Big 10 Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes
August 5th, 2008 by Louis Papa
To be completely fair to the rest of the league, the conversation begins and ends with the Buckeyes. Despite the last two season ending debacles in BCS Championship games, you cannot argue with sustained success….at least on the field. Coach Jim Tressel appears to have recruited well (again), landing Terrelle Pryor (QB) the No. 1 rated high school player in the country. OSU will return 18 projected starters to the 2008-09 Buckeyes after losing only 3 players to the NFL draft.
From a fantasy perspective, is it fair to have studs and must have(s) at multiple positions? Look out Big 10. Under center, we begin with unheralded QB, Todd Boeckman, who in his first season took the Buckeyes back to the title game. He was dominant in a road win at Penn State last year and kept his team in it against a more talented LSU team. In 2007, Boeckman’s stat line read like a tech stock back in early 2000. He completed nearly 64% of his passes (191/299) throwing for 2,379 yards and 25 td’s versus only 14 interceptions. With nearly all of his offensive weapons returning from last year, I am putting a Buy-rating on Boeckman.
Next on your buying list, please add the words Heisman Trophy Candidate. Chris “Beanie” Wells is an absolute beast at the tailback position. Lock him up in the early rounds of your draft. Let’s begin with 274 carries, 1,609 yards and 15 Td’s. Not convinced? How about a 5.9 yard per carry average (YPC) in the Big 10? “Beanie” is the Exxon-Mobil of this offense’s gas tank. You may not enjoy paying $4 at the pump these days but when you are filling up with “Beanie” Wells, it’s off to your league championship and a possible 3rd title game for the Buckeyes. (Let’s hope they don’t begin resembling the Buffalo Bills)
With all of these yards and touchdowns comes a pair of Brian’s; as in Brian Hartline and Brian Robiske catching everything that comes near them. Either of these talented wide-outs could compliment your team as #2 (WR). Against lower rated non-conference opponents, they could be #1 receivers for the week. Robiske’s 2007 line reads: 55 receptions, 935 yards, 11 td’s, while Hartline hauled in 52 balls for 694 yards and 6 scores.
On Defense, Losing Vernon Gholston will not help the unit. However, WWE prodigy James Laurinatis and his buddies led the nation in fewest yards allowed (233) and in points allowed per game (12.7) last season. They return Laurinatis and Marcus Freeman at LB, Malcolm Jenkins (Thorpe Award semi-finalist) at CB, and Safeties Anderson Russell (63 tackles) and Kurt Coleman (64 tackles).
And just for kicks, no pun intended here, I will make an argument for Ryan Pretorious over Kevin Kelly (PSU) for your #1 K. I believe Ryan has a slightly stronger, more accurate leg than Kelly. The evidence is in the following stat line(s): 17/21 (fg/fga) while going an astounding 5/6 between 40-49 yards and 1/1 beyond 50. He also was 100% on extra points going 45/45.
Can you say BCS again???
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