Buckeyes wrap up Trojans: A USC fan's sad admission

The much anticipated matchup between the Buckeyes and Trojans on Saturday will bring together some of the premier talent in the nation, and perhaps the two best coaches in the business. Over the last half decade no two teams have been more dominant at the collegiate level than the Buckeyes and Trojans. No offense SEC.

It suffices to say that these two teams start each year with national title aspirations, with good reason. Combined these two men have three national championship victories, and five national championship appearances. Much of the credit for all this national championship success lies with the two men who lead these programs: Jim Tressel and Pete Carroll.

Combined the two head coaches have a career 151-30 records at their current schools, the number of wins and losses almost divided perfectly between the two. Their styles are vastly different, but their results are remarkably the same. Both coaches start the 2008 season with big plans and high expectations. Without question, Saturday’s game has national championship implications, with the winner becoming the instant favorite for BCS victory.

Ohio State @ USC - Key Points:

1. Little Animal and His Road Warriors - First off, do not worry about the defense. Led by future first round pick James Laurinaitis the Ohio State defense is easily a top two defense in the nation, and after Saturday we will know if they are number one, or two. All the experts and pundits know this game will become smash mouth football with not much offensive fireworks. If Jim Tressel and defensive coordinator Jim Heacock do what they always do with all that defensive talent, they should at the minimum keep this game close. There should be no question that the defense that plays best Saturday will leave the Coliseum victorious, and the Buckeyes have the talent and coaching to be the better defense.
2. Jack About the Beanstalk? - Therefore, since I expect the Buckeye defense to be business as usual, I believe it will come to the offense to take certain steps to win this game. When talking about the Ohio State offense, the first player that comes to mind is Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells, the nation’s best running back. The name of the game Saturday will be Beanie Wells versus the world. With the announcement that Chris will be playing after sitting out the Ohio game, the Trojans will be taking all measures to stop the modern day Bus.
   But in order to give Chris Wells a chance to have a big day, the Buckeyes need to keep the Trojan safeties Josh Pinkard and Taylor Mays away from the line of scrimmage. Most fans already expect the world to shake when Rey Maualuga and Chris Wells inevitably collide, but if the Buckeyes can’t keep the Trojan safeties honest, then life for the OSU running game will get much harder.
3. Senior Moment - That means that Todd Boeckman and the OSU wide receivers must be effective in the passing game. Boeckman does not get much respect from the national media as a great quarterback, but 14-2 records don’t happen by accident. The young man is a fine quarterback and is not going to lose this game for the Buckeyes. All he needs to do is play within his limits, and the Trojans will be forced to keep their safeties in coverage. With more space to operate, Beanie Wells could have a big day.
   It is possible to run on the Trojans, as demonstrated by Rashad Mendenhall of Illinois, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the Rose Bowl last season Mendenhall ran for over 150 yards on just 17 carries, and Beanie Wells is a superior running back in comparison to Mendenhall, with a better offensive line. Jonathan Stewart also ran for over 100 yards against the Trojans in a victory last season over USC.
4. Pryor Commitment - The Trojans are also suspect to mobile quarterbacks, which the Buckeyes have in form of Terrell Pryor. Pryor was the consensus top recruit in the class of 2008, and this 6’6 235 dual threat quarterback could be a valuable weapon for the Buckeyes. Though lacking in experience, Pryor still has enough natural athleticism to be useful against USC.
   Last season the Trojans lost to Oregon, who used fleet footed Dennis Dixon to rush for over 75 yards on 17 carries. The Trojans also had a close game against Washington who used scrambling quarterback Jake Locker to rush for 50 yards and two touchdowns. When presented with a classic drop back quarterback the Trojans have great success, but when the opponent has the chance to scramble some, the Trojans become vulnerable.
   If the Buckeye coaching staff can get Terrell Pryor in space, he could be valuable in keeping drives alive and the ball moving. Gadget plays with both Pryor and Boeckman on the field could also be a trick up Coach Tressel’s sleeve. Any use of Terrell Pryor, even as a diversion, could prove useful in pulling Trojan middle linebacker Rey Maualuga out of position. One knock pro scouts have with Maualuga is his ability to read and recognize plays before the snap. Getting Pryor on the field will make Maualuga accountable for him at all times, which could open things up in the middle for Beanie Wells.

The OSU/USC Verdict:

In summary, here is how I think the Buckeyes could beat the Trojans on Saturday:

• Buckeye defense play with their A game
• Todd Boeckman manages the game, not trying to win the game
• Use Terrell Pryor to keep Rey Maualuga guessing
• Use all of the above to give Beanie Wells the best chance to have a big day
• Goes without saying, win the battle in the trenches; nothing gets started without winning the battles along the offensive and defensive lines

HOLD UP!

Now that I have done my best to explain how I think the Ohio State Buckeyes can win the game in Los Angeles, here is what is going to happen. Todd Boeckman will not complete a single pass, and therefore the Trojans will stick 11 men in the box. Chris Wells will get his 45 carries, and he will fumble 45 times. All 45 fumbles will be forced and recovered by Rey Maualuga. The Trojans will win 315-0.

JP Homonai is a student at Salisbury University and is a die-hard Trojan fan who has no doubt that Pete Carroll will lead USC to yet another big victory on Saturday Night. Fight On Trojans!

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