Does Cardale Remind You of Kent Graham? Baver Answers Colin's Questions

Colin: I'm no football expert but sometimes Cardale reminds me of, gulp, Kent Graham. He has the huge arm but it tends to look a lot like backyard football out there. 1) After 3 games, do you get the sense he really knows what is going on? and 2) Does it even matter?

Brent: Compared to former OSU starting QBs, no; Cardale doesn’t seem to get it. And as of right now, no; it doesn’t matter. He’s been solid against the Bucks’ formidable opponents because the coaches have had a definite game plan in those games. But when the Bucks have faced Bliss College and the like, they have experimented more; Cardale seemed lost in those games. I am happy though with the baby steps taken against WMU.

Colin: Could Washington push Bosa to be a higher pick in the NFL draft? How many guys from this defense do you see playing on Sunday?

Brent: Adolphus is probably not a top 20 pick, but could be a 1st rounder. Bosa should be a top 5 overall pick if he keeps his nose clean. Bosa, Adolphus, Lee, and Bell definitely play on Sundays. Perry, Raekwon, and Apple should stick on NFL rosters, with Raekwon and Apple possibly going 1st round. Jury is still out on Lewis and Conley, with each having only a few starts to date. I think maybe 50/50 on Powell making an NFL roster. Schutt doesn’t have a future in the NFL.

Colin: Indiana gave us some trouble last year before Jalin Marshall almost single handily won the game for the Bucks. What do you expect this weekend in Bloomington?

Brent: They’ve given OSU trouble several times in recent years. Seems the Bucks always overlook them, but with things not going quite as planned the last 3 weeks, I think Ohio St will pick up the pace this week. I don’t think the Hoosiers keep Ohio State under 40 pts, as IU doesn’t play D and the Bucks will take another step forward on offense. I do expect Indiana to score a few pts; they have some players on O. I like the Bucks laying 21; Bucks win 41-17.

Colin: #2 ranked MSU doesn't look very scary. Unranked Michigan suddenly looks terrifying. Those who forget history are bound to repeat it. Are you getting nervous about Harbaugh and company with that sweet spot right after OSU v MSU?

Brent: Honestly? Yeah. I figured Harbaugh would field a solid team by year’s end, but didn’t see them playing this well, this early. Ohio State has not won by more than 11 points in Ann Arbor since before both of us were born… you have to go back to 1961. Sparty doesn’t look good right now, but I expect Dantonio and his boys to eventually get it going. As soft as OSU’s overall schedule is, finishing with Sparty and Michigan back to back is tough sledding.

Colin: What other teams around the country are impressing you?

Brent: I watched most of that Bama-Ole Miss game, and although Bama should have won the game, that’s a good Ole Miss team. Their WRs are so hard to match up with. If Bama gets by Georgia this Saturday, I could see Bama or Ole Miss in the playoff. If I'm Ohio State, those are probably the two teams I would least want to face down the road. Had Notre Dame not lost 6 starters to injuries, I think they were on their way to running the table in the regular season.

Colin: Give us an update on your picks so far and what games and lines will you be watching this week?

Brent: 2-0-1 against the spread last week, 8-3-1 ATS on the year. Took the Bucks giving 3 TDs against Indiana, as mentioned above. Other than Ohio State, I’ll go the underdog route, as the dogs have been good to me. I loved Iowa getting 8 at Wisky, but that line has dropped to 6.5. I will still take the Hawkeyes, as Ferentz seems to have awoken with his job possibly being on the line. And this is not a great Badger team. I’ll go against Northw’n again, taking Minnesota getting 4 in Evanston. Like the Wis-Iowa game, this looked like a better play before the spread dropped; but NW’s offense is very bad and of course faces a tough Gopher D.

Best footage of Kent Graham we could find is below. Remember that 1991 Team?

Louisville under Howard Schnellenberger visits Ohio Stadium to play John Cooper's Buckeyes. Led by Erik Watts, Louisville mustered a 300-yard passing performance before losing to the Buckeyes, 23-15.

