugh's minor-league teams have won -- a lot. Which suggests he has little left to accomplish other than to get a big-league promotion.

View full sizeKyle Robertson, Columbus Dispatch"Everybody has goals to get to the major leagues and get the opportunities," says the Indians' highly successful minor-league manager Mike Sarbaugh, "but it'll all take care of itself down the road."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The minors are all about buffing raw talent into a big-league shine. Winning is nice, but secondary.

So a minor-league team's record probably means more to fans, but Indians President Mark Shapiro, only half-joking the other day, said they should rub Mike Sarbaugh's head for luck.

If you believe in that kind of stuff, Sarbaugh's would be the head to rub, because his teams win. A lot. In eight seasons as a minor-league manager for the Indians, from the low rookie league in Mahoning Valley to AAA Columbus, Sarbaugh's teams have won nearly six of every 10 times they take the field.

And, when the season is over, they're usually posing with hardware in hand, showered in champagne dreams.

Take a look at his managing resume:

• 2004 Class A Mahoning Valley Scrappers, league champs.

• 2006 Class A Kinston Indians, league champs.

• 2007 Kinston, finished first in regular season, lost in first round of playoffs.

• 2008 Class AA Akron Aeros, lost league finals.

• 2009 Akron, league champs.

• 2010 Class AAA Columbus Clippers, league and national champs.

• 2011 Columbus, league and national champs.

For good measure, he's scored a Carolina League triple crown, winning the championship as a player (1991), coach (1995) and manager (2006).

In an era where players are brands and success is to be flaunted, the 44-year-old Sarbaugh is throwback "aw shucks" about it. The winning, he said, is a reflection of the organization's player development and scouting, not him.

"I've been blessed," he said. "I've had great players over the years."

As major-league seasons wind down, rosters fatten with late-year call-ups. That goes for the coaching staff, too. When the AAA season was over, Sarbaugh and his assistants packed up their Clippers' gear and joined the Indians to watch, learn and just be a part of all that is special about the big leagues.

The question is, given his incredible run on the farm, when will he become part of it for good?

View full sizeChuck Crow, The Plain Dealer"I know he'll be in the major leagues some day," Indians third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall says of Mike Sarbaugh (right, with Tribe skipper Manny Acta in September), "and he'll be there a long time."

"I don't know, I asked him that question the other day," said Josh Tomlin, who pitched for Sarbaugh at Kinston, Akron and Columbus. "He's kind of in the same boat as the players. You kind of wait your turn, pay your dues. I feel like he's paid his dues."

Sarbaugh has been with the organization for 22 years as a player, coach and manager. With fresh openings on the Indians' coaching staff, some in the media have raised his name as a possible candidate.

Tribe General Manager Chris Antonetti described Sarbaugh as "immensely valuable," but preferred not to discuss specific plans the organization may have or whether other teams have sought the required permission to talk to him.

"I am very confident that Mike possesses the abilities and attributes to be a successful major-league staff member and, eventually, a major-league manager," Antonetti said.

So, like the minor leaguers whose rough edges he's helped sand to make them big-league ready, Sarbaugh patiently waits his turn.

"Everybody has goals to get to the major leagues and get the opportunities," he said, "but it'll all take care of itself down the road."

Unless you were a major-league star with a name and cache that sells tickets and hope, the progression to manager usually means years proving yourself as an assistant. Maybe coach first or third, handle the pitchers, work the bullpen or sit shotgun to the manager as a bench coach.

But as a player, Sarbaugh was closer to career minor leaguer Crash Davis of "Bull Durham" than Mike Schmidt, the Philadelphia Phillies' Hall of Famer whose poster he stuck to the bedroom wall growing up a high school baseball and basketball standout in eastern Pennsylvania.

The Lamar University star played 455 games in the minors -- just four in AAA, the step below the big leagues. He was mainly a third baseman like Schmidt, but played every infield position and even pitched in five games. He batted .265, and by 1994 was through. Almost.

During the baseball strike of 1995, Sarbaugh suited up as a Indians replacement player in spring training. In retrospect, he said, it was a desperation move to prolong his playing career and something he kind of regrets. Whether the decision will ultimately hurt his coaching career is yet to be seen.

"I don't know," he said. "It happened and you just move on."

Paul Assenmacher, a reliever from the '95 Indians, said seeing replacements cross the picket line didn't sit well with striking players, but it happened so long ago. "The players he would be managing," he said, "wouldn't be aware of the anxiety that went on."

A big chunk of the Indians' future -- players such as Tomlin and infielders Jason Kipnis and Lonnie Chisenhall -- were in little league when all that labor stuff went down. Ask the younger guys about their experience with Sarbaugh and you get rave reviews: relates well to players, is a players' coach, approachable, good at giving constructive criticism, doesn't over-manage.

"He's helped me with loads of things," Kipnis said. "One thing he's probably helped with the most is the mental aspect of the game -- maybe not toning it down, but calming down and not putting so much emphasis on every single at-bat. He really kind of helped me see how long a journey a season really is."

"I know," said Chisenhall, "he'll be in the major leagues some day, and he'll be there a long time."

Indians outfielder Trevor Crowe, who has played for Sarbaugh at every minor-league level, said he thought this year was Sarbaugh's best because he managed a roster of players shuttled between Cleveland and Columbus all season. They kept right on winning, first the International League and then another AAA national championship.

"I can't tell you how hard it is to win at the Triple A level," said Dale Owens, general manager of the AAA Louisville Bats, explaining that managers must figure out how to motivate players who don't want to be there. At least not for long.

"[Sarbaugh's] great at that," Owens said. "His kids play hard, you can see that. He's able to reach them so they never lose that hope."

