Fiesta Bowl: Ohio St. vs. Texas

By JOHN SEARS - BIG TEN INSIDER

January 5, 2009 * 8:00 PM * FOX

In this year’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Ohio State (10-2) and Texas (11-1) will revisit their brief home-and-home rivalry from 2005-06, where the visiting team each contest. Despite their recent pairings potentially serving a backdrop for this showdown, we again face the BCS nightmare of controversy and potential mismatch. The Longhorns are suffering from some form of elimination by advanced calculus, which ruled them (and Texas Tech for that matter) out of contention for the Big 12 Championship game and potentially, the National Title game. Ohio State, likewise receiving an at-large bid to the Fiesta Bowl, was selected over undefeated Boise St. despite being completely overmatched in their last two BCS games and an early season match-up with 11-1 USC. The Buckeyes’ only other loss this year came at the hands of another BCS-qualified team, Penn State. In Columbus, the scarlet and gray stood toe-to-toe with the eventual Big Ten champions, but fell short on a late game interception. Will we be reflecting on this game as the mismatch of teams undeserving of the BCS equation? Or will we be pleasantly surprised?

When the Buckeyes Have the Ball

The one word that would describe Ohio State’s 2008 regular season would be: adjustment. Boring, perhaps…but appropriate. The keys to the offense at the beginning of the season were handed to sixth-year senior Todd Boeckmann, an efficient field general who took the Buckeyes to the National Title game last year. But he was ousted midstream against USC, when head coach Jim Tressel pulled the trigger on true freshman, dual threat quarterback, Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeyes never looked back. The offense, originally pro-style and founded on power running by Beanie Wells, was quickly converted to a shotgun spread, with the focus coming from the arm and rushing of their quarterback. As Pryor was adjusting to his role as starter, a running back-by-committee approach was utilized until Wells recovered from a foot injury. With Wells healthy again, the conundrum of how the offense would be structured arose – shotgun zone read (befitting Pryor) or pro-style I-formation (befitting Wells). How about both? The Buckeyes have lined up in everything from a double-tight end formation to a variation of the pistol, eventually holding the 28th-best rushing offense in the FBS (3rd in the Big Ten, 193 yards/game). What’s so dynamic is the Buckeyes’ ability to bruise defenses between the tackles with the 6‘ 1”, 237 pound Wells or have them chasing tread marks made by Pryor’s graceful speed. Despite Wells’ injury, Boeckmann’s benching and Pryor’s inexperience, Ohio State still managed to keep the offense churning enough to take a share of the Big Ten title.
An area of concern for the Buckeyes, however, is their diminished passing attack. It is not at all a reflection of their flashy receiving duo, Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie, that Pryor’s maturation as an efficient passer is an ongoing process. Ohio State has fallen to 105th in the FBS in passing with 148 yards/game, but this may be aided somewhat by the Longhorns’ inability to stop the pass.

Texas has surrendered 266 yards/game through the air (albeit generally against the pass-heavy Big 12 conference). Just as misleading could be Texas’ 2nd ranked rushing defense in the FBS (74 yards/game) although they were able to hold Big 12 Champion Oklahoma to just 1.8 yards/carry. Further, their top tacklers come from not only their linebackers (Roddrick Muckelroy first in team tackles with 96 total), but also the safety positions – Earl Thomas and Blake Gideon are the next top tacklers behind Muckelroy. While safety play is often associated with managing the pass defense, their utility and required expertise has grown substantially with the evolution of running quarterbacks – you can’t contain rushing quarterbacks off the edge with poor safety play. Thus, it may come in handy for Texas that their safeties already possess the ability to find the ball and bring the rusher down. With that being said, one could argue that senior defensive end Brian Orakpo may prove to be the playmaker needed to slow down Ohio State’s attack. He’s sacked quarterbacks 10.5 times and also leads his defense in tackles-for-loss with 15. In passing situations Pryor has shown a tendency to either hold on to the ball too long or scramble too much before taking off down field, causing numerous drive-killing sacks. If Orakpo has a big day, he may all but eliminate Ohio State’s passing ability single-handedly.

