Ch, Ch, Ch, Changes...

That's what the 2008 Ohio State Buckeyes Football Program is in for (or in one humble fan's opinion SHOULD be in for). Before I discuss what changes I want to happen and what changes I'm reading/hearing ARE happening, lets talk about why OSU fans shouldn't be jumping off bridges just yet.

1. USC is DAMN good. Not great, but an incredibly smart, well coached and composed football team who just isn't going to make mistakes or beat themselves. They have the best QB they've had there since Mr. OSU hater himself Carson Palmer, the most dynamic RB they've had since the Heisman tarnisher, an absolute stable of skill position players, big time defensive playmakers, and their line play is just solid at every spot. Could they have a slip up as past USC teams have been plagued by? Sure, but I don't see it happening. They have a pretty easy rest of the way, seeing as they play in the FOURTH best conference in CFB(one team does not make a conference, so the Big Ten is still 3rd by default).

2. Our best player, a sure fire all-american, and heisman front runner was out. Would we have won with him? Nope. Would we have lost by 32? Nope. Beanie takes the pressure of our happy feet QB, which is exactly why he looked like an all-conference QB for the first 8 games last year. TB reminds me of Ken Dorsey, everyone remember the pressure OSU put on him once Willis McgahKNEE got KO'd? Add to that the ability to actually run the ball in the red zone, and this game would have been dramatically different.

3. Just read the "Letter to Ohio State Fans" at the bottom of this link: http://cfn.scout.com/2/557922.html
This put a little charge in my step today, leading to me finally coming out of my Obama...er Osama like hiding to show my Scarlet (Letter?) and Grey pride. We are still a ridiculously talented football team, we have won 3 straight conference titles, we are STILL the best team in the Big Ten, and we can still go back to play in our 6th BCS game in the last 7 years. That's a pretty impressive, consistent run of stellar football.

4. Lastly, and this leads perfectly into the needed changes, we graduate a TON of seniors next year. Wait, how is this positive you say? Well, these seniors, many of whom have played vital roles in the last 3 "National Stage" nightmares, have psyche's as fragile as Brittany pre-VMA comeback or Lindsey Lohan pre-4th rehab stint. They EXPECT to lose in big games, and when the adrenaline wears off, all it takes is one stupid penalty (not one, but TWO holding calls negating huge plays Saturday), one botched play (Robo's drop in the LSU game ring a bell), or one fluke injury (Teddy Ginn) for these guys to completely unravel. It's time for a changing of the guard. The 2008 and 2009 classes will define OSU football for the next 10 years, lets hope they're up to they're up to the challenge. So what changes need to happen now to ensure these young Buckeyes are in the best position to continue the golden era of OSU football:

Get Pryor Ramped up for Madtown: He's getting 65% of the reps in practice this week, lets hope he gets at least 50% of the snaps Saturday, push him up to 80% next week, and be confident in the fact that when those crazy hippies start jumping around at the end of the 3rd Qtr (to support their marginal football program), TP will be ready to show everyone who's still king in the Big Ten.

If Beanie's not full go, it's Boom and Zoom Time: I want Beanie ready to go, and at some point this year I suspect he will be, but at what point is that? If you know he won't be ready for Madison, it's time to look towards the future. He's leaving after this year regardless, so it's time to get the Boom and Zoom show on track for next year. Unless Saine is injured worse than is being let on, he and Herron need to be getting ALL meaningul carries over the next 2 weeks.

No more seniority points: Sorry Todd, thanks for all you've done, here's hoping you get a NFL FA contract. Alex, if you want to keep getting beat off the line in huge games, then it's time to let the Block O get their feet wet. Steve, you're too fat to even move from your guard position, we'll draw from a hat to see which Block O memeber replaces you. Ross, you're just not a strong enough athlete to play LB for us, and we've go this freak of a freshman on the sidelines (from Florida, not Coldwater) who could be one of our best ever, good luck finishing your career at Mt. Union. Brians, we'll call you when we need a slot receiver to pick us up 4 yards.

New Coaching Blood: If Tress wants to keep calling the offense, then so be it. He adapted when we had Troy, he'll adapt again with TP. However, our "Offensive Coordinator" who is really a glorified o-line coach has to go. I'm not a technique guy, so I'm receiving this info from other sources, but I've read/heard that people are disgusted by the technique they see from our o-line. That's a coaching issue, and that signifies it's time for a change. Don't think I forgot about the defense. Remember when we were the "Silver Bullets"? Those nasty black shields on their facemasks, intimidators all over the field, no one every bringing up our lack of speed our toughness. Get back to that, we're not a finese team, we don't play zone, we blitz, we make the other team beat us. Time to get back to the intimidating days of Mike Doss, Big Kat, AJ, and Rob Reynolds choking Wisconsin's QB in the middle of a pile.

Follow the lead of the porn industry, at some point you have to put your stars from the golden era on the sideline (Jenna, Jill Kelly, etc) to make room for the new talent and maintain your stranglehold on society (aka the Big Ten and CFB).

Buckeye of the Week: TP, carpe diem young man, here's a Jameson to you.

Coming Friday: Thoughts on Sons of Anarchy (falls best new show), America's fascination with Hurricane's ("We got Ike'd!" t-shirst available soon across the country), the affects on the 25yr old male psyche by having a random female suddenly become your roommate, and a look ahead to a really solid weekend of God's Game.