When Sarbaugh's team won its second straight national title, this one over Omaha in Albuquerque, N.M., last week, Columbus didn't throw a parade. The team plane landed about 3 a.m., and, by 4, probably half the players were packed and gone.

In the minors, winning is nice. But that's about all.

This was another Ohio State home game when it was obvious that the best offensive player on the field was in a visiting uniform.

View full sizeMike Munden, Columbus DispatchMichigan State's B.J. Cunninghan soars far above the reach of OSU's Travis Howard to gather in this 33-yard TD reception in the first quarter Saturday afternoon.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There weren't a lot of top marks handed out Saturday, except for ...

A --- Michigan State receiver B.J. Cunningham

This was another Ohio State home game when it was obvious that the best offensive player on the field was in a visiting uniform. First, it was Toledo's Eric Page, who bothered the Buckeyes with his speed. This time, it was Cunningham, a 6-3 senior from the Columbus suburbs who didn't get an offer from Ohio State during recruiting and came back to catch nine passes for 154 yards on Saturday. The Buckeyes as a team threw for 143 yards.

"He made some plays," linebacker Andrew Sweat said. "One time they hit us in a soft spot, but he's a great player."

That soft spot came when Cunningham caught a 52-yard pass on the sidelines between layers of the OSU zone. His 33-yard touchdown in the first quarter came when he roamed into the back of the end zone on a broken play and caught a pass from Kirk Cousins over corner Travis Howard. Cunningham made two other catches over the middle when he carried Howard like he was giving piggyback rides for extra yardage, including once to pick up a big first down.

The Buckeyes need offensive playmakers right now. They don't have many, and they don't seem to know how to use the ones they do have. Cunningham reminded them what a playmaker looks like.

C --- Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins

Just like Miami quarterback Jacory Harris did two weeks ago, Cousins seemed to do his best to keep Ohio State in the game.

A fifth-year senior, Cousins finished 20-of-32 for 250 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. But his interceptions kept the Spartans from putting Ohio State away, and the defense reached the point where it knew it almost had to score itself to give the Buckeyes a chance. That was a reasonable hope.

"We didn't finish drives," Cousins said.

Michigan State, in fact, was actually worse on third down than Ohio State. The Spartans converted 3 of 14 while Ohio State made 4 of 16.

"We feel like we could have, with a few plays going our way here or there, come away with 20-plus points," Cousins said. "I think you have to credit Ohio State's defense for them to bend but not break. That's what good defenses do."

Ohio State's defense has a history of making average Big Ten quarterbacks not look very good. But Cousins did make enough plays to make the difference. For instance, he followed a third-quarter pass where cornerback Travis Howard was all over the route and nearly came away with an interception, with a beautiful sideline pass to Cunningham for a 51-yard gain.

Saturday, average was good enough for Cousins.

D --- The ability of the Ohio State quarterbacks to escape pressure

Part of the credit goes to Michigan State, which did a fine job of containing Braxton Miller by not letting him get to the edge or break away on the outside.

But last week, Ohio State offensive coordinator Jim Bollman, who didn't earn a very high grade himself on Saturday, talked about needing only the threat of balance. That meant that the Buckeyes, in his mind, didn't have to throw the ball, but had to do something to worry a defense in the pass game. That could include Miller taking off and running on called passes.

There was none of that against the Spartans. Backup Joe Bauserman didn't fare much better, but that's not supposed to be what he does well. Running is what Miller should be able to fall back on, and he didn't make Michigan State pay at all. He paid more than anyone, especially when he slowed down just before running out of bounds on one scramble, which allowed two Spartans to get in a solid hit.

It's understandable for Miller to be confused as a passer at this stage. But he wasn't able to let his natural skills as a runner do much for him on Saturday, either.

Sure, the season's over. But that doesn't stop the steady flow of questions for beat writer Paul Hoynes.

Mark Duncan, Associated PressFans of Jack Hannahan's steady defense in 2011 probably won't get a chance to see him get a Gold Glove, but he's expected to be one of the Indians' primary reserves in 2012.

Hey, Hoynsie: Do you think that the Tribe's commitment to being in the theme park business spread resources too thin to execute as well as the Tigers prior to the trade deadline? -- Charlie, Cleveland

Hey, Charlie: As far as I remember there was no cotton candy at Snow Days. You can't run a carnival without cotton candy.

Hey, Hoynsie: I believe that Jack Hannahan, without a doubt, is the best defensive third baseman in the American League. Has he played in enough games to qualify for the Gold Glove award? If so, what do you think of his chances of winning? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: I don't think there is a games played requirement for the Gold Glove award. Otherwise, how did Rafael Palmeiro win it in 1999 for Texas when he played only 28 games at first base?

I'd love to see Hannahan win it, but I don't think it will happen. He made five errors in 105 games at third this year, but I think the perception is that he's not an everyday player even though he was the Indians' regular third baseman. Last year third basemen Evan Longoria (151 games) and Scott Rolen (133 games) were the winners in the AL and NL, respectively. Managers and coaches vote for the Gold Glove and offensive numbers, mysteriously, always tend to play a part in who wins this defensive award.

Hannahan should get a mention The Fielding Bible Awards that appear in the annual Bill James Handbook.

Hey, Hoynsie: "Best player in the league," is what Ozzie Guillen called Grady Sizemore more than once. Great kid, great center fielder, excellent leadoff hitter, great speed, excellent power, great Cleveland Indian. Makes me sad to see him with a 2-foot leadoff, start slowly, etc. Will the Indians renew him considering how injured he still is? One of my all-time favorites in my 55 years of following all the players. -- Joe Corbin, Dublin

Hey, Kevin: A couple of month ago, I thought they'd definitely pick up the option. I think a lot depends on what Dr. Richard Steadman tells them about Sizemore's right knee after he examined it on Monday.