When the Longhorns Have the Ball

As everyone knows, Texas boasts an elite quarterback in junior Colt McCoy, and not surprisingly, he is the anchoring point of their offense. This Heisman Trophy finalist made his job look simplistic while accumulating statistics a sixteen-year-old would be proud of coming from his Xbox: 3,445 yards, 32 touchdowns and only seven interceptions while completing 78 percent of his passes for an astronomical rating of 179. Not enough? How about the fact that McCoy also leads his team in rushing with 576 yards (4.5 average) and 10 touchdowns? The task sounds simple enough–stop McCoy and you win. But the Longhorns receiving corps won’t make that an easy task for the Buckeyes. Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby have been found by McCoy almost equally this year and have combined for 157 receptions, 1,934 yards and 19 touchdowns. Both are less than six feet tall, but what they lack in size, they make up for by possessing great speed and hands. Shipley also just happens to double as a playmaker in the return game, posting touchdowns from a kickoff and punt return against Oklahoma and Texas Tech, respectively. Altogether McCoy and company finished 11th in the FBS with 300 yards/game passing, which will be directly in the crosshairs of the Buckeyes’ 7th ranked pass defense (164 yards/game).

This may be another case of statistical inflation as the Buckeyes saw only one passing offense in the Big Ten that was in the top 20 in passing offense (Illinois).
Less of a statistical anomaly would be their stoutness against the run, as they surrendered only 115 yards/game on the ground. The Ohio State defensive leadership comes from their all-everything middle linebacker James Laurinaitis, who led the team in tackles and sacks (four) and combined with outside linebacker Marcus Freeman for 197 tackles and 7.5 sacks. Yet, as they are stronger against the run, it is plausible to see Texas in the shotgun, passing for 80 percent of their plays. This will call for senior (and leader of the secondary) cornerback Malcolm Jenkins to step up against the strength of Texas’ passing game. Jenkins and fellow defensive back Kurt Coleman combined for seven interceptions and 14 pass-breakups. Their ability to lockdown on Cosby and Shipley could be the match-ups which dictate how well the Longhorns can move the ball.

Final Analysis

This match-up seems to favor Texas on paper – great leadership and ability from their quarterback and defense. Ohio State is suffering a minor identity crisis in its passing game and may have to rely on Beanie Wells for 200 yards rushing to stand a chance. However, recent reports are sprouting suggesting that Ohio State may come out in offensive sets where both Boeckmann and Pryor are on the field at the same time. I am reticent in believing a gimmick offense (which has been employed in high school offenses as the “A11” set) would be the answer for a team that has confidence to beat their opponents outright. But is that not exactly what happened a few years ago when David (Boise St.) took down Goliath (Oklahoma) in this very same Bowl game? And, what about the emotional preparation on the Texas sideline as they went from National Title contenders to Big 12 contenders, to hopes for an at-large BCS bid? That has to be deflating. And that’s why the nod has to go to…the Longhorns. Why? The one word that describes what Ohio State has been lacking when facing tough opponents in the big game the last two years? Adjustment.

CFI Prediction: Texas 37, Ohio State 27

Photo Credit: College Press Box, University of Texas Athletics, OSU Athletics

15 Finalists Vie for National Football Foundation's Draddy Trophy

Winner to be announced Tuesday, December 9 at approximately 8:40 p.m. ET

DALLAS, December 4, 2008 - As the 2008 college football season comes to a close, the 15 NFF Draddy Trophy Finalists will head to New York City next week, where each will claim an $18,000 scholarship, while the nation's top scholar-athlete from among the finalists will be announced as the 19th recipient of the coveted NFF Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth.

The Draddy Trophy is one of college football's most sought after and competitive awards, recognizing an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.

"The Draddy represents excellence in all aspects of one's life," said NFF President & CEO Steven J. Hatchell. "Past recipients have gone on to become lawyers, doctors and some of the best players in the NFL. Football truly does build leaders, and this year's 15 finalists are no exception."

The announcement will be made between 8:15 - 9 p.m. during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf=Astoria on Tuesday, December 9.

The class members combine to average a 3.71 GPA, and all have been named Academic All-Conference athletes. Twelve serve as team captains, while ten have been named to All-Conference teams and four have been chosen as All-America picks. Six have been named Academic All-Americas, including one Rhodes Scholar finalist. Seven finished the season as members of nationally ranked teams.

The centerpiece to the NFF's scholar-athlete program, which has awarded over $8.9 million to 708 top athletes, the Draddy Trophy honors former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands. The award, college football's most prestigious academic honor, comes with a 24-inch, 25-pound bronze trophy and increases the winner's scholarship by $7,000 to $25,000.

