First Look '09: Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State is the early favorite to win the Big Ten. Again. The losses are severe on both sides of the ball, and the schedule is tougher than nails. But it's Ohio State, and there is always more elite talent waiting on the bench.

No team has dominated the conference more so than Ohio State this decade. The Buckeyes are led by an elite coach. And their closest challengers -- the Nittany Lions -- have their own issues going into 2009.

So, what do we really know about the 2009 Buckeyes? Let's find out, in today's First Look.

The Senator - Jim "The Sweatervest" Tressel has rolled up an 83-19 record in Columbus, including five Big Ten championships (co-champs in '02, '05 and '08), three BCS bowl wins, and the 2002 National Championship. His style of using defense and special teams to win games has gone a bit by the wayside, particularly since 2004, when QB Troy Smith took over the offense, leading the Buckeyes to a new era of wide-open offensive football.

As you would expect with any elite coach, Tressel's coordinators have had a lot to do with his success. OC Jim Bollman and DC Jim Heacock have been with Tressel from the beginning. Heacock, the 2007 Broyles Award winner, was actually a holdover from John Cooper. Since 2005, Heacock has worked with co-DC Luke Fickell, but Heacock still calls all the plays.

Hype, thy name is Pryor - Ohio State must reload yet again. After 2003, 2005 and 2006 the Buckeyes had to rebuild on both sides of the ball, but ended up just fine. This offseason's project could be the toughest yet, as the Buckeyes lose nearly every elite talent from last year's championship team. LBs James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, CB Malcolm Jenkins, RB Chris Wells, and WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline all depart.

You wouldn't know Ohio State lost all those guys, not by the chatter coming from Buckeye fans. QB/Superman Terrelle Pryor returns this season, making everything alright in the land of nuts. After all, he can throw the ball 350 yards on a rope, run the 40 in 2.3 seconds, and has proactively won three Heisman Trophies.

USC or bust - Ohio State has the talent to win the BCS National Championship. They did much more with much less during their actual title run in 2002, so anything is possible this season. But unless the Buckeyes win at home against USC, there will be nothing more than another trip to the Arizona desert.

Ohio State has a tune up game hosting Navy before the Trojans visit, followed by a recoup game against Toledo in Cleveland. The Big Ten season opens with Illinois coming to Columbus in a showdown that could set the stage for the rest of the conference race. The middle of the slate includes a trip to Indiana, hosting Wisconsin, away at Purdue, then hosting Minnesota for homecoming. The Buckeyes take on the last-third of the schedule by hosting New Mexico State, which should amount to a rest for the starters before the brutal trifecta of a trip to Happy Valley, home against Iowa, and then up to Ann Arbor.

From enemy territory: This week, Jeff from the Buckeye Battle Cry was kind enough to talk a bit about Ohio State.

What's one positive about this year's Buckeyes?

BBC: Three-quarters into the 2008 season, if you had told me that Beanie Wells would leave early for the NFL, I'd have been genuinely scared for our outlook at RB. In the past, we have always had one great RB and one more waiting in the wings. The years we don't have that scenario are often ugly. As a matter of fact, the only year we lost to Michigan in this millennium, our leading RBs were Lydell Ross and Craig Krenzel. Yeah, I know.

But late through last season, we didn't appear to have anybody waiting in the wings. Brandon Saine wasn't living up to potential and Boom Herron had one TD in six games and was injured for another three.

The more dedicated Buckeye fan will tell you that having a monster game against Michigan will be the pathway to great things at Ohio State the following year. Boom Herron must have known that as well. He ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns (in only 8 carries) as a backup to Beanie.

So, yes....a relatively new superstition is what has me excited about Herron.

What's one negative about this year's Buckeyes?

BBC: The linebacking crew is new. James Laurinaitis is gone. So is Marcus Freeman. Now we lose Tyler Moeller to a bad head injury, thanks to the stupidity of some drunken Florida fan, and things look slim in the middle of the defense.

Austin Spitler, Ross Homan, Brian Rolle, and Jermale Hines. Do any of you Penn State fans know who these guys are?

That's what has me worried.

Our LBs have always been a major strength for us, and all of the aforementioned names have had playing time in games. One or two will step up strong for us this year, but as of this moment, we don't know which ones will be the leaders.

Name something most casual fans might not know about this year's Buckeyes.

BBC: There is not a single player on this year's team....even the fifth-year and sixth-year seniors....who have ever lost a single game to any team from the entire state of Michigan. Yes, that includes both the Wolverines and the Spartans.

Also, nobody on this team has lost to any team that did not make a BCS bowl later that season.
2005, Texas and PSU made BCS bowls.
2006, Florida in the BCS NC game
2007, Illinois made a BCS bowl, LSU in the BCS NC game
2008, USC and PSU made BCS bowls, and Texas in the Fiesta

For more on Ohio State:

Ohio State 2009 Schedule
Complete Spring Game Coverage
First Look '08: Ohio State

More from First Look '09:
Northwestern Wildcats
Michigan Wolverines
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Eastern Illinois Panthers
Illinois Fighting Illini
Iowa Hawkeyes
Temple Owls
Syracuse Orange
Akron Zips