Hey, Hoynsie: Didn't I read a short time ago that the Tribe wanted to send Ubaldo Jimenez to winter ball? Isn't that an admittance to his mediocrity? -- Lou Kovach, Gary, N.C.

Hey, Lou: I didn't take it that way. Jimenez has pitched winter ball in the past, but skipped it last year and subsequently had a poor season.

Perhaps he needs make four or five starts in the Dominican Republic to get his mechanics tuned -- or work on some adjustments the Indians have suggested -- before coming to spring training. After missing time with a broken left forearm in 2010, Asdrubal Cabrera played a month of winter ball before this past season and just put the finishing touches on a career year.

Hey, Hoynsie: With the Clippers winning their second Class AAA championship in as many years, does that kind of success translate into future major-league success for the Indians in the next couple of years? -- Zachary Hitchcock, Petersburg, Va.

Hey, Zachary: Good players, not minor-league titles, win in the big leagues. But establishing a winning tradition throughout the organization certainly helps. I remember talking to Richie Sexson and Luke Scott after they'd been traded by the Indians to losing situations. What they both missed was the winning atmosphere the Indians established in the minors and tried to carry on in the big leagues.

Hey, Hoynsie: What happened to Drew Pomeranz's fastball? In his four starts for the Rockies, his fastball usually topped out at 89 mph? I thought he was more of a power pitcher who can throw in the mid 90s. -- Dennis Michael, Canton

Hey, Dennis: After the Indians traded Pomeranz to the Rockies on July 31, he was in limbo for 15 days. The Indians had to wait until the one-year anniversary of Pomeranz signing with them before they could officially send him to Colorado.

Not only was Pomeranz dealing with a trade after being the organization's No.1 pick in 2010, he couldn't pitch in competition for 15 days until he officially became the Rockies' property. After the deadline passed, Pomeranz threw a couple of games in the minors for the Rockies before undergoing an emergency appendectomy. Frankly, I'm surprised the Rockies brought him to the big leagues and started him this year.

I don't think you saw the real Pomeranz in his four starts for the Rocks. Still, he went 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA. Not bad for his first taste of the big leagues.

Hey, Hoynsie: Jason Donald hit .319 (42-for-132) for the Indians this season, but does not have a set position and has little power. He is a good athlete so would you have him play some left field in the spring to increase his versatility and value? He could be our next Jamey Carroll. -- Joe Eversole, Pelham, Ala.

Hey, Joe: If Donald is going to make the team next year, it will probably be as a utility infielder. Being able to play a little outfield wouldn't hurt. Let's just hope he can stay healthy and he doesn't have to play too much shortstop.

Hey, Hoynsie: Does the performance of Jimenez indicate a soft spot in the Tribe deep thinkers' evaluation of pitchers? After watching Fausto Carmona, Carlos Carrasco and Jimenez pitch this year, I'm convinced they are more willing than other organizations to accept character shortcomings for pure stuff. -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake

Hey, Steve: Pitching starts with stuff. What good does it do to have an Eagle Scout on the mound if he can throw only 75 mph? We've seen this before with CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. When something would go wrong behind them, the wheels would come off. It takes time to learn how to pitch and win in the big leagues. I think it's unfair to judge Carrasco and Jimenez simply because we haven't seen enough of them. Can't say the same about Carmona. He's inconsistent and doesn't pitch well when the heat is on. I don't see him changing at this point in his career. He's a fourth or fifth starter. His best quality is durability.

Hey, Hoynsie: Chris Perez's strikeout rate dropped dramatically this year. Is there a reason; e.g. injury, loss of velocity, etc? Or is it a "pitching-to-contact" strategy? It's unusual for a young pitcher to undergo that much of a drop-off in strikeouts. -- Richard Schoyer, Rochester, N.Y.

Hey, Richard: Good observation. Perez's strikeouts per nine innings dropped from 8.7 in 2010 to 5.9 this year. I know his velocity was down at the start of the year, but his hits, walks, appearances and innings pitched over the past two years are similar.

Meanwhile, Perez's saves went from 23 in 27 chances in 2010 to 36 in 40 chances this year. All things being equal, including that Perez is healthy, I'd take more saves over more strikeouts.

Hey, Hoynsie: Has any thought within the organization ever been given to why the Indians had so many injuries? Injuries have been a recurring theme for this club since at least 2008. Now, I know things like Shin-Soo Choo's injury in June clearly aren't training related, but has any examination been done to their training program? This just doesn't seem to happen to teams like Detroit and Tampa Bay. -- Kevin Koval, Youngstown

Hey, Kevin: Sure it happens to Detroit and Tampa Bay. It just doesn't happen to them when they're having good years. Good health translates into good seasons. The Twins were a good team when they won the AL Central last year. They were terrible this year with basically the same core of players because they couldn't stay healthy.

The Red Sox were a good team for much of this season, right? Then injuries hit and they're not going to the postseason. When the Indians won the AL Central in 2007, they were not only good, but healthy. The Indians will review their training procedures, especially regarding soft-tissue injuries, this winter. They do it every year.

-- Hoynsie

Football fans are obsessed with the future, even when the present is pretty pleasant.

View full sizePaul Sakuma, Associated PressGiven the fervor of some Browns fans, this photo of Stanford's Andrew Luck could be considered football wish-fulfillment. But Tony Grossi would prefer that fans not obsess over someone who's practically unobtainable by the Browns.

Hey, Tony: I am sitting here conversing with a friend and just realized that the Browns have two No. 1 picks next year. What is your opinion of the Browns trading those two No.1 picks ... for the first [overall] pick? -- Lou Kovach, Cary, N.C.

Hey, Lou: The Browns own their pick and Atlanta's pick. With Andrew Luck as the potential prize for the owner of the overall No. 1 pick, the Browns wouldn't be able to move up that high unless they added their No.1 pick in 2013 and possibly more.

