TP, entering spring ball like 39 lbs. stronger.The leaders of that group are gone and the debate over their legacy will last a few years, but most Buckeye fans are ready to quickly turn the page to a younger, perhaps speedier pack of Buckeyes. The buzz is growing, morphing recent basketball posts into heated discussions on football and all climaxing at the April 25th spring game.
There will be plenty of time to breakdown the current roster as we roll through spring and into fall, with the much anticipated Sept. 12th matchup with USC. So we thought it would be a good idea to take a different approach and focus on a few things that we probably won't see this April.
1. Tressel abandons the punt. Is there a better time now that AJ Trappasso is gone? It is well documented how much the Vest loves the punt, but why not go a little Madden '99 and just go for it every time. Most of their 4th downs should be 4 yards or less and with the dual threat of TP and speed in the backfield, it would be a perfect fit to liven up the predictable offense. Is there any doubt Pryor could pooch punt when necessary?
2. No RB's will be tapping on their helmets for a breather. For us at 11W, the RB position is open for the first time in 4 years. Yes, Boom Herron has the experience and presumed lead going into spring, but Brandon Saine is healthy and we have found out the freshmen backs are coming in ready to compete this fall.
We all had to get used to the Beanie tap last season as he fought injuries all year, but with this stable of backs, any tapping of the helmet for rest breaks could result in a slip down the pecking order. Herron and Saine will get the bulk of the carries this spring, but come fall the totes will become more precious and Tressel has proven he is not scared to play a newbie.
3. TP will line up in a tackle eligible super secret pass play. It was brought to our attention by Tim May on Sunday that Terrelle is continuing to work towards his bonafide freak status as an athlete, while trying to bring his passing fundamentals to that same level. Who knows exactly how much muscle he has gained since the season ended, but if he nears 250 he could at least equal some of Browning's efforts at RT last year.
The Bucks have struggled in short yardage situations recently and since JT already lined Pryor at WR, the next logical step is a tackle eligible. Laugh all you want, but this could be the reason the Vest wants practices closed to the public, no one can see the super secret USC killer.
4. Tight Ends will be featured in the offense. The TE position has been the least utilized aspect of Ohio State football since the arrival of Jim Tressel. With a movement towards the spread and only 3 tight ends on the roster, there is no reason to believe this is going to change. Nicol and Ballard combined for 13 catches last year, but seemed open at least 4 times a game. Finding the TE is part of TP's evolution, but something tells us that won't come until his pro days.
5. Tressel goes a Twittering. What would Woody have thought about Twitter? A man such as Tressel keeps it close to the Vest and shies from the limelight, so don't look for him to be giving Carrol-like updates or filming self produced videos encouraging others to join the flock. There is no guarantee JT would wax tweet-like poetry such as Zook, Brewster and RichRod, but imagine if Tressel started giving his media updates only through Twitter.
Feel free to discuss any other ideas of what we won't see this spring, otherwise I'm sure the comment section will take a life of its own throughout the day and especially after Tressel's kickoff press conference at noon.
