OSU at MICHIGAN

[Raybob]

[b]
Go Bucks!!!
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Game Time
OSU at Michigan
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Where: Ann Arbor, MI
When: Nov. 19
Kickoff: 1:00 PM
TV: ABC
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COUMBUS -- Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt have their stunt doubles. Jim Tressel has his Earle Bruce.

When it came time this week to get the Buckeyes' attention and set the tone for Saturday's showdown at Michigan, Ohio State's low-key and vanilla-flavored football coach had two options: make a bonfire out of his stack of sweater vests or turn the team meeting room into a "Night at the Improv," starring the irrepressible Bruce.

Much to the players' delight -- and amusement -- Tressel chose the ol' ball coach with the funny stories, fire-and-brimstone spiel and winning record against Michigan on his yellowing resume.

"He brings in the Bruce ... Bruce is loose," middle linebacker Anthony Schlegel said, laughing. "It's great. He came in (Sunday) night, cracking Michigan-Ohio State jokes and talking about the keys to the game and what's at stake.

"Honestly, I think coach Tressel lets him do that so he can just focus on preparing us to win."

It's become as much a part of Michigan Week as the oft-uttered "throw out the records" platitude -- Tressel calling on his septuagenarian stand-in to provide pizazz.

Asked to guess Bruce's age, senior co-captain Rob Sims said, "I dunno ... maybe 35? He's so energetic, he's young (for) his age.

"He pretty much said what he always says -- hit 'em hard. That's pretty much the message, hit 'em as hard as you can. He's a great person, a great (ex) coach to have around this team. I thank God I've had the opportunity to be around someone like that who cares so much about this game and this university."

Tressel was an assistant for three years under Bruce, now a gameday analyst for a Columbus radio station. No one needs to tell them that OSU coaches are defined by their successes and failures against Michigan.

Bruce (5-4) and Tressel (3-1) have fared much better in that regard than the coach who bridged their eras. John Cooper (2-10-1) might have been the Coach of the '90s with two or three more wins over the Wolverines.

"Coach Bruce was an Ohio State graduate and a proud Ohio State coach, and working for him here there was no question that the 11th game was a season unto itself," Tressel said. "I don't know that I ever think about (my) record. You just think about the importance of representing Ohio State in this game. Coach Bruce reminds us often that your legacy is the Ohio State-Michigan game. That's our culture ... that's why it's exciting to play in it."

If there's a colorful side to Tressel's personality, it's a well-kept secret. Players were hard-pressed this week to come up with Tressel stories they'll be telling their grandchildren.

"I've never been accused of being wild and crazy," he admitted.

For the most part, he's all business, sharing a certain blandness with Michigan's Lloyd Carr. Jim vs. Lloyd doesn't capture the imagination of this rivalry quite like Woody vs. Bo, yet it's hard to argue with the results.

Tressel and Carr have each won a national championship, one less than legends Woody Hayes (3) and Bo Schembechler (0) combined -- more, if you include the four titles Tressel won at Division I-AA Youngstown State.

Tressel is 5-2 against top 10 teams; Carr is 15-5, including a 4-0 mark against Ohio State in Michigan Stadium. Tressel is 3-1 against Michigan; Carr is 6-4 against Ohio State. Tressel has won one Big Ten title; Carr has won five. Both could add to that total on Saturday.

*** Carr's idea of cutting up is singing during practice.
"When I sing, believe me, it keeps (the players) loose," he said. "I don't sing that loud. I just sing very well ... 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina,' that's my best." :rotflmao:

Tressel singing rap would be even more bizarre.

"He's pretty even-keeled, but this is why he coaches at Ohio State ... because he loves this game and to coach in this game," Sims said. "He's a little different in that he might emphasize this game more than all others, but he's pretty much the same guy. He keeps his composure through everything."

Originally published November 16, 2005
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[DUDE]

Toolman,
I'am just shocked that Michigan has a chance this year to be part of the big ten championship, cause of the start they had. Loosing to ND was stomachable, but loosing to Minnisota was a killer. Also the Wisconsin loss should have never happen. So for a Michigan fan this has been a very disappointing season, with all the expectations we had at the begining of the year. And you would have to admit for all the OSU fans that this was a disapionting year with all the hipe that they got from the so called experts. The Texas loss was a great game, but the PSU loss was not expected. This should be another classic game in the best rivalry in all sports. But I think that the defense for Michigan is going to step it up this year, unlike last year. Smith isnt going to run like a hiesman trophy winner like he did last year.. As for the MSU vs PSU game, MSU hasnt been the same ever since that last play of the first half of the OSU game. SO maybe they can pick up one more game of majic to help out there Michigan brothers....LOL GO BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Buckeye]

A guy walks into a bar and says, "Hey barkeep, did you ever hear the one about the Michigan Wolverines?"

Four huge men stand up and approach the man. One of them says, "We play football at Michigan, you wanna tell that joke to us?"

The guy replies, "What? And have to explain it four times?"



Special teams and defense wins this one for the Buckeyes.

No kick return yds. for Breaston because Huston puts all his kickoffs into the end zone seats Trepasso's hang time gets Hawk and the other studs on punt coverage downfield forcing fair catches. Josh is 4 for 4 on FGs.

Ginn and Holmes average 20+ on returns to keep the Buckeyes in great field position.

Hawk, Kudla, Carpenter, and Schloegl (anyone ever hear the story about Schloegl's wild pig hunts? Preferred weapon is a knife.) save their best for their last scUM game. Lots of bruises in store for Henne, Hart, and the rest of the boys up north.

