That first Wednesday after New Year's—damn, 2017 snuck up on me like a fiend in the wind.
It's the Fourth, which means most of y'all's New Year's Resolutions are already on life support. No shame in that. There's always 2018.
ICYMI: When you pray to the #content gods, they always answer.
- "Touchdown" Tim Beck bid adieu and went to Texas.
- Urban Meyer hired Ryan Day to be his new quarterbacks coach.
- Gareon Conley declared for the draft.
- 2017 depth chart projection.
THE OC WATCH. Urban Meyer suffered the first shutout of his career on Saturday night. It's Wednesday, and former San Francisco 49ers quarterbacks coach Ryan Day works for Ohio State.
Bruce Feldman of FOX Sports reported Tuesday night former Indiana coach Kevin Wilson "is expected" to become the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State. It's been a long time coming, if true.
From dispatch.com:
Meanwhile, sources in and around the OSU program said Meyer has been interested in bringing Kevin Wilson on as offensive coordinator ever since Wilson’s unceremonious departure as Indiana head coach on Dec. 1.
[...]
But his ability as a play schemer, which came to national light during his nine years as offensive coordinator at Oklahoma through 2010, always has intrigued Meyer. In 2008 Wilson won the Frank Broyles Award, which goes annually to the nation’s top assistant coach (Herman won it in 2014).
How Meyer will make room for Wilson on the nine-man OSU staff isn’t clear, since an existing offensive coach – likely either coordinator Ed Warinner, line coach Greg Studrawa or receivers coach Zach Smith – would have to go.
Meyer could tap Wilson as a quality control coach before promoting him to OC in April when the NCAA will likely add a 10th assistant coach. This could also be a troubling omen for Ed Warinner.
Here's former Indiana star (and Cleveland Glenville alumnus) Shane Wynn predicting big things for the Buckeyes if this move becomes official:
If Kevin Wilson becomes offensive coordinator at Ohio state. They will be 2017 National Champions.
— Shane Wynn (@SHANEWYNN4) January 3, 2017
I always knew I liked Wynn.
As for what Wilson would bring...
The key piece Wilson brings that Meyer needs is that he has successfully operated a spread-to-run O w/o a running QB.
— Ross Fulton (@RossRFulton) January 3, 2017
Meyer wants to run the power spread with NFL passing concepts, which is a glorious string of buzzwords that will pacify 99% of fans until at least the first three and out in 2017.
And between Wilson's and Meyer's wroth, Vegas won't be able to set the spread high enough against Indiana.
MAKES YOU THINK. Poll Ohio State fans about Tom Herman, he'll have dictator approval ratings. Poll those same fans about Tim Beck, he'd rate below Congress.
But opinions collided when Beck left Columbus... for Austin, Texas.
Does this mean Beck is good, actually? There's no denying he was a beast on the trail.
His biggest 'croots, via cleveland.com:
- Four-star QB Dwayne Haskins
- Four-star QB Tate Martell
- Five-star LB Baron Browning
- Five-star QB Emory Jones
Those are four possible franchise players.
But at the end of the day, the Urban Meyer–Ohio State #brand sells itself, and there was no arguing with his on-the-field product going back to Nebraska.
I will track Beck's performances at Texas. I remember Cornhuskers fans laughing at us, but still trusting Meyer. That's probably how Horns fans rationalize it, too.
BARRETT TO THE LEAGUE? Poor J.T. Barrett. He went from "greatest quarterback in Ohio State history" to "certified bum" in four quarters.
When 11W tweeted a story about Barrett saying it'd be "tough to walk away" after the Fiesta Bowl hiding, more than one person dickishly asked, "Walk where? To start his career?"
But if Barrett wants to go pro, it may never get better than right now.
From si.com:
Andy Schwarz, an economist and partner at the economic consulting firm OSKR, disagrees. He said in an e-mail interview that short of Barrett having a monster year or “perhaps having Tim Tebow-like charisma,” one more year in college won’t help him much more monetarily. “Anytime both parties to a transaction would be better off, but that transaction doesn’t happen (here because of NCAA rules), the world is a worse place, economically speaking,” he said, referring to Barrett’s inability to receive money to play in Columbus next year. “So yes, if he could capitalize [next year], one could argue he should stay. But since he cannot, it’s easy. Go!”
Barrett’s name isn’t hot in NFL circles right now, especially with his completion percentage dipping for the second straight year. He finished this season at 61.5%, down from 64.7% in 2014. One NFL scout who has studied Barrett closely said the quarterback would likely go undrafted right now. He said Barrett appears to have had a crisis of confidence, especially the past two months, and thinks Barrett has “regressed as a thrower.”
The NFL's secret is there are like five good quarterbacks. Even if Barrett went undrafted, he'd still at least get a shot from a team gambling on his leadership intangibles and thinking it could fix his footwork.
But that article didn't mention another option: A graduate transfer to Texas to reunite with his last two position coaches and play a final season at his dream school.
It'd clear the way for Wilson installing Dwayne Haskins as the next Buckeye gunslinger.
DORMS. I could live in this dorm next year and it would still be the most talented dorm in America:
Shaun Wade's future roommates at #OhioState Tate Martell, Baron Browning and 'one person I can't say yet'
— Marc Givler (@MarcGivlerBG) January 3, 2017
A Floridian, a Californian, and two Texans walk into a dorm...
THOSE WMDs. Every tedious conversation you'll have at work today... The Friend: Love is not a big enough word... The medal detective... Prince of the Forty Thieves... Bled dry: How a hospital died under the care of a Texas doctor... FIFA: The video game that changed football.