Launched in 1959, the NFF scholar-athlete program became the first initiative in history to credit a player for both academic and athletic accomplishments. The Draddy, first awarded in 1990, adds to the program's mystique. Past Draddy winners, including two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist, a Heisman winner and a 3.7 average GPA, are: Chris Howard (Air Force, 1990 - Leader in Higher Education); John B. Culpepper (Florida, 1991 - Attorney); Jim Hansen (Colorado, 1992 - MIT Professor); Thomas Burns (Virginia, 1993 - Ph.D. Nuclear Engineer); Robert Zatechka (Nebraska, 1994 - Physician); Bobby Hoying (Ohio State, 1995 - Real Estate Developer); Danny Wuerffel (Florida, 1996 - Nonprofit Director); Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997 - NFL Player); Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1998 - Television Broadcaster); Chad Pennington (Marshall, 1999 - NFL Player); Kyle Vanden Bosch (Nebraska, 2000 - NFL Player); Joaquin Gonzalez (Miami, 2001 - Entrepreneur); Brandon Roberts (Washington University- Mo., 2002 - Medical Student); Craig Krenzel (Ohio State, 2003 - Real Estate Investment Analyst); Michael Munoz (Tennessee, 2004 - Nonprofit director and political candidate); Rudy Niswanger (LSU, 2005 - NFL Player); Brian Leonard (Rutgers, 2006 - NFL Player); and Dallas Griffin (Texas, 2007 - MBA Candidate).

Listed in alphabetical order, the 2008 Draddy Finalists are:

Andrew Berry, CB - Harvard: Named First Team All-Ivy League corner for third year, amassing 43 tackles, three interceptions and six pass breakups in 2008... Led Crimson to 2008 Ivy League title... Named a John Harvard Scholar, ranking among Harvard's top five percent in grade point average... One of five finalists (among all college athletes) for the Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup... Director of the Cambridge Youth Enrichment Program.

Ryan Berry, QB - South Dakota State: Leads Missouri Valley Conference in total offense (3,009) and passing yards (3,106)... Set SDSU career marks for completions (477) and touchdowns (52)... Two- time Academic All-Great West Football Conference selection... Named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-District Team in 2008... Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has participated in reading programs at local elementary schools.

Chase Daniel, QB - Missouri: Led Missouri to back-to-back Big 12 North Division titles... Holds 27 school records and was a 2007 Heisman Trophy finalist... Named a 2008 finalist for the Manning Award, Wuerffel Trophy and the Unitas Golden Arm Award, completing 331 passes for 3,880 yards and 34 touchdowns this season... Two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection... Volunteered for hospital visits and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids Sake charity.

Brian Freeman, OT - Carnegie Mellon (Pa.): Named to All-University Athletics Association First Team for second straight year... Vital part of CMU offense that has led the UAA on the ground for the third straight season, amassing 223.3 yards per contest... Three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection... Member of the Chemical Engineering Association and the Student Athlete Advisory Council.

Casey Gerald, CB - Yale: Rhodes Scholar finalist and Gates Millennium Scholar... Named 2008 Honorable Mention All-Ivy League, recording 25 tackles, one interception, three pass breakups and four pass deflections this season... Recipient of the New England Football Writers Association's Jerry Nason Award for senior achievement... Co-founder and president of the Yale Black Men's Union, establishing a mentoring program for young men.

Graham Harrell, QB - Texas Tech: Nation's leading passer and the NCAA's active career leader in passing yards (15,429) and passing touchdowns (130)... Named a 2008 finalist for the Manning Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, Maxwell Award, Wuerffel Trophy and Unitas Golden Arm Award... Academic All- Big 12 selection, graduating in only three-and-a-half years... Participated in visits to local children's hospitals and nursing homes.

Quin Harris, LB - Louisiana Tech: Named a 2008 finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy... Registered a perfect 4.0 GPA five of his last six quarters of his undergraduate studies, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in kinesiology last May... Team captain and four-year starter, garnering Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-Louisiana Team recognition in 2006 and '07... Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the three-year vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Jeff Horinek, LB - Colorado State: Led CSU to its first bowl-eligible season in three years... Started 37 consecutive games for the Rams, one of the nation's longest streaks... Tallied 84 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks this season... Two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection... Three-time Academic All- Mountain West pick... Four-year participant in the Ram Jam Children's Community Event and has tallied numerous hours of service at Timberline Church.

Ryan Kees, DE - St. Cloud State (Minn.): Ranks fourth in SCSU history with 34.5 career tackles for loss and is tied for sixth with 15 career sacks... Two-time First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District pick... Named to 2008 NSIC North Division All-Conference First Team... Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) and volunteers for a youth football program on Saturday mornings.

Alex Mack, C - California: Graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in legal studies... Four-time Academic All-Pac-10 selection.... One of only three players to be named a unanimous 2007 First Team All-Pac-10 selection, earning the Morris Trophy as the conference's top offensive lineman... Named First Team All-America by The Sporting News in 2007 and a projected first-round NFL Draft pick... Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ryan McDonald, OL - Illinois: Named Second Team All-Big Ten selection in 2008, while tying the school record for career starts (48)... Two-time First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection... Honors graduate of Illinois' prestigious aerospace engineering program, which is ranked among the top five in the country... Four-year starter... Member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and organized a team for the 2008 MS Walk, raising$1,500 for the charity.

