Week 7: OSU @ ILLINOIS

[VegasEagle]

That's my biggest gripe, I expected Fick to keep his fire and energy, so far he hasn't at all.

Yeah I agree I think thats one of the reasons Im not a fan of him I like a coach the will rip a player from time to time. Living out here in Vegas I dont hear to much about OSU on the espn station out here its all UNLV crap. The only thing I have heard them say about Fickell is after the Akron game Akrons coach had some words with Fickell about running up the score lol maybe that came into play in Nebraska??????

[trojandave]

I don't mind if Luke Fickell is the coach next year, providing that he lets the administration know that he wants to run the program and not them.........the higher ups at OSU should let Fickell name his coaching staff, and not be afraid to let some coaches go if need be.

If Fickell is going to be a puppet, I don't want him as the Buckeyes' coach.........I want him to shape the program to his personality and ability.........and I really believe that if the adminstration lets him be the football coach, he will be better in year two and beyond.

It's just too early for me to bury Fickell, because he inherited a mess........yes, there is talent on the roster, even without the suspended players, but realistically some losses had to be expected given the turnover of personnel including the coaching staff. Wins are always harder to come by when you start a brand new QB fresh out of high school.

I have to believe that Fickell is a better coach than what he is showing right now........with experience comes wisdom and we will see it if he is back next year.

He was a fine player for OSU, knows the tradition of the program, knows the expectations of the fans, knows what Ohio State football means to our state, knows how important the Michigan game is, and knows that national championships are what Ohio State plays for.

There are a lot of pluses with Coach Fickell.......probably more pros than cons.

[Chieftain]

Look for the Bucks to beat the Illini

[seofan_via_dublin]

Look for them to beat Illinois by 10 or more!

Oh and, Domonic Clark is suspended for the game. The #3 CB was in a campus fight Sunday, and will miss Saturday.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Correction on the "fight", it originally read "altercation ".

It was not a fight, Clark shot a BB gun into the air outside a campus area diner, at around 9pm Sunday.

[seofan_via_dublin]

Since the end of last season, 17% of OSU's 85 scholarship plays have been suspended!

[farmer]

WOW a BB gun may get him in big trouble. These idiots think it is not real but why have it? Others who carry guns would not want to take the time to figure out if it is real or not. He was lucky someone did not drop him with a real gun. 17% of scholarship players being suspended and they are still not learning. Or they think it will not happen to me.

[farmer]

After all the games so far it is very hard to grade Luke as a coach when you do not know for sure what he is allowed to do. Much like telling a mechanic he can only use a screwdriver to fix your car. While you do not bad mouth the owner of the shop.

Vrabel comes in and he tells them the way it is because he has not been handcuffed by Tressell in the past or the admisistration. With so many people being in trouble bringing in a big time coach right now is not right. Because you have to get things turned around first and cleaned up. It is time for Luke to get more fire during the games and maybe turn off the offensive headsets during the game so plays will be called on the sidelines. I am sure the defensive coaches can come up with plays.
With the way Luke is during game day is he the same during practices? Does he get fired up during practice? If so then maybe he is told to calm down on the sidelines even after the blowups by the Notre Dame coach this year.

[C-Bolt]

The players suspended were supposedly on top of a roof shooting either bb guns or paintball guns at people and a prized basketball recruit Sam Thompson was one of them,now the bad stuff is even filtering down to basketball,,,Geez when will it ever end????

[gymrat88]

Saw a lot of bright spots last week against Nebraska until Bauserman came in. I say with a healthy Braxton, we get back in the W column:

Bucks 28

Illinois 21

[seofan_via_dublin]

Some great quotes from Earl Bruce on the coaching situation.

On who will coach next year:
"There's enough HORSE CRAP about that. I believe you support the guy who's coaching right now."

On Fickle:
"Luke Fickle IS the guy I want to be coach next year. If people don't recognize what he's had to deal with they're unfair!"

[seofan_via_dublin]

Coach Bruce on the NCAA/OSU/Auburn stories:

"I have plenty of opinions on the NCAA...none I can share right now"

[oldmo31]

Bucks win ai Illini and run the table , Fickle gets a contract for four years.I HAVE A DREAM THAT ALL SCARLET AND GRAY COME TOGETHER!!!!!!

[oldmo31]

You gotta love Earl,He's a BUCKEYE.

[fightingtigers45]

I feel bad for Fickell...You guys can't even get his name right.

[dazed&confused]

[quote="C-Bolt"]The players suspended were supposedly on top of a roof shooting either bb guns or paintball guns at people and a prized basketball recruit Sam Thompson was one of them,now the bad stuff is even filtering down to basketball,,,Geez when will it ever end????[/quote]
No, it won't go away by itself. It's like ignoring cancer and hoping it won't grow any more. I think the point has been reached where OSU must OVERREACT when issues like this occur and simply part ways with any offenders. This act is just sophomoric and idiotic. When does it ever occur to anyone that shooting at people with anything is a good idea? Bye-bye.

[C-Bolt]

I agree Dazed! even though these people are still young they're old enough to know you shouldn't do something this stupid, esp. with complete strangers,,this is something Junior High kids on down might do and even most of them would probably know better,probably won't be the last time we hear they're in trouble,that's the problem with trying to recruit the very best athlete you can find,your bound to get some that have serious character issues and drag your program down....

[dazed&confused]

I agree Dazed! even though these people are still young they're old enough to know you shouldn't do something this stupid, esp. with complete strangers,,this is something Junior High kids on down might do and even most of them would probably know better,probably won't be the last time we hear they're in trouble,that's the problem with trying to recruit the very best athlete you can find,your bound to get some that have serious character issues and drag your program down....

Correct! OSU's problem is when those "some" players do something stupid, Tressel would try to work with them and rehabilitate them. Now I say, cut 'em loose! Sorry but if your parents didn't instill any morals and values in you, it's not my place to start when you're nearly an adult. It's a big boy's world. Shape up, fit in or go fish!

[Bleeding Red]

I agree Dazed! even though these people are still young they're old enough to know you shouldn't do something this stupid, esp. with complete strangers,,this is something Junior High kids on down might do and even most of them would probably know better,probably won't be the last time we hear they're in trouble,that's the problem with trying to recruit the very best athlete you can find,your bound to get some that have serious character issues and drag your program down....

Correct! OSU's problem is when those "some" players do something stupid, Tressel would try to work with them and rehabilitate them. Now I say, cut 'em loose! Sorry but if your parents didn't instill any morals and values in you, it's not my place to start when you're nearly an adult. It's a big boy's world. Shape up, fit in or go fish!

100% correct. In light of everything going on, some still seem to act like boneheads and are doing things to further jeopardize the program and university.

Its past time to cut ties with players WHO THINK they are above the program, school and the law. But I think we have come to expect this from Gene Smith and CO.

Most of these high school standouts from the inner city hoods cannot maintain a level of humbleness once they receive popularity from their athletic status. Get in where you fit in, either at OSU or back in the projects!

[BigBlueNation]

Illini in this one the Buckeyes will be lucky to win two or more ball games they are terrible they have no qb and cannot run the football. They need to clean house get a whole new coaching staff, bring someone in with no ties to the program and get all the foolishness going on up there straightened out. Ohio State is considered one of the top programs in the country but yet they can't recruit a qb in my opinion they have not had one in the 40 yrs that I have been alive and if they think Braxton Miller is the guy there is more foolishness going on up there then I thought. The Big ten will be won this year by Wisconsin they have been the most impressive team I have seen this year in the top 25 and maybe seen ever in the BigTen and I don't even like the Badgers. The BigTen is probably the most over rated conference in all of college football.