Friday, 08 August 2008

• 2008 Ohio State Offense

  It's hard to believe that the first game of the 2008 college football season is less than 3 weeks away! With that in mind, I present you with my offensive preview of the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes!
  
  Offensive Depth Chart (returning starters are italicized)
  

  • Quarterback
  1. Todd Boeckman (Sr)
  2. Joe Bauserman (Fr)
  3. Terelle Pryor (Fr)

  • Tailback
  1. Chris 'Beanie' Wells (Jr)
  2. Brandon Saine (So)
  3. Maurice Wells (Sr)

  • Fullback
  1. Curtis Terry (Sr)
  2. Ryan Lukens (Sr)

  • Wide Recievers
  1. Brian Robiskie (Sr)
  2. Brian Hartline (Jr)
  3. Ray Small (Jr)
  4. Taurian Washington (So)
  5. Dane Sanzenbacher (So)

  • Tight Ends
  1. Rory Nichol (Sr)
  2. Jake Ballard (Jr)
  3. Brandon Smith (Sr)

  • Left Tackle
  1. Alex Boone (Sr)
     
  2. Andy Miller (So)

  • Right Tackle
  1. Bryant Browning (So)
  2. JB Shugarts (Fr)

  • Left Guard
  1. Steve Rehring (Sr)
  2. Kyle Mitchum (Sr)

  • Right Guard
  1. Ben Person (Sr)
  2. Connor Smith (So)

  • Center
  1. Jim Cordle (Jr)
  2. Andrew Moses (Jr)
     

  This offense is very talented and experienced. The Buckeyes lost just 2 offensive starters (and only 3 offensive non-starters!) from a year ago (starting RT Kirk Barton and starting FB Dionte Johnson). Opponents can expect a steady diet of Beanie Wells this season. I don't know if he will break Eddie George's single season rushing record (1900+ yards), but he should come close, especially now that he's 100% healthy and because the NCAA has added an extra game to everyone's schedule. He'll also have one of the best offensive lines in the country blocking for him, which I think is the key to this team making another title run.
  
  I expect Todd Boeckman to be a lot more mature when passing the football this season. Boeckman's biggest shortcoming last year was his inability to read deep coverage (2007 Illinois-OSU game!). If Boeckman can make better decisions down the field, he has the receivers that can and will make plays. The Buckeyes didn't lose a single tight end or receiver from a year ago, so as long as Boeckman can play that Krenzel-type role, the Buckeye offense will be tough to stop.
  
  Former linebacker Curtis Terry has bulked up and was moved to fullback during the offseason. He now finds himself atop the depth chart, and has really turned some heads this spring/summer.
  
  The depth at running back is very impressive, now that Brandon Saine's health is close to 100%. He and Maurice Wells will serve as Beanie's backup, and both will have the opportunity to catch some passes out of the backfield, particularly in 3rd down (and long) situations.
  
  What about Terrelle Pryor, you ask? While he is listed at #3 on the depth chart at quarterback, there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding how he will be used this season. There has even been some talk of him being red-shirted. I expect that he will see some playing time, but not as much as a lot of fans are hoping for. Because he will likely be the starter next season (barring injury), he needs to get a little bit of playing time, which he should get.
  
  While this offense may not be as good as the 2006 offense (thanks to Troy Smith), the 2008 offense is a close second. Stay tuned for my 2008 defensive preview of the Buckeyes!
  

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