Hey, Tony: Let's just say the Browns have one draft pick between picks 1 and 15, and the other between 20 and 32. What positions do you draft? -- Paul Kebker, Holly Springs, N.C.

Hey, Paul: I think it's too early to say, though it wouldn't surprise me if the Browns used one pick on a defensive lineman and one on an offensive lineman.

Hey, Tony: Do you think the Browns will give Peyton Hillis a new contract or Hillis might be asking for too much and they let him walk away? -- Dipan Patel, Elyria

Hey, Dipan: If the Browns are unable to arrive at a contract extension by the end of the year, I would expect Hillis to leave in free agency.

Hey, Tony: For the first time in 11 years, the organization has finally looked like it is heading in the right direction. How long do you think it will take the fans to follow suit? I swear my head almost explodes every time I hear someone write in that we should send Metcalf ... um, I mean Hillis ... up the middle on every third-and-short. We just had a 50 percent third-down conversion rate in a win against Indy (cue a Mangenius scowl from sideline), and people are still criticizing the steps this organization is making. If the team is really going to become the serious contender we all hope for, aren't our conversations and our offense going to have to revolve around a bit more than just one tailback and a converted kick returner who wouldn't even be lining up at receiver on playoff-caliber teams? That's not to say I'm not rooting for Hillis and (Josh) Cribbs, but aren't we going to have to see if (Colt) McCoy can lead us down the field if we want this team to take the next step? And why don't fans realize that is what this year is about? -- Paul Straub, Orlando, Fla.

Hey, Paul: As Cribbs said to me in training camp, the days of just handing off and trying to play smash-mouth ball are over. Pat Shurmur's offense will always seek to throw first, whether it's McCoy at the throttle or somebody else.

Hey, Tony: When was the last time a Browns QB threw for over 400 yards in a regular-season game? Will it ever happen again? -- Darius, Rittman

Hey, Darius: Kelly Holcomb threw for 413 yards and five touchdowns in a losing cause against Cincinnati on Nov. 28, 2004. I believe a Browns quarterback will throw for 400 yards in 2013.

Hey, Tony: Why is Eric Hagg still on the roster? He has had the knee issue, hasn't played at all and he is taking up a roster spot. Why don't the Browns put him on IR? -- John Renaldy, Youngstown

Hey, John: Hagg suffered a knee injury in preseason but has been practicing since the regular season started. The Browns like him as a backup safety and special teams contributor and expect to play him long before the season is over.

Hey, Tony: Over the last decade, the teams that lose with consistency include the Bills, the Lions and, sadly, the Browns. You often say that the problems of these teams include talent, coaching and the front-office management. Both the Bills and especially the Lions are currently the sweethearts of the media for improvement. The season is early, but how do you compare these three in terms of 1. Talent; 2. Coaching; 3. Front office? -- Elliott Amstutz, Galva, Kan.

Hey, Elliott: Talent: 1. Lions, 2. Bills, 3. Browns. Coaching: 1. Bills, 2. Browns, 3. Lions. Front office: 1. Browns, 2. Lions, 3. Bills. The bottom line is all three franchises appear to be on the rise.

Hey, Tony: Halftime of the Dolphins game. Is Colt McCoy afraid to step up and throw the ball down the middle of the field or is he incapable? All we see are dink and dunk attempts, throws to the flats or the now-infamous rollout to the right and throw a long ball off of his back foot. I see other West Coast QBs like Aaron Rodgers, for example, routinely stepping into throws and taking confident shots down the field on the intermediate routes. I hope what we've seen thus far is not going to be our version of the West Coast offense, because it stinks so far. -- Doug Furtado, Battle Mountain, Nev.

Hey, Doug: The Miami game was McCoy's 11th career NFL start and his third in Shurmur's system. I think it's a little premature to be drawing conclusions on anything we've seen so far.

Hey, Tony: While I generally agree with the Browns' strategy to build through the draft strategy and its avoidance of free agents, they also need to make an evaluation on the QB position to move forward. Have they delayed this critical call by not giving McCoy even one WR who demands double coverage? -- Steve Cornelius, Avon Lake

Hey, Steve: They believe they can evaluate the quarterback position with the receivers they have.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz, The Plain DealerMiami's Chad Henne found out why many fans are bullish on this year's top Browns rookie, Phil Taylor.

Hey, Tony: Looking at the Tom Heckert drafts of 2010 and 2011, it looks like 100 percent of the players drafted are still in the NFL, with two players, Larry Asante (Tampa Bay) and Clifford Geathers (Dallas), no longer with the Browns. That means 14 of 16 draft picks are still Browns; how amazing is that? You always say you have to build a team through the draft. How do you grade Heckert through 19 games? -- Pat Burma, Denver

Hey, Pat: It's understandable that 14 of Heckert's 16 draft picks are still with the Browns because Heckert has the authority to choose the roster. That said, his two drafts have been fairly outstanding so far.

Hey, Tony: If the inconsistencies on the right side of the O-line prevent the Browns from utilizing the entire playbook, those same inconsistencies should also prohibit the Browns from having Colt McCoy take five- and seven-step drops. What say you? -- Barbershop J, Euclid

Hey, Barbershop: I don't think the so-called inconsistencies on the right side of the offensive line are monumental. With Tony Pashos out the first three games, the Browns have used Alex Smith a lot to help the right tackle in pass-block situations. Granted, McCoy has scurried out of the pocket more than I'd like. Maybe he will be more comfortable with Pashos returning this week.