Going for Two with The North Coast Posse…. Browns v Raiders

This week Big $ of the N.C.P. goes for two by serving up two nuggets of Faygo-soaked hot air relating to your frustrating yet addictive Cleveland Browns. follow @northcoastposse

1) It's no secret that I firmly believe the following :

- Johnny Manziel is a joke.

- Jimmy Haslam spent his years with Pittsburgh cooking up rebate scams (and delightful pizza recipes, love myself a pilot j supreme) rather than learning the secrets of building a championship franchise.

- Ray Farmer is a joke

So when you add up those tidbits, it's pretty clear that I find the current state of the Browns regrettable at best. With that said, even if Johnny started all 16 games with a run-down D. Bowe as his primary target, I never, ever would of predicted a 0 win season. The NFL is constructed to ensure that even the blindest of squirrels find 3-4 nuts per year.

So our visually impaired furry friends unearthed a nut against a fully discombobulated Titans team last week. Is it better than a loss? Sure. Did the Browns do everything in their power to try and throw the game away in the second half? You bet. However, the Titans' will to lose was just too strong on that day. I don't think the playground football scheme of having Benjamin run to the Buick Regal and look up is going to work moving forward. I still think a 4-5 win game season is on the horizon.

2.) For most Browns fans, the team (and I use that term loosely) is a slight distraction to the b.s. involved with everyday life. To Mike Pettine, it's his livelihood. It has been easy to question several situations and/or decisions made by this coaching regime, however I am certain that when it comes to breaking down film, Pett is 100 times more adept than any of us armchair q.b.'s. That win by Johnny was low-hanging fruit for his adoring masses, but the tape doesn't lie. I have a hard time believing that any man that has worked his way to a professional head coaching spot could grade Johnny positively on his weekend flag football warrior-esque performance last Sunday. He doesn't protect the ball, and is useless in the pocket. Keep in mind, Titans coordinator, grumpy old man Lebeau, made a cult hero out of NFL castoff Tim Tebow as well (in the playoffs no less). Mike Pettine is not going to attach his professional future to Johnny as long as there is a serviceable alternative, and if you blame him for that you're in need of therapy.

So sit back and enjoy week 3 everybody (unless you're in Central Ohio, where the Bungles game has taken network t.v. precedence).

Have the Buckeyes Lost Their Edge? Their Fans, Too? Baver Answers Colin's Questions

Click here to read previous Baver Buckeye Bag.

Colin: Obviously repeating as champions is very difficult. A big part of the problem is that everybody loses their edge. This goes for fans, too: it's like winning the lottery and then just a year later complaining if you don't win it again. The Shoe seemed pretty chill considering we were uncomfortably close to a historic upset. Is there any way to get the edge back or is this part of repeating?

Brent: So far, this team looks much like Urban’s ‘09 Gator team, a team that was defending nat’l champs, returned 18 starters, and was a big favorite to repeat. That team finished in the Top 5, but got waxed by Bama in the SEC title game and was clearly a notch down from the ’08 Gator team. Too early to conclude that this 2015 Buckeye team will suffer the same fate. I have to think Urban learned a lot from his ‘09 team. Whether they win it all or not, Urban will get this team playing A LOT better than they are playing right now.

Colin: That might have been Ohio State's worst offensive performance of the past 50 years. Forget the turnovers, we couldn't move the ball anyway. What the hell is going on?

Brent: Too many issues to cover in this short space, including: motivation, play calling, QB play, O-line play, WR blocking, and coaches not being in sync with one another. I don’t think Urban felt they could lose either of the last 2 games and used these games as a giant drawing board. With the offense being as bad as it’s been the last two weeks, I don’t think Urban can afford to do that again.

Colin: What gives with running the hurry up through the entire 4th quarter in a tight game when the defense has been on the field constantly? The read option has been the bread & butter of the OSU offense for the past 3 years. Why were the coaches so reluctant to turn the game over to JTB and EE and let them play a two-man power running game to push the smaller Huskies off the field and chew some clock?