Greg Micheli, QB - Mount Union (Ohio): Named First Team All-Ohio Athletic Conference pick for second straight year... Led Mount Union to outright OAC title and No. 1 ranking in Division III... Named the 2008 ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-American of the Year... Division III's top-rated QB, throwing only two interceptions in 179 completions (215.77 passer rating)... Member of the Physics Society and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Darryl Richard, DT - Georgia Tech: Led Georgia Tech to No. 15 national ranking and upset of intrastate rival Georgia... 32 career tackles for loss ranks 12th in school history... Three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll selection... Three-year starter and team captain, registering 34 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and four sacks this season... President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board and selected to the university's Presidential Search Committee and the NCAA Certification Committee.

Brian Robiskie, WR - Ohio State: Led Buckeyes to a share of the 2008 Big Ten title... OSU's leading receiver for the second year, catching 37 passed for 419 yards and eight touchdowns... Two- time First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All- America selection... One of three male finalists for the 2008 Arthur Ashe Sports Scholar Award... Active in projects through the Student-Athlete Activities Board, and participates in hospital visits and speaks to local elementary and middle school students.

Louie Sakoda, K/P - Utah: Only second player in history to be named a finalist for both the Ray Guy and the Lou Groza awards... Led Utes to an undefeated 2008 regular season and No. 6 national ranking... Only dual punter/kicker in the country ranked in the top 10 nationally in both punting average (41.72 yards) and field goal percentage (91.0)... Three-time MWC Special Teams Player of the Year... 2008 First Team Academic All-America selection... Organizes recess activities for at-risk children.

Photo Credit: Mizzou Media Relations, OSU Athletics

TONIGHT! CFI Radio: THE TAILGATE Show

THE TAILGATE SHOW - FRIDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2008

5:00-7:00 PM EASTERN EVERY FRIDAY

Game of the Week - #20 South Carolina @ #5 Florida,
Key Conference Clashes & Potential Upsets

SPECIAL GUESTS: QB JOHN PARKER WILSON of #2 Alabama (Davey O'Brien Semifinalist), QB MARK SANCHEZ of #6 USC (Davey O'Brien Semifinalist), WR BRIAN ROBISKIE of #11 Ohio St. (Draddy Trophy Finalist), LB ERIC NORWOOD of #20 South Carolina - Playing #5 Florida on Saturday, S DEREK PEGUES of Mississippi St. - Playing #2 Alabama, DT GEORGE HYPOLITE of Colorado - Playing #9 Oklahoma St. & LYLE MOEVAO of #25 Oregon St.

Hosted by College Football Insiders Co-Founder Daniel Mogollon. 2 Hr.


***Click to Listen to THE TAILGATE Show***

Photo Credit: Collegiate Images

Senior Spotlight: Robiskie & Williams

WR BRIAN ROBISKIE, OSU

Robiskie led the Buckeyes in receiving as a junior and is a coach’s dream—both on and off the field—not surprising since his father Terry coaches wide receivers for the Atlanta Falcons. Robiskie has a solid frame, with good speed and an even better understanding of the game. He runs crisp routes, has above average hands, and is efficient. While Robiskie’s numbers are down from last season (55-935-11), part of the reason is the change at quarterback, not to mention the growing pains of a freshman signal caller. His vision allows him to find the openings in the seams of opposing defenses. Consistency defines Robiskie and what he brings to the field—call him Mr. Reliable. In addition to his accomplish-ments on the field, Robiskie is a 2008 Draddy Trophy Semifinalist.

2008: 26 Receptions, 242 Yards, Five Touchdowns
Career: 111 Receptions, 1,573 Yards, 21 Touchdowns

WR DERRICK WILLIAMS, PSU

The Maryland native came to Happy Valley as one of the Nittany Lions’ biggest recruits in school history, and that’s saying a lot. While he has not quite lived up to all the hype, Williams has had a solid college career to this point. The physical skills are there, particularly in the speed department—Williams is a legitimate burner capable of running by defenders. His biggest strength is the ability to make people miss, particularly in the open field so it’s no surprise that Williams is an electrifying return man, primarily as a punt returner. He is also a weapon in the running game, on reverses and end-arounds. More than anything else in his final campaign in Happy Valley, the senior wide out has had the knack for making the right play at the right time—call him Mr. Momentum.

2008: 25 Receptions, 282 Yards, One Touchdown
Career: 142 Receptions, 1,540 Yards, Six Touchdowns

Photo Credit: OSU Athletics