subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Fri, Jan 09 2009 
Breaking News:    January 08, 2009 02:56 pm

Published October 11, 2008 03:43 am - There are no off days in Big Ten football anymore.
Unlike the old days of the Big Two of Ohio State and Michigan, or even the rise of Wisconsin and Illinois and the infusion of Penn State in more recent times, the reduction in scholarships each school is allowed to 85 has made every school a force with which to be reckoned and not to be taken lightly. The vast improvement shown this year from programs that have traditionally struggled like Indiana, Minnesota and Northwestern gives even more credence to the notion that parity has finally arrived.


Bollman: Nothing easy in Big Ten
Coach says Buckeyes not overlooking Purdue

KARL PEARSON
Star Beacon

There are no off days in Big Ten football anymore.

Unlike the old days of the Big Two of Ohio State and Michigan, or even the rise of Wisconsin and Illinois and the infusion of Penn State in more recent times, the reduction in scholarships each school is allowed to 85 has made every school a force with which to be reckoned and not to be taken lightly. The vast improvement shown this year from programs that have traditionally struggled like Indiana, Minnesota and Northwestern gives even more credence to the notion that parity has finally arrived.

So 12th-ranked Ohio State (5-1, 2-0) is not in a position to relax following last week’s big road victory at Wisconsin or look ahead to next week’s game at Michigan State. The Buckeye coaching staff, at least, is wary of Purdue (2-3, 1-1) which comes into Ohio Stadium today (3:30 p.m., ESPN, WFUN, WFXJ).

“We’re facing another tough one,” OSU offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said. “There are no days off in the Big Ten anymore.”

Some of that concern stems from recent games between the Boilermakers and Buckeyes have been tight. Purdue even gave OSU its toughest regular-season test in 2002 on the Buckeyes’ drive to the national championship, which was only pulled out on Craig Krenzel’s miracle fourth-down touchdown bomb to Michael Jenkins.

In his role as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Bollman has had fits over the years with Purdue’s stack defense. It’s no less complicated this year, with the Boilermakers featuring six returning starters, led by preseason All-American candidate Anthony Heygood at linebacker.

Purdue has an experienced defensive line featuring senior defensive tackles Ryan Baker (280) and Alex Magee (295) and junior Keyon Brown. Junior David Pender returns at cornerback and junior veteran Brandon King is at free safety.

“They’re tough and experienced,” Bollman, a Harbor High School graduate, said. “They have a good defensive line and good linebackers. Their guys in the secondary are little young.

“This has been a tough game year in and year out since 2001 (when Jim Tressel’s staff arrived). All the games we’ve played with them have been big ones, including last year (a 23-7 win at West Lafayette, Ind.).”

So the Buckeyes have to look to create matchups that favor them.

“If you get a personnel mismatch, you have to take advantage of it,” Bollman said. “We need a good job of protection for our quarterback and we have to make good decisions.”

That applies in particular to freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor in his ongoing maturation process. At times against Wisconsin there were struggles, but in the long run, particularly on the game’s last drive, his uncommon gifts were in evidence.

“Terrelle just keeps trying to get better,” Bollman said. “I hope he’s making much better decisions. He made some great plays at the end of the game and a wonderful play on that last touchdown.

“I thought we showed some improvement last week against a very tough opponent. We had a couple of opportunities where if we had put the ball in for touchdowns instead of kicking field goals that I would have felt better.”

The performance of tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells was also big.



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.




monster
autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide

PREMIUM JOBS

Expanding Alarm Installation Department
American Alert has immediate openings for ENTRY LEVEL installers. Will be required to work in attics, crawl spaces and w...>MORE

Bar Maid / Waitress
Mature, experienced Bar Maid/ waitress,
Tue-Fri. 3p-9p 440-563-4529.
Call between noon & 1pm
...>MORE

WEATHERIZATION CREW MEMBER

General Carpentry Skills, Tools, High School diploma or G.E.D. Required. Tobacco and Drug Free Workplace.
Co
...>MORE

Registered Dietitian Part-Time
IBCLC or CLC preferred.
Send resume to Ashtabula County WIC Program,
3225 Lake Avenue,
Ashtabula, Ohio 4
...>MORE

CLERICAL
Collections $12-15/hr
Customer Service $10-15/hr
Office Asst $10-1
...>MORE

NURSING

We are growing!

 Nursing & STNA opportunities.

*STNAS (all shifts)
*LPN (all shifts)...>MORE

MDS RN
Geneva Village Retirement Community is currently seeking MDS RN for our 80-bed Skilled Nursing Facility. Qualified candi...>MORE

NURSING
RNs * LPNs * STNA * HHA
FT/PT/Contracts/Home Care
Weekly pay and Great Benefits
www.medstaffers.net
...>MORE

Bartender/Cook wanted.
Fill out an application at the Corner bar. Rt 45 & 307, Austinburg...>MORE

STATE TESTED NURSING ASSISTANTS
Inn-Conneaut Health and
Rehabilitation Center is now accepting applications for Full-Time STNA's on 2nd shift ...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM AUTOS

2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited
Leather, heated seats, moonroof, cruise, tilt, CD, loaded, 4x4. Asking $9,750. (440)993-0123...>MORE

See all ads

PREMIUM HOMES

HOUSE FOR SALE
Ash. 4BR/2ba, Remodeled,
New Siding & Windows, 440-228-7745
...>MORE

Ashtabula
1718 Norman Ave Ashtabula, new 3BR, 2BA ranch on slab, 2 car att gar. 7 year tax abatement. $138,600. Call (440)969-8330...>MORE

Home for Sale
Beautiful Condo 2BR/2Ba,
2 car garage, gas FP, built in 2008 complete with all new appliances. $129,900.
Call
...>MORE

Home for Sale in Geneva
3BRs/2ba Bilevel Geneva
Updated kitchen, deck, 2 car garage.
Buy this home for $625/mo. Zero down,
(44
...>MORE

See all ads



 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2008. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index