Brent: Inexplicably, the Buckeye offense can’t crack a 3-man defensive front right now. They caught UNI in a 4-man front being unable to substitute, as the Bucks were running hurry-up on their first drive of the 2nd half…..a drive that led to OSU’s only offensive pts of the 2nd half, a field goal. But the up-tempo pace was ineffective the rest of the game, as UNI was able to get back into their 3-man front. Perhaps the thought was that JTB and the offense would eventually get in a groove with the hurry-up, but it never happened. As for the read option, that’s a good future topic if/when the Bucks QB battle is truly settled.

Colin: In your opinion, was poor offensive play-calling or poor execution the bigger problem last week?

Brent: Hard to answer that one, as one feeds off the other. But I think it’s fair to say that this team has proven offensive talent that other schools would die for.….so…..I think the majority of the blame falls on the coaching staff.

Colin: Who would you start at QB this week?

Brent: JTB. He’s played badly coming off the bench, but I have always thought he gives Ohio State their best chance of winning.

Colin: Vegas has to be confused. We were 33 points under the under last week. What happens this Saturday against the Fighting Broncos of Western Michigan?

Brent: I’d say Northern Illinois is 4 or 5 points better than WMU on a neutral field, so the Bucks could be in another one of “those” games. But I think you’ll see reasonable improvement out of the offense and Cardale. WMU can’t run the ball, nor can they stop the run. On kickoffs, the Bucks need to contain Darius Phillips, who is one of the best KR’s in all of CFB. I don’t expect WMU to score more than 10 pts against the 1st team Buckeye D. The call: Ohio State 34 WMU 10.

Colin: Give us a recap of your picks from last week and what games and lines will you have your eye on this week?

Brent: 2-1 last week against the spread, same as each of the two wks prior, so 6-3 on the year ATS. As mentioned above, I think the smart money is on WMU getting 31.5 against our Buckeyes. Urban could cover this spread if he really wanted to, but I still think Ohio St will be doing more experimenting on offense…just not as much as last week. I’ll take the much beleaguered “Bert” and the Hogs catching 7 against A&M, in a bounce back game for Arkansas. And I’ll take Ball State +20.5 against Northwestern; this is usually the point in the season when a hot starting Wildcat team shows you that they are still Northwestern.

LET THE MANZIEL ERA BEGIN (AND END SOON)

The NCP tackles Pencil Storm’s Questions Following Browns’ Week One Disaster. follow@northcoastposse

1. You said last week that this could be the worst two QB's an NFL team has brought into the regular season in league history. After week one, this painful reality is already upon us. How in the hell did Ray Farmer let this happen? With quarterback play this poor, I pity the rest of the team. There is nothing they can do to overcome 4 turnovers. Is there any hope?

K-Dubs, the Soldier:  I honestly thought Josh McCown looked good in the first drive.  In complete control of the offense, he led the Browns 91-yards on an opening drive of approximately 10-minutes.  Of course, that was before he got ear-holed as he dove for the end zone, fumbled the ball, and left the game with a concussion.  McCown has not been cleared to play yet, and the Browns officially named Johnny Manziel the starter on Friday.  If he continues to start, I think the season will be even more of a dud than previously expected.  The NCP’s take on Manziel has always been that he is just not an NFL quarterback, and Farmer’s thought process in drafting him remains material for an episode of NBC Dateline.  It deserves a two-hour special creepily narrated by Keith Morrison. 

I would love to see a Johnny-led squad lineup in the sandlot against Brett Favre’s team in a Wranglers commercial, but he does not have the arm strength to QB the Browns.  Outside of the 54-yard bomb he threw to Travis Benjamin, Manziel struggled to get the ball downfield, particularly on out routes.  With a running game that was anemic in Game 1, opposing defenses will likely stack the box and force three-and-outs ad infinitum if Johnny cannot stretch them by going over the top.  To your question, there is little any team can do to overcome four turnovers (five, if you count safety Tashaun Gipson’s fumble after his second-quarter interception), let alone a team whose starting QB is on the sidelines.  Throw in 109 yards in penalties, and you are not going to win, even against league dregs like the Jets.

