The Buckeyes will be looking to turn up the heat on the Hurricanes OL Saturday afternoon, writes Ken Gordon of the Dispatch. QB Jacory Harris was sacked 35 times last season, in an ACC that possesses scant few solid DLs after UNC's now-depleted unit. The Canes OL is largely a hodge-podge of average-to-good guys who have been moved around a bit in the hopes of finding some measure of consistency; in other words, they're a lot like our line a year ago. I, personally, am looking forward to Tyler Moeller running circles around the Cane tackles and tight ends in his newfound role as designated QB terror in the Ohio State defense.
Dr. Saturday has a quick run-down of various aspects of tomorrow's game, including this fun little tidbit:
• Meanwhile, back in reality. Miami's two encounters with top-10 defenses on the road last year ended in a 31-7, 209-yard shellacking at Virginia Tech in the rain and a 33-24, four-interception flop at North Carolina – with the 'Canes entering as slight favorites in both games.
Also of note: the Canes are just 2-9 against ranked foes under Randy Shannon, their sole wins both coming at home, against Virginia Tech in '08 and and Georgia Tech in '09. The Canes haven't beaten a ranked foe on the road since Troy Smith's junior year. None of this rules out a Canes victory of course, but it seems clear that the Canes will be playing against not just the Buckeyes, but their own recent history when the game kicks off tomorrow.
Tressel says LeBron is welcome on the Ohio State sideline this week, though I find it rather unlikely LBJ will show up. If he does, I imagine a reception similar to the one Brett Favre received upon his return to Lambeau field. Well, perhaps not that vociferous (that will likely be saved for his return to the Q, if anyone shows up). Most of you indicated in the poll that LeBron + sideline = good for recruiting, and I'm inclined to agree, though I have to wonder how often he'll show up to games that don't involve his new adopted hometown team, and whether he'll continue showing up at all.
Tress also gave his first extended comments on Dionte Allen, the DB transfer from Florida State, yesterday:
"We tried to recruit him out of high school and we had a relationship and he has two teammates here,” Tressel said of Allen, who started one game for the Seminoles last season.A highly-touted cornerback, Allen opted to sign with Florida State but dealt with injury issues and never really fit the system. The Seminoles are loaded at corner heading into 2010—including true freshman Lamarcus Joyner, who Buckeye fans should remember—and Allen decided it was time for a change.“He would pop up here occasionally. When he decided that he wanted to get back closer to home, that was the No. 1 factor,” Tressel said.
Allen is a redshirt junior, and will be forced to sit out a year due to NCAA regulations. He'll have one year of eligibility remaining, and will probably fill some sort of role in the Ohio State D after the graduations of Devon Torrence and Chimdi Chekwa.