OSU 27
scUM 13

[Toolman]

DUDE,

OSU's season is dissapointing with 2 losses but they were both close games with top-5 ranked teams. I'm not saying UM doesn't have a mathematical chance for the Big-Ten Title, but that it's highly unlikely. They gotta' beat the Buckeyes first ;-)

BTW-Scru Blue

You gotta' love the week before "The Game".

Tim

[Raybob]

heheh ~ [b]BTW-Scru Blue[/b] :banging: :rotflmao:

WTG TOOL !!! :)

[Toolman]

Gotta bump this back to the top. Where's all the regular UM homers predicting victory? Don't wait until UM pulls an upset and then come on "talking trash" afterwards ;-) Supertroller-you out there? :-)

Tim

[JLDII]

I haven't seen or heard from him since the Gophers hung the big "L" on them in their own house.

BTW, if Michigan can hang 576 yards on the OSU defense like the Gophers did, it could make for a long day, but not as long a day as it will be for Iowa!!

Go Gophers!!

[bob oh]

He's a wossie Toolman, he's lurking in the shadows for sure LOL

rod bender bob

[Toolman]

Jack,

I'll bet my left one that UM doesn't put up 576-probably won't get to 400. Thankfully yardage doesn't count on the scoreboard or Minnesota would have won that game with the Buckeyes. NW was supposed to have a great offense and they were one drive from hanging an egg on the board against the Bucks D.

Eat more Volverine-it's Adkins approved :-)

Tim

[Raybob]

[b]Can OSU take it to the Big House?[/b]

COLUMBUS -- Go ahead, roll your eyes and snicker whenever Ohio State coach Jim Tressel says with a straight face that the punt -- all together now -- "is the most important play in football."

Just don't expect Michigan coach Lloyd Carr to see the humor. Not this week. Not in Ann Arbor where talk about OSU's special teams is causing more belly aches than belly laughs.

"From a return standpoint, (Santonio) Holmes and (Ted) Ginn are explosive and have the ability to make a big play every time they touch the ball," Carr said. "They have a great punter and a great field goal and kickoff guy who has been incredible in terms of kicking the ball out of the end zone.

"The field position they have been able to create through their special teams is ... I don't think anybody has done a better job."

Last year, Ginn's 82-yard punt return in the third quarter broke open a close game and the Buckeyes went on to spoil Michigan's bid for an outright Big Ten championship with a 37-21 victory.

In Saturday's 102nd meeting between archrivals, Ohio State enters Michigan Stadium leading the Big Ten in kickoff returns, net punting, field goals, kick scoring, touchbacks and field goal percentage.

The winner will be the league's BCS representative should Penn State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) fall at Michigan State. If ninth-ranked Ohio State (8-2, 6-1) prevails, it is guaranteed a share of the conference championship.

"Coach Tressel always says great players make great plays against Michigan and that's a challenge to everyone that plays, whether you're tackling someone or kicking a ball," OSU placekicker Josh Huston said.

Huston has lived up to the lofty standards set by predecessor Mike Nugent, converting 18-of-21 field goal attempts. The sixth-year senior has shown an even stronger leg in booming 45 of his 64 kickoffs for touchbacks, including an incredible 18 in a row.

Counterpart Garrett Rivas has made only 3-of-10 field goals beyond 39 yards, but is right behind Huston on the Big Ten charts with 17 field goals and 35 touchbacks.

If they kick deep, they can't make it playable. Ginn had a 100-yard kickoff return against Minnesota after his 98-yarder at Indiana was negated by penalty. Michigan's Steve Breaston, who has surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards for the third straight year, had a 95-yard kickoff return against the Gophers.

Both players are even more dangerous as punt returners, but kick away from Ginn and the ball goes to Holmes. He scored on a punt return last year against Northwestern and has an even better return average this season (14.7 yards) than Breaston (12.9) or Ginn (12.2).

"I think when you look at the kicking game historically, it impacts in some way or another every game," Carr said. "Certainly when you have skilled people like Ohio State has, like we have, you have an opportunity to create great field position and great momentum shifts. Those coverage teams are up against it this week."

Only a sophomore, Ginn already shares the Big Ten career record with five punt return TDs, including one this year against Indiana. Breaston is Michigan's career punt return leader and second all-time in the Big Ten.

Michigan would love nothing more Saturday than to see Breaston duplicate the feats of the school's two most recent Heisman Trophy winners.

Desmond Howard struck a prophetic Heisman pose with his punt return TD in a 1991 win over the Buckeyes and Charles Woodson secured his own Heisman in 1997 with an equally deflating coast-to-coast return.

In turn, Ohio State wouldn't mind if Huston turned into Tom Klaban or linebacker A.J. Hawk became Jim Laughlin.

In 1974, Klaban kicked four field goals as the Buckeyes erased a 10-0 deficit for a 12-10 win over Michigan and trip to the Rose Bowl. In the 1979 showdown, Laughlin blocked a punt with less than five minutes to play and Todd Bell ran it in from the 18 to give the Buckeyes and first-year head coach Earle Bruce an 18-15 win and outright Big Ten title.

Hawk's "Laughlin moment" might have come last week when he scooped up a blocked punt by Quinn Pitcock and ran eight yards for his second collegiate TD in the 48-7 rout of Northwestern.

It was Ohio State's fourth special teams touchdown in the last five weeks.

Do the Buckeyes have another one or two in them?

"There's no doubt about it, both teams spend an extraordinary amount of time preparing in the special teams," Tressel said. "I find it's a one-play series. On offense, if you throw incomplete on first down, you've got two more tries. On special teams, you'd better do it right on that play. That's the fun of it, I guess."

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