That said, there is hope.  There is always hope.  The defense played toothlessly last week.  They had no pass rush, did not control the line of scrimmage on running plays, and got beat in the defensive backfield.  This week they play at home against the Titans, who were one of the worst teams in the league last year and are starting a rookie quarterback in Heisman-trophy winner, and national-championship loser, Marcus Mariota.  There is no more prime opportunity for redemption.  If the Browns can also avoid turnovers and run the ball with some effectiveness, they can be competitive, at least.   I am expecting a big turnaround.  Browns win in a tight one.

2. Who should LeBron replace in this week's starting line up?

Big $: Due to my well documented disdain for ole Johnny, it would be too easy to throw LBJ in as signal caller. In all honesty, I’d probably prefer a 2 man system of K. Love (for his sweet touch) and Kyrie (read option ball skills and elusiveness) if I was going to summon a C-Town cager to lead the offense. With that said, it almost becomes comical when you use the names Gary Barnidge and LeBron James anywhere near each other in a paragraph relating to athletics. I would without question, trot The King out at T.E. (you’re welcome, Johnny).

3. Vegas had the Browns preseason over/under win total at 6.5. After week one, if you had to bet all your gold chains on the over or under now, where would you put the line?  What is a realistic win total for this group of dawgs?

K-Dubs, the Soldier:  Granddad used to say, “Vegas was not built by losers.”  The handicappers in the desert certainly know the game better the alleged experts that flap their gums on TV each week.  What surprises me though is that the magic number is too high.  Last year, Vegas had the same over-under for the Browns, but the schedule was much more favorable.  This year, the NFC South teams have been replaced on the schedule by the NFC West, which has a chance to produce four teams with winning records.  Throw in games against an improved AFC West, as well, and the season looks kind of bleak.  The first three games are against teams that finished at the bottom of the league last year—the Jets, Titans, and Raiders.  These all appeared winnable on paper at around 12:59 p.m. last Sunday, but if the Browns lose the next two, it is hard to see many other wins down the line.  I think an over-under of 4.5 is more realistic.

4. If he were still on the squad, would you prefer T. Pryor starting over Johnny Football this week?

Big $: To be fair, I’d start Richard Pryor over Manziel (disturbing self-awareness is a trait more beneficial than anything in JFF’s repertoire). At this point, first-round Jonathan has failed to beat out two UDFA’s on the wrong side of 30. If Josh McCown didn’t attempt to live out his wildest Elway Super Bowl helicopter ride daydream, JFF would still be chilling on the sideline thinking of clunky one-liners about Merril Hoge’s formal wear. T.P. isn’t here but A.D. is, and he took some 1st team reps this week. In a perfect world, Austin Davis’s NFL resume would have earned him the right to start over Johnny, but alas Berea may be the antithesis of said perfect world. So let it be noted that I have officially put in for transfer from #hoyerswarriors to #AustinsArmy. Big $ loves ya A.D.!!!!

5. Something positive to take away from this loss right? Right?

K-Dubs, the Soldier: After a loss as disheartening as last week’s game, you really have to get out the Hubble Telescope to search for some positives.  At the very least, before he got knocked for a loop, both figuratively and literally, Josh McCown looked very good in leading the offense down the length of the field.  I know the Browns Faithful are not unanimous in supporting McCown, but the offense clicked when he was under center, even though big-name, free-agent wideout Dwayne Bowe sat out with a bad hamstring and the offensive line under-performed.  If McCown can come back from his concussion and stay healthy, I think the Browns can put points on the board this season.  Once he got carted off the field, though, the one bright spot was the special teams.  Punter Andy Lee averaged 54 net yards per kick, including a booming 61-yarder.  His leg should prove to be quite a weapon in field-position battles.  Rookie placekicker Travis Coons kicked a 48-yard extra-point (which was the longest in NFL history) and registered touchbacks on 2 of 3 kickoffs.  The return game also appeared improved.  Upgrading here was critical, as the failure to properly field punts cost the Browns a few chances to win games last year.  I have heard (but have not seen) that the Browns’ D is going to be among the best in the league.  If we do see a re-emergence of the Dawg Defense, the improved special teams could help snatch a few W’s along the way.