Hey, Tony: Mike Holmgren said in a [news] conference early on that the No. 1 thing he looks for in a QB is accuracy. He said, if I remember right, it is the one thing that can't be taught. He did not seem to get up in arms about arm strength or other common QB questions. The reason I bring this is up is because Colt does not seem to be accurate at all. In fact, the two TDs against Miami were acrobatic catches by the receivers. I hope Colt is the answer for us, but if I go on what Holmgren said, then I can't help but think he must be concerned about Colt ... or hoping he was wrong and accuracy can be taught. -- Michael Spitale, Galena, Ohio

Hey, Michael: One of the surprises of the first three games, to me, was McCoy's inaccuracy throwing the ball. That needs to improve by about 10 percent for the offense to operate the way Pat Shurmur envisions. He needs to put the ball to where receivers can catch it in stride and accelerate for yards after the catch.

Hey, Tony: Why don't the Browns run more on third-and-short? (Especially when Colt is throwing behind a lot of his receivers.) I like what I see in Greg Little. Do you think Colt will start looking for him a bit more? -- Bob Gorman, Aurora, Colo.

Hey, Bob: Pat Shurmur feels a third-and-short conversion is just as easily achieved through the air as on the ground. It's up to McCoy to improve in these situations. I anticipate Little becoming more active in the game plan as the season evolves.

Hey, Tony: Why do you have such a negative opinion about McCoy? In you article about the final drive, you kept highlighting what you thought were bad throws, but never talking about the good plays. You say the ball to (Brian) Robiskie was underthrown, but yet it hit him in the hands and was a clear drop. We had five drops [against Miami]. Some of our receivers are not totally familiar with the offense. You complain about his arm strength, yet his TD to Cribbs was in the air 47 yards while he was on the run. In three games, we have had 12 drops and at least seven throwaways rather than forcing the ball. He missed a couple of passes [against the Dolphins], most notably the long pass to Cribbs. Not his best game. Why inject so much negativity on him when he brought us back in the last few minutes after having a so-so game? -- Jim Perry, Marietta, Ga.

Hey, Jim: I think I'm being more objective than you are. The quarterback position is the one that's held the Browns back for decades. A lot of scrutiny goes with the job.

Hey, Tony: In 1946, where was the Browns' first training camp? -- Char Zajac, Lorain

Hey, Char: Bowling Green State University. The Browns trained there from 1946-51.

Hey, Tony: Do you think Sam Bradford has regressed because Pat Shurmur is now in Cleveland? Will Shurmur groom an offensive coordinator? -- Dave Martin, West Harrison, Ind.

Hey, Dave: I think it's too early to say whether Bradford has regressed in his second season. The offense under Josh McDaniels is much different from the one Shurmur ran in Bradford's first season. It's understandable that Bradford would struggle early on, considering there were no organized team activities (OTAs) or minicamps to learn the new system because of the owners lockout. I anticipate Shurmur naming an offensive coordinator next season.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerJosh Cribbs and the rest of the Browns' receiving corps have begun to impress some fans by making clutch plays when needed.

Hey, Tony: 1. With few exceptions, it appears that our wide receivers lack the necessary speed to create separation between them and their defenders. 2. During each possession, it appears we are constantly changing personnel -- wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, etc. -- which seems to affect the team's overall rhythm and timing. 3. Is it me or do I just lack football knowledge? -- Joe Pudis, Palm Desert, Calif.

Hey, Joe: 1. I don't necessarily agree. 2. I tend to agree there is too much situation substitution. 3. It's you.

Hey, Tony: Does it seem like for the first time in a very long time receivers are aware of the first-down marker, making catches beyond it, and making plays even when the ball isn't thrown just right? Over the last few years, it seemed that no matter who the coach was, the receivers were dropping catchable passes or catching them just short of the marker. This group of receivers is still learning, but encouraging. -- Doug Shaffer, Orange, Calif.

Hey, Doug: I agree with you on all counts.

Hey, Tony: What do you make of the offense's first-quarter struggles? What's to blame for the slow starts? -- Matthew Yoder, Newark, Del.

Hey, Matthew: The first game, penalties created unfavorable situations. The third game, it was the quarterback coming out and not throwing well. I would be in favor of starting the game in a no-huddle attack to promote the quick tempo the coaches want on offense.

Hey, Tony: For weeks, I have stated Colt McCoy's greatest strength as a QB lies with his almost innate ability to run the no-huddle offense. We saw a hint of that talent in the Miami game. The best QB at running that offense is Peyton Manning. At the appropriate time, could the Browns hire Manning to "understudy" as offensive coordinator and mentor to McCoy and Thaddeus Lewis? Never too early to look ahead. -- Walter Hopewell, Colorado City, Colo.

Hey, Walter: I have no idea if Manning would turn to coaching when his playing days are over. I would doubt it.

Hey, Tony: I think with the addition and continued growth of Greg Little along with (Mohamed Massaquoi) will give us a potent combination for years to come. My only worry is we are missing that chain mover, a Joe Jurevicius type. Ideally, Robiskie looks like he could be that guy, but he cannot seem to find those open windows and does not seem to have the trust of his QB. -- Gary Alfrey, Medina

Hey, Gary: You're overlooking Josh Cribbs in that role. Also, some envision Evan Moore as a Joe Jurevicius clone. I think roles on the offense are still evolving.

Hey, Tony: I noticed Evan Moore had significantly reduced playing time against Miami. Alex Smith seemed to get the majority of the snaps in two-tight-end sets. What's up? Moore has proven he is a legit pass catcher who can stretch the field and produce in the red zone. -- Ben Christopher, Cleveland

Hey, Ben: The Browns have been without their starting right tackle the past two games and had to deal with two fearsome defensive ends on that side of their line -- Robert Mathis of Indianapolis and Cameron Wake of Miami. The Browns countered this by using Smith, their best blocking tight end, to help their right tackle. This took away snaps from Moore. I think you'll see more of Moore when Tony Pashos returns to his starting position.

