Today is Veterans Day. If you know any, and happen to enjoy your freedom, be sure to thank one today for their service to our country.
Oh, and get well soon, Dontre Wilson.
WANT SOMETHING WEIRD TO THINK ABOUT? Think about Braxton Miller quarterbacking another football team. It could happen, too.
From Ben Axelrod of Bleacher Report:
The subject [of Miller's graduate transfer] has even caught the eye of NFL draft analysts, who have pondered what a potential move by Miller could mean for the 2016 draft.
"You hate to see a kid leave his school," said Bleacher Report NFL draft lead analyst Matt Miller. "But for his career, I think the best thing would be going to somewhere that’s going to run a little bit more of a pro-style offense and where he would get on the field right away."
No matter what angle you're looking from, the Buckeyes' signal-caller situation is very much up in the air. And how it plays out could ultimately affect the rest of the college football landscape. This isn't a story about what will happen—it's one about what could.
Tom Herman said yesterday he "absolutely" expects Miller back, but I was unsure of that proposition even before Saturday night's eruption by OSU's redshirt freshman quarterback. I don't see how J.T. Barrett is benched after a year like he's having. I love Braxton, and it sucks an injury cost him his senior season at Ohio State, but it's true.
And I agree with what others have said: strike the idea of Braxton playing another position for Ohio State. If he's going that route, he'll get paid to do so.
THE MINNESOTA TRAP. The win over Michigan State was the biggest win for the program in years, but this caught my eye:
Couple Buckeyes said coach normally gives them 24 hours to celebrate a win, but MSU victory was big enough that this week it was extended.
— Lori Schmidt (@LoriSchmidt) November 10, 2014
Granted, it was a big one, but this surprises me. I suppose it shows how much Urban Meyer and his staff wanted that one back over Michigan State.
Urban said last week during his call-in show he never has to "push the team out of the locker room." Whether it's a nooner at Maryland or a primetime game in East Lansing, the team has been ready to go. So, we'll see how true that mantra is this weekend in Minnesota.
The Gophers, while a team that inexplicably lost to Illinois, aren't slouchy. And they could give the Buckeyes all they can handle if Ohio State comes into the game still smelling the breeze from the Spartan shellacking. But Urban is a master motivator, after all and there's no reason to doubt his track record.
r/CFB PREVIEWS THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF POLL. The College Football Playoff Committee will release its third poll of the season tonight (11W will have you covered), but r/CFB gave a preview of it to Buckeye fans:
Tuesday. #Buckeyes #MSPaintMonday pic.twitter.com/ph6zzZEnmZ
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 10, 2014
While aggravating, it's true. And while there is plenty of chaos to be leveled, I don't see how any team without a defense (looking at you, Baylor, TCU and Arizona State) could be ranked against Ohio State. The Buckeyes will rain points on anybody at this point.
Still, I think if Ohio State handles its business the rest will take care of itself.
CONKLIN DRAWS RAVE REVIEWS. Not everyone for Michigan State played poorly against Ohio State. Yesterday, MSU coach Mark Dantonio praised sophomore tackle Jack Conklin, who drew the lion's share of work against OSU whirling dervish Joey Bosa.
From Scout's Mike Wilson:
”I think there were some great performances out there,’ coach Mark Dantonio said in his weekly teleconference Sunday night. “I thought Jeremy Langford played a great game. I thought we ran the ball effectively, I thought we protected the quarterback. (Connor) Cook threw for over 300 yards. …
”We had (Keith) Mumphery making plays and MacGarrett Kings making plays. … We did some good things offensively, but not enough well across the board from a total team standpoint and we had opportunities.”
[...]
Dantonio said it was a great game for left tackle Jack Conklin, whom he said played a high level.
”Very high level,” Dantonio said. “Played extremely well, think he can become a dominant offensive lineman.”
Although it's Kodi Kieler committing the violation in this picture, Bosa seems to disagree with Dantonio's high praise:
And while MSU definitely got away with some holds, I will give them props for containing Bosa as they did. He was clearly frustrated with his lack of production by the end of the night.
HOW IS UNC STILL A SCHOOL? And how isn't this scandal at UNC a bigger deal?
From Timothy Burke of Deadspin:
Former Tar Heels football player Tydreke Powell called into North Carolina radio station WJMH this morning and provided some interesting details about the academic misconduct that allegedly involved hundreds of UNC athletes.
Powell quoted former football coach Butch Davis as telling players, "If you all came here for an education, you should have gone to Harvard," while explaining that players were directed to take classes in the now-notorious AFAM department.
Powell says he took a paper class, and that "everybody knew" the nature of them. He also told the WJMH hosts that players were instructed to fail learning disability assessment tests so as to ensure players would be provided assistance during tests and for note-taking.
The only reason the NCAA hasn't cracked down on UNC is probably because situations like UNC are more systemic than we realize. The loss to Virginia Tech becomes more frustrating by the week, but Tatgate becomes more frustrating by the year.
THOSE WMDs. "It was right after Pearl Harbor. I was 17 years old, and lied about my age to enlist," a vet told Elgin students... Ohio had less murders in 2013 than Michigan... Macauley Culkin got hit with pints of beer during a kazoo performance in England... About that Jameis Winston/point shaving story... Rutgers QB Gary Nova on playing through injuries: "If it's not broken, I'm going to play."