6. What do you expect from the opener this weekend?           

Big $: My general nausea over the state of the Browns probably steals the mystery from guessing who I believe will win most Browns games. So rather than stating who I expect to win or lose, I will say that I expect that this will be the second week that an ex-Brown will enact revenge on his former employer.

Last week Buster Skrine uncorked a year’s worth of watching a snot-nosed, silver-spooner make a mockery of his professional opportunity when he attempted to decapitate Johnny Manziel. One can only imagine that a guy like Skrine who clawed his way into the NFL harbors some ill will towards a guy like Johnny who was probably throwing up money signs when he checked down in 7 on 7 drills.

This week, I expect that the recently jettisoned Terrance West may be looking to seek retribution for not only being traded after a mildly successful rookie campaign, but also for the smack that was talked on his way out. Keep an eye on #35 this week as he may be playing with a couple of boulders on his shoulder.

Big $ and K-Dubs the Soldier are the North Coast Posse and they cover Browns football for Penciltorm.

Is Northern Illinois a Top 25 Program? Baver Answers Colin's Questions.

Colin: Cardale appeared to look a little frustrated struggling against the Rainbows. Meeting expectations is always tough as the starting QB at Ohio State. I've been at games and heard people criticize Terrelle and Braxton while they were putting up Big Ten player of the week numbers. Is it possible Cardale could struggle through the dog days of the schedule if Buckeye fans start nitpicking his every flaw? He isn't just a lovable backup QB who made good anymore. He is the starting QB and his Kenny Guiton is JT Barrett.

Brent: Yeah, the Buckeye fans are going to keep clamoring for Barrett as long as Cardale plays like he did against Hawaii. Of course JTB didn’t help himself much either with his performance. But Cardale seems to have no fear, and little seems to bother him. If anything, I think the fans nitpicking will motivate him. With that being said, Cardale may still end up on the bench because JTB is going to be very hard to hold off.

Colin: If the offense was a little flat, the defense brought the lumber. Who/what on defense is really jumping out at you?

Brent: With all due respect to Joey Bosa, Darren Lee is the best defender on this team. Enjoy him now because he won’t be around next year. The guy is everywhere. As far as newcomers, Sam Hubbard has gotten a lot of ink, but there is a reason Tyquan Lewis is a starter and Hubbard isn’t. Lewis, I think, will be an All-Big Ten player before he leaves here. Also, you have to love Gareon Conley’s play Saturday. Hawaii elected to take their shots at Conley instead of Eli Apple, and Conley responded big time.

Colin: Toledo jammed a big rocket in Bielema's pig-hole and Bowling Green smushed the Turtles. How good is the MAC and what problems does Northern Illinois present the Bucks? Over the last five years, is Northern Illinois a Top 25 program? If not, are they close?

Brent: I think people tend to overreact to a small number of games. The MAC is still the MAC (poor), the Big Ten is still the Big Ten (mediocre), and the SEC is still the SEC (tops). Northern Illinois over the past 5 years? Probably on the edge of the Top 25, with a minimum of 11 wins in each of the 5 seasons. They are a FAR BETTER opponent than Hawaii. As for the matchup, Ohio State’s offense should be better prepared for UNI’s defense, which plays your standard 4-3. The Bucks had problems with Hawaii’s 3-4 front that did some things OSU was not expecting. On the other side of the ball, QB Drew Hare is going to be more troublesome for the Buckeye defense than Hawaii’s Max Wittek, because of Hare’s mobility.

Colin: After two weeks, are there any teams nationally that are surprising you either good or bad?

