Can the Buckeyes avoid losing another early big-time non-conference game?
Three out of the last five years, Ohio State has dropped an early season game to a big name opponent. USC has toppled coach Jim Tressel’s crew the last two years. In 2005, Vince Young and Texas walked out of Ohio Stadium with a victory.
The reason for scheduling monster non-conference meetings early in the season is simple: Win and you’ve caught the eye of the voters. And even with a loss, a team that runs the table in the rest of the regular season still has a national title shot.
This year, OSU welcomes Miami (Fla.) to the ‘Shoe. It will be the teams’ first meeting since their titanic clash in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.
The Buckeyes appear to have the upper hand here. They have a veteran team with players that have experienced plenty of ups and downs throughout their career. Miami, although talented, often has had trouble putting everything together.
Is Terrelle Pryor really all grown up?
It’s probably fair to say that Pryor was a bit cocky when he first arrived on campus in 2008. He took his lumps in his freshman year and experienced a rocky sophomore season. His MVP performance in the 2010 Rose Bowl has many fans predicting big things for No.2.
Let’s not forget the major struggles the junior from Jeannette, Pa., went through last season. Fans remember the Purdue game, but both his confidence and fundamentals were inconsistent throughout the season.
He’s said and done all the right things since Jan. 1. Pryor appears to have emerged as a team leader, and despite not being one of the team’s six captains, it’s fair to say the team looks to him for direction now.
Is the offense ready to build on the Rose Bowl performance?
The development and expansion of the offense coincides with Pryor’s maturation. If he’s comfortable running the show, Tressel and offensive coordinator Jim Bollman will expand the playbook.
In addition to the progression of Pryor, the Scarlet and Gray offense has a few new toys to play with. In addition to wide receivers DeVier Posey and Dane Sanzenbacher and running backs Boom Herron and Brandon Saine, the offense will be installing new playmakers.
The hope is that junior Jake Stoneburner will give OSU a legitimate receiving threat at tight end. While the No. 3 wide receiver spot seems to be locked up by senior Taurian Washington, true freshman Corey “Philly” Brown has turned heads in practice and could push for playing time.
Can the young defensive line pressure the quarterback?
The starters along the defensive front appear to be set in stone: junior Nathan Williams, senior Dexter Larimore, sophomore John Simon and senior Cameron Heyward. Williams, battling a knee injury, will not play Thursday.
The issue at hand is whether this group and its batch of young backups (including true freshman Adam Bellamy) can effectively pressure the quarterback, thus keeping the linebackers in coverage.
From 2005 to 2007, OSU averaged nearly 42 sacks a year. The last two years, that average has dipped to 29. Defensive coordinator Jim Heacock has to find a way to get heat on opposing offenses.
Will the new faces on special teams help or hurt OSU?
OSU will have a kicker with the initials D.B. at all times. Right now, senior Devin Barclay appears to be handling short to middle range distances with freshman Drew Basil kicking the long range field goals in addition to handling kickoffs.
Sophomore punter Ben Buchanan has been solid but not spectacular in practice. So long as he puts hang time on his punts and pins opponents inside the 20-yard line, he should be fine.
Tressel said Monday that sophomore running backs Jordan Hall and Jamaal Berry handle kickoff returns. That gives OSU two guys with tremendous speed and change-of-direction ability returning kicks, in contrast to the sure-handed, less explosive players Tressel usually goes with on returns.