Hey, Tony: What's up with Gil Haskell on the sidelines wearing a headset? His title still says he's a special consultant to Holmgren. Is this a move to ease pressure off Shurmur handling all offensive duties? -- Rob Houk, Dayton

Hey, Rob: Haskell not only is Holmgren's top aide, he also is as well-schooled in Holmgren's offense as anyone. Haskell may be listening to the play calls, but it doesn't mean he is involved in any play selection.

Hey, Tony: After watching the Dolphins game, I can't help but have questions about Colt McCoy. I really want him to succeed and be the QB that we all need. 1. After three games, what are your thoughts on McCoy's play? My feeling is without a true No. 1 WR, we may never know what McCoy is capable of. 2. Greg Little might develop. What if he doesn't? How will we know if McCoy is our guy? You can't live by TEs alone. 3. Currently McCoy's stats over a 16-game season project to be 320-for-592, 3,376 yards, 27 TDs, 11 interceptions, 78.4 passer rating. You know who four out of the last five games are against. With these numbers, is McCoy our guy? -- Ed Todd, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Hey, Todd: 1. I don't believe a quarterback needs a superstar wide receiver to be accurately evaluated as a field leader. 2. You are dismissing Mohamed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs as legitimate receivers. 3. If McCoy is fortunate to stay healthy, the Browns will know by the end of the season whether or not he is the quarterback to take them to the Super Bowl. If their answer is that he is not, they have to find the new quarterback as quickly as possible.

View full sizeJoshua Gunter, The Plain DealerAhtyba Rubin and the rest of the defensive line have sparked memories of top defenders of the past for some loyalists.

Hey, Tony: With the emergence of Ahtyba Rubin, the surprising play of both rookies Phil Taylor and Jabaal Sheard (since he moved over), can we say at this point that this unit has the potential to be as good as the D-line we had long ago with Michael Dean Perry, Rob Burnett, Jerry Ball and Anthony Pleasant? -- Jason Lundblad, Clermont, Fla.

Hey, Jason: You inadvertently omitted right end Jayme Mitchell, who's also playing well. That's a fairly good comparison. The defensive line of which you speak had a great deal to do with the 1994 defense that led the NFL in fewest points per game. One difference is the present line is younger.

Hey, Tony: I was wondering if you could give readers your early assessment (after three games and practices you've seen) of Owen Marecic. He seems to be the subject of criticism, especially in the preseason, from many fans. However, I haven't read as much since the season started. -- Joshua Jones, Fullerton, Calif.

Hey, Joshua: I have been careful to not overreact to Marecic's early struggles. What I have noticed, however, is the Browns veering away from a traditional halfback-fullback look.

Hey, Tony: Now that the Eric Mangini era has all but disappeared over the horizon, I'd like your thoughts: Quickly name the three best things and the three worst things Mangini brought to the Browns during his tenure. -- Kurt Lehr, Columbia Station

Hey, Kurt: Best: 1. Built tremendous special teams. 2. Rid the locker room of numerous -- but not all -- bad influences. 3. Established team discipline. Worst: 1. Loaded up the roster with older players. 2. Made numerous questionable personnel decisions, particularly in the draft. 3. De-emphasized the quarterback position.

Hey, Tony: Do you think Heckert was looking at specific potential first-rounders in 2012 when he made the trade with the Falcons? It seems to me that there are quite a few stud wide receivers and linebackers in next year's draft class. Also, would you agree that, so far this year, those two positions are the most glaring weaknesses? (I'm excluding punter, of course.) -- Jamie Vitonis, Boston

Hey, Jamie: I do not think Heckert made the trade with specific positions in mind. I think he made it because he liked Phil Taylor above what was available at No. 6 and thought he could take him later in the round and because Atlanta made him an offer he couldn't refuse. At this point -- and it's very early -- I would say the Browns need more help on the defensive and offensive lines high in the next draft.

Hey, Tony: Everyone has been wondering why the offense was so bad at the beginning of the Miami game and so good at the end. But didn't Miami change its defense on the last drive? Weren't they rushing less and dropping more people back -- almost a prevent defense? Without a strong pass rush, Colt McCoy had more time to find open receivers. -- Bruce Hayman, Fairview Park

Hey, Bruce: I agree. The Dolphins fell into the "try not to lose" syndrome on offense and on defense.

Hey, Tony: What's the deal with Marcus Benard? The front office seemed perturbed that he bulked up on his own to play defensive end (they called it "miscommunication" due to the lockout), as they wanted him to play linebacker. But now they list him as a DE. Have they changed their opinion, or will they return him to LB once he drops the weight? And why can't he seem to get on the field despite our other DEs playing way too many snaps so far? -- Steve Milan, Lakewood

Hey, Steve: The Browns always projected Benard as a defensive end in their new 4-3 scheme. I think any dissatisfaction with his weight gain has been forgotten. His loss of playing time may be due to the fact that Phil Taylor is getting more snaps in the sub-package pass rush formations. Benard's time will come.

Hey, Tony: Let me first say I am a Peyton Hillis fan, and I don't question his toughness. However, two questions arise in light of his Week 3 scratch. Do you think it's possible he sat out the Miami game with an illness that he would have played through absent a contract negotiation? Is it true Hillis is asking for money within a ballpark of Chris Johnson? -- Josh Weaver, Lancaster, Pa.

Hey, Josh: Any suggestion that Hillis took himself out of the Miami game due to dissatisfaction with his contract situation is ludicrous.

