Ohio State tunes up for the Big 10 by taking on a small-school team on a 15-game losing streak.
View full sizeTight end Jake Stoneburner (11) rumbles through the Ohio University defense in last Saturday's 43-7 Ohio State win. Stoneburner and other receivers are the beneficiaries of a more balanced air and ground attack, made possible by the maturation of quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
So, in its preview, si.com asks, what's at stake?
Not much, judging from the line. The Buckeyes needed to fill out the schedule with another home date before opening Big Ten play next week at Illinois and Eastern Michigan, which has lost its last 15 games, needed an $850,000 check to underwrite its athletic program. Ohio State's third- and fourth-teamers should get lots of work.KEY MATCHUP: Ohio State vs. itself. The Buckeyes have been Keystone Kops on kick coverage so far, allowing one punt and two kickoffs (one disallowed by a penalty) to be returned for touchdowns. In addition, they've had a punt and a field goal blocked. Much of the problem has been missed assignments. Priority one will be tightening things up and throttling the Eagles early.
Hmmm. Sounds like this might be the weekend to stockpile some significant other points: Tell your sweetie you love her so much that you'd even be willing to go shoe-shopping on an Ohio State game day.
From the other side
Teams compile won-loss records, but real joy -- and pain -- is felt by individual players. Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch talked to Ryan Downard, a defensive back from Lima, Ohio, who plays for Eastern Michigan. The fifth-year senior has been part of exactly six wins in his college career.
The hardest part, Downard said, is seeing improvement in practice and on video but not on the ledger."We're close. We just haven't gotten over that hump," Downard said. "We've had two games this year already that were very winnable games for us," losses by four points to Army and seven points at Miami University in which Eastern Michigan led in the second half of each.
"We're just in that transition process, and it's hard turning a program around. Only certain guys are meant to be in that position. A lot of guys couldn't handle it."
Downard wants to go into coaching when his playing days are done. If so, going through what he's endured with the Eagles should help make him a better coach. Assuming, of course, that he survives Saturday.
From The Plain Dealer
Beat writer Doug Lesmerises noted that Ohio University, like previous Buckeyes opponents this season, kept trying to stack the box against the run. Problem is, according to Lesmerises and tight end Jake Stoneburner, the Bucks are a more balanced team, just about as likely to pass as they are to run.
"I think it's because we've been a running team and I don't think teams believe that (quarterback) Terrelle (Pryor) can throw yet, which I don't understand why," OSU tight end Jake Stoneburner said. "They're baiting Terrelle to throw, and that's why we're beating teams, by throwing. So I think teams eventually have to take some guys out of the box. If not, we'll keep throwing it."