Boy the Big-10 sucks. Mich, MSU, Purdue, Iowa, Ill, Wisc, they all blow. Mich would have 2 loses if not for an incompetent Washington team having 12 guys on the field in the last seconds. Ohio State is OK, but once they play a decent physical defense they will get manhandled because their QB sucks. They have Aggie syndrome. PSU might be the best of the bunch, but it will take more than pummeling that Nebraska team at home to prove it. Couple upset specials though, MSU over ND (Irish luck runs out, MSU was catch looking ahead last week, they aren't that bad) and Arizona over Wisc (or at least cover the spread) next week. I heard the comment about Redding. However, even as a UT fan I am not about to say he is better than Peppers. Peppers might be the best DE in football, period. The dude looks like a stronger, more physical version of Kearse. I think we are talking Bruce Smith-Reggie White caliber, in short more dominant and disruptive than any other DE to play in the last 20 years. Of course it is only two pro games in, but I have always thought he was the best stud DE prospect to come along in a while. My prediction is by the end of the year him and Strahan will be considered the best DEs in the game.
Umm.. Ok where to start. Texas Tech was suppose to be decent, go back and read that thread from a couple weeks ago. A few in hear picked TT to win that game. That was a Texas sized A$$ whipping handed to them. Kent State.. Ok they are not good but we jumped on them 38-0 before the game even started. Now Washington State who was a top 10 team. You must not have watched the game but why do you need to pass the ball when your TB averages 7.3 yards per carry. Granted in the Cooper era we found a way to lose, much like Texas has in the past. Lot of talent just no heart. Under Coach Tressell it is different. These guys put people away and don't let them back into games. Now Craig Krenzel may not have the bloodline of Chris Simms but he is not going to lose us any games either. OSU will live and die by the run but we do have the best WR tandem in the Big Ten when we need to throw. So crow on all you want about the Big 10 being weak. Texas Tech came into the Shoe saying we would be a medicore Big 12 team and they left with Cowboy boots trounced on, their jean shorts covered in mud, and their Cowboy hats knocked off their heads and one less Heisman dream for their University. Same deal with Washington State (Pac 10). So say the Big 10 is not deep is one thing but to discredit OSU in 2002-3 either means you haven't watched them or you just don't want to believe a True Freshman can walk all over a Big 12 school and a top 10, Pac 10 school. Bring on Penn State and Michigan. They both have physical defenses. We'll see who can't get the job done. War Buckeyes!
haha, maybe, maybe not, I really can't say anything Everyone else: you base all this on 3 games! Their talent is comparable to OU's talent in 2000.....I seriously doubt any other coach would have led OU to the championship that year.
I never picked TT to do anything, those were a bunch fools talking them up. To do some Texas' sized whopen you should play a Texas-sized team. I'd love to have the Chestnuts (like Buckeyes but at least they are edible) play the Horns for the NT but I don't think the former can join the party--though they have a chance because no one else in the midwest is that good either. Yes I saw the OSU-WSU game. WSU and Gessner looked terribly overrated and the team looked physically weak in both lines (much like most all softie defenseless Pac 10 teams), though they still managed to outplay OSU in the first half though they were only ahead by 1 because their coach did some dumb things and the refs got a few calls wrong. OSU has a good running game and the Clarett looked good, no doubt. Again though, against good elite defenses however you have to be balanced however, and do not think Chris Kringle can perform against any kind of stout pressuring defense. As far as best WRs in the Big 10, maybe, but MSU has an argument too. Are the Chestnuts pretty good, yes. Could they stand toe-to-toe with the powers from the SE and South-- Miami, Texas, Tennessee, FSU and maybe even OU--I seriously, seriously, doubt it.
Oh, on coaching I would take Bowden or Stoops to build a team. I'll give you another guy I am very impressed with, Mike Belloti (sp?). I don't like him or the Ducks, but man he gets his team prepared and playing to their capability. Wllingham is good but I'd take any of these three first. I'd take these guys over Coker too. Somewhat overrated coaches include Rick (sp?) Neuhisle (poor prep) and Mack Brown (poor game tactician and putting loyalty ahead of competence in the people around him). Of course both guys could and would be able to sell an Edsel to their grammas, and that is the #1 factor (convincing great talents to come play for you) in being a good college coach.
Well we play Texas in 2004-5 I believe which should be fun since this years recruiting classes were ranked 1-2 Nationally. I will have no problem lining up any of those guys. Miami has more talent than anyone. But their schedule tells me they have 3 wars to deal with. If they win all 3 then they are that good. Texas- Well you guys have done the same things as OSU in the past. Have alot of talent then lose a big game (or two). The Big 12 is tough so if they can go undefeated they deserve a shot at Miami or whoever is left standing. Tennesssee- THey will have their hands full this weekend. THey will have at least one (probably) 2 losses to Florida schools. FSU- I'll be honest that I don't think they are a very good FSU team. They are still good team (just not to past FSU teams), but I don't see them as standing out. OU- Bring them on! I love Stoopes as a Coach, I was hoping the Bucks would steal him, but fortunatly for both schools Stoopes stayed and we got Tressell. So again I think Miami is the class of the Nation. Everyone else is muddled. I agree if anyone goes undefeated in the Big 12 (OU or Texas) they deserve the Fiesta invite. Also Tennessee or FSU may get the nod over OSU just because of reputations (and how well they have performed last 3-5 years) if 2 of them are undefeated. Fortunatly all these teams play each other so as long as OSU takes care of business we'll get our shot at someone at the end of the year. Heck if we have to settle for the Rose Bowl that's fine, because all the Bucks are coming back next year (except our safeties!)
Maurice Clarett looks like the real deal to me. It looks like his stiff-arm is deadly. Reminds me alot of our own Cedric Benson. What's scary is that Clarett is only a freshman. He's going to dominate the Big 10 for years.
I'm basing this on more than 3 games. Willingham's teams at Stanford were always very, very good teams despite the stiff academic standards and average to slightly above average talent. If you're talking about Notre Dame, their talent is not comparable to OU's in 2000. The defense might be, but while I love Carlyle Holiday, he's no Josh Heupel. And the Notre Dame receivers, while solid, aren't the threats that Savage, Fagan, and Woolfolk were. I think Stoops is a great coach, and definitely one of the top 5... but right now, I'd take Willingham.