Hey, Tony: The Browns now have their punishing north-south runner in Hillis. Hopefully, if he stays healthy, they also have their more dynamic RB, with a blend of moves, speed, and power, in Hardesty. Wouldn't it be nice to have that pass-catching, quick scat back who can take it the distance on any play? Steve Slaton was just released by Houston. I don't know why the Texans gave up on him, he's only 25 years old and seems like a good fit for the West Coast offense. -- Scott Ramella, Boise, Idaho

Hey, Scott: Slaton was waived by Houston and claimed by Miami. The Browns did not put in a claim on Slaton and obviously had no interest.

Hey, Tony: Since I know it is from your mouth to Goodell's ear: How about this rule change for kickoffs? If the ball goes out of the end zone on the fly, then the receiving team gets it on the 30. That way you still keep the hits a little lighter but probably get more return attempts. -- Tim Burdick, Cleveland

Hey, Tim: At the last league meeting, coaches would not approve the rule change if touchbacks were brought out to the 25. They certainly would protest bringing kicks out of the end zone to the 30.

Hey, Tony: It is very apparent that your dislike for Colt McCoy goes way beyond anything related to football. Is it because he is a good ol' boy from Texas and home of George Bush, is it because he is a Christian or is it something else? Please don't insult our intelligence by saying that you like the kid personally but have questions about his quarterbacking ability. -- Sheldon Porter, Zanesville, Ohio

Hey, Sheldon: I'm offended by the tone of your questions. I simply question certain parts of his game. If that insults your intelligence, sorry. This is the big boys league.

Hey, Tony: I've always thought a team was fortunate to have their bye week mid-to-late season to give the players' bodies a rest. In the Browns case, isn't having next Sunday off well-timed, since they are trying to implement new offenses and defenses? -- Rich Smith, Columbus

Hey, Rich: Bye weeks are used best to allow injured players an extra week to heal. I wouldn't overanalyze it beyond that.

Hey, Tony: This is more of a comment than a question. Security at Cleveland Browns Stadium ejected a fan for "excessive standing" at the game on Sunday. He was sitting in the Dawg Pound. No wonder the Browns have compiled a stellar 35-62 home record since returning in '99. Way to create a home-field advantage. This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. How is this even a policy? -- Matt Rositano, Lorain

Hey, Matt: If you were the person sitting behind the fan you describe and you were unable to stand or unwilling to stand to see the game, would you feel the same way?

Hey, Tony: I noticed Art Modell is up for the Hall of Fame again this year. Is there a limit to how many times he can be nominated? When can we look forward to not hearing his name ever again? -- Jason Blankenship, Medina

Hey, Jason: Modell can be nominated as long as he continues to receive votes in the laborious selection process. His name only will be erased from nomination when he receives not a single vote in the preliminary ballot of a given year. Apparently, he keeps getting a few votes from the 44 selectors to keep his name on the ballot.

Hey, Tony: Call me crazy, but I don't understand why there are penalties for celebration. I think there should just be a time limit for the celebrating. Just so they're not celebrating for a crazy amount of time. There's no point in playing if you can't enjoy it. Taunting is something I agree with penalizing, but celebration? The league says only one person can make the Lambeau Leap to celebrate. How silly is that? -- Clint Mayo, Wichita, Kan.

Hey, Clint: Elaborate, choreographed celebration routines by Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens resulted in the current clampdown. The group celebrations go back to the "Fun Bunch" of the Washington Redskins in the late 1980s. I am divided on this issue. I do enjoy a good TD celebration, but I understand the NFL's effort in trying to curb elaborate, look-at-me demonstrations.

Hey, Tony: I was wondering what happened to "Inside the Huddle" on Monday evenings with you, Doug, Coach Sam and the great Jim Donovan. Has it moved or is it no longer on? Glad to see Jimmy D back in action, he's the best! I would also like to ask why Heckert shows so much trust in Pashos when this guy has been an injury liability for most of his career. I like most of what Heckert and Holmgren have been doing, but their approach to free agency was flawed. Their slight toe-dipping into the market is showing up now. -- Tim Dibble, Ashtabula

Hey, Tim: "The Point After" was canceled by WKYC. Heckert's strategy this year was to invest salary cap dollars in extending the contracts of core players such as Joe Thomas, Evan Moore, Ahtyba Rubin, Chris Gocong and, possibly, Peyton Hillis.

Hey, Tony: There was an important play that seems to have been overlooked by everyone in the Miami game. In the third quarter, Miami downed a punt at our 1. The replay showed the Miami player batted the ball backward before it entered the end zone. However, the ball clearly hit his thigh as his elbow was grounded in the end zone, by rule a touchback. Don't the Browns have a designated replay person looking at these things, and if so, how can I apply for the job? -- Dave Atkinson, Niagara Falls, Ontario

Hey, Dave: Eric Mangini actually hired a former league field official to serve as his personal replay official. Pat Shurmur uses the consensus opinion of his assistant coaches in the coaches box upstairs.

Hey, Tony: I was a bit taken aback by the Browns signing Chris Gocong for $16.8 million over three years. I believe that Gocong is a decent strongside or middle linebacker starter or an outstanding swing backup, but I really think that a big-play weakside linebacker is the Browns' biggest need going into the 2012 draft. What is your take? -- Paul Thiel, Crescent Springs, Ky.

Hey, Paul: Gocong was drafted by Philadelphia in 2003 when GM Tom Heckert was VP of player personnel and Pat Shurmur was an Eagles assistant coach. I think they, along with defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, think Gocong fits perfectly in their defensive system and, at 27, is still an ascending player.

-- Tony

The Browns defense will face two of its biggest challenges to date: Titans running back Chris Johnson and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

View full sizeJohn Russell, Associated PressStar receiver Kenny Britt may be lost for the season, but the Browns' defense remains concerned about the performances of Tennessee QB Matt Hasselbeck (8) and running back Chris Johnson.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns' young defense is developing quite a swagger, but there's two guys coming to town Sunday that could make it stagger: Titans running back Chris Johnson and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck -- coached by Mike Holmgren for 11 seasons -- is arguably off to the best start of his 13-year career in a new system in Tennessee. And Johnson -- the NFL's leading rusher over the last three years -- is a ticking bomb. Johnson -- who held out 35 days for a blockbuster $53 million deal -- is averaging just 2.1 yards per carry, hasn't rushed for more than 54 yards this season and has yet to score a touchdown.

"He's been waiting to have a breakout game," said defensive end Jabaal Sheard. "Nobody wants to be the team that lets this guy run wild."

Browns running backs coach Gary Brown, who once rushed for 1,000 yards for the Oilers in half a season, knows it's just a matter of time.

"If you look at all the great ones, everybody hits slumps in sports," he said. "It just happens that Chris Johnson's is in the beginning of the year. But I guarantee you this: Elite players like that find ways to get things done, and I'm sure he will -- not this week, though."

"We know it's coming," said safety T.J. Ward. "We just don't plan on letting it be this weekend."

What makes Johnson so special is his speed, timed at 4.24 in the 40 when he was at the NFL combine in 2009.

"That guy has a tremendous blend of world-class speed and tremendous vision," said Brown. "He may be the fastest guy in the whole league. Even if you have him boxed in, he's dangerous. As football fans, we have to embrace that type of guy and know that what we're seeing is rare."

Johnson, whose 98 yards on 46 carries are tied for 37th in the NFL, told Tennessee reporters that he's not in sync with his line. The Titans are last in rushing, and the Browns are 29th against the run.

"I've been running behind this line for three years, so I have confidence in them and I'm sure they have confidence in me," he said. "We just have to get on the same page and keep working."

Linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, the reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Month, figures the Titans will lean heavily on Johnson now that premier receiver Kenny Britt is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"He's got his legs up under him now and we're looking for him to get a lot of touches, whether it's on screens or the classic stretch plays," said Jackson. "You don't think a guy with that frame could run between the tackles, but he does great. He has great vision and all it takes is one play. Anyone who's rushed for 2,000 yards [in 2009] is special."

Said Scott Fujita: "He's great at getting to the edges and then finding that cut-back hole and darting through it."

Jackson hinted the Browns will devote a spy to the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year. "We'll have special eye out for him," he said. "We know if we contain him we increase our chance of winning."

Cornerback Sheldon Brown has his own theory on Johnson's slow start.

"I don't think you need to run that well when you're throwing the ball around the field like that," he said of the Titans. "Matt Hasselbeck is playing phenomenal football. Right now, (any) of us can line up in their offense, run routes, get open, he'll hit us. That's how comfortable he is within the scheme, the system, he knows what he's doing. What's impressive is the short amount of time they've had to work together."

Hasselbeck, who ran the West Coast offense in Seattle until arriving in Nashville and working with coordinator Chris Palmer, is eighth in the NFL with 932 yards, and seventh with a 102.2 QB rating. He's thrown five TDs and only two interceptions -- but three of those TD passes went to Britt.

"He's playing lights out," said Jackson. "Any good quarterback in rhythm, you've got to try move him off the spot and get as many guys on him as possible."

Said Jabaal Sheard, part of defense that's second in the NFL with 11 sacks: "This is probably the best line we'll face all year. They barely give up sacks. But I'm hungry as ever. I want to get to the quarterback and I'm looking for another win."

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Nick Watney shot a 7-under 64 on Saturday for a share of the third-round lead with Kevin Na in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Associated PressNick Watney hits a tee shot on the second hole during the first round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open golf tournament at TPC Summerlin on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2011, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nick Watney shot a 7-under 64 on Saturday for a share of the third-round lead with Kevin Na in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Watney, a two-time winner this year, birdied the final three holes and five of the last six at TPC Summerlin to match Na at 17 under in the Fall Series opener. Na followed his second-round 63 with a 66.

"I'm trying to keep it really simple," Watney said. "I've driven the ball pretty well and it's just been fairly easy to hit quite a bit of greens. I think that's what you need to do out here is give yourself as many chances as possible. I've been able to do that so far. "This course is right out there in front of you. It's fairly short for Tour standards, so it's just about execution."

He won the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March and the AT&T National in July.

Robert Garrigus (63) and Kris Blanks (66) were a stroke back, and Tommy Gainey (64), Paul Goydos (66) and Tim Herron (67) followed at 15 under.

Na, tied for the lead with Jhonattan Vegas and Charlie Wi after the second round, played the front nine in 4 under with five birdies and a bogey, and added a birdie on the par-5 16th to reach 17 under.

"I got off to a really good start on the front nine, made five birdies," Na said. "I felt like I could go real low with a bunch of birdie holes on the back. Unfortunately, I slowed down a bit and missed a few short ones. But to finish 5-under for the day, I was pretty pleased."

Robert Garrigus had nine birdies and a bogey in his 63. Hospitalized for dehydration on Monday in Phoenix, Garrigus opened the round with four straight birdies, then birdied three of the last four.

"I started off on fire," he said. "It was just one of those days when everything was going in early, and I knew if I could sprinkle in some (birdies) late it would be a really good day, and it ended up being nice.

Vegas (69), Roland Thatcher (63), Spencer Levin (64) and Carl Pettersson (66) were 14 under.

The 36-hole cut came at 4-under 138, with 80 players advancing. Because more than 78 players made the cut, there was a secondary cut at 4-under 209 after the third round to the low 70 players and ties.

The 4-under cut tied for the lowest on the PGA Tour this season with the Travelers Championship, John Deere Classic, Viking Classic and The Barclays.

Fran Quinn was the only player left on the course when play was suspended due to darkness Friday. He came back Saturday morning and made a 14-foot birdie putt for a 67 to make the cut. He shot a 76 in the third round to drop out of the tournament.