Brent: Bad? Auburn. They were a 40-point favorite last week against Jacksonville State and needed OT to pull out the win. Simply unbelievable that a Gus Malzahn offense would struggle against any FCS school. Yeah, there was the look-ahead to LSU; but still, Jacksonville State? New QB Jeremy Johnson, so far, looks like a poor fit for Gus’ system. Yet, win at LSU Saturday and Auburn is a contender in the SEC West. Good? I guess the trendy pick is Northwestern, but it’s hard to gauge much after two games, and they are an underdog at Duke this week. That should tell you the bettors aren’t buying the NW hype just yet.

Colin: You hit two out of three games last week with the Bucks not covering by 3, your only miss. What games and lines will you be keeping an eye on this week?

Brent: Like last week, not a lot that jumps out at me, spread-wise. But as usual, we’ll start with the OSU game. Urban is now 25-18 against the spread as the OSU coach. To compensate, the lines are getting a bit ridiculous. When a team like Northern Illinois wins 11+ games every year, I think you take 34½ points….even against the best team in the country. And UNI is 9-1 against the spread in their last 10 gms against the B1G. I like the Bucks 45-14, which would be a cover for the Huskies. I’ll take Bama giving the 7 against Ole Miss…the line looks about 2 or 3 pts light to me, and Bama is the biggest threat to Ohio State as the nation’s best team. And I think you have to take the Irish getting points (2½) at home against Georgia Tech. Notre Dame definitely has more talent up and down their roster than Ga Tech, and I think new QB DeShone Kizer will hold his own for the Irish.

Happy Birthday To Me: Cougs at Rutgers - by Brian Phillips

50.  Fiddy. Half a bill. Half a century. Embrace it, I say. The wife says "pick something to do and we'll do it. You are FIFTY after all." Hmmm.....cruise? Nah, that's more her style. Jump out of an airplane? Never once wanted to do that. The Replacements were supposed to be here, and had I known Paul Westerberg would contract scurvy and cancel I would have plowed in the van with our editor and gone to Minneapolis for the show last fall. Too late for all that. Too late for lots of stuff. More days past than future. What to do, what to do, what to do? I know!

22 years it's been since I've seen my school play college football in person. Full disclosure: I attended a great university and had the time of my life. I wouldn't trade those years, that experience and all the people I met for anything. To this day I share with them great memories, friendship, and decades in the third circle of college football hell: I am a Washington State Cougar. And knowing we're horrible and will continue to be horrible I chose for my 50th birthday to drive to New Jersey (of all the Godforsaken places on the planet) to see a team so putrid they could only be the fever dream of a bacteria festering in Chris Christie's bellybutton. Yup. Washington State at Rutgers. Fuck me. 

When I hatched this plan I was not drunk. Not having a stroke. Nothing. A rational-thinking 50 year old man decided that to mark this milestone he would drive 8 hours to purposely see a defense incapable of tackling. Tackling is important in the game of football and the Cougs have - for most of our history - chosen not to do it. Every defensive staff at Wazzu, including the one currently led by prepubescent newbie Alex Grinch, pursue a strategy of running into, and bouncing off of ball carriers. That doesn't work, not even against reigning Big Sky conference 11th place finisher Portland State this past Saturday. 35 point u-dogs were the Vikings of Portland State. Clad in high school uniforms and led by a coach who has been held in interim captivity for a year now, PSU ran amok over the allegedly Pac-12 Cougs for several hundred yards and a 24-17 win in Pullman last Saturday. 

For this reporter it was too late. A Stub Hub 'bot had already belched forth tickets 20 bucks apiece off their face value into my mailbox. A neo-liberal free marketeer would praise the elegant efficiency of the transaction, but as the Vikings skipped off the Martin Stadium turf on their way back to what probably resembles an ironic West Coast take on Cleveland State's campus the wages of football sin were already being paid in full. 

Oh sure, the Cougars can score points almost at will on most afternoons. Last season we lost to Cal 60-59 after missing a 19 yard field goal as time expired. That's called "Coug-ing it." It's a verb, look it up. It means snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and all that cliched shit about teams that can't get out of their own way. We invented that! Even when we're decent, which ain't often, we Coug it. 

Coug-ing it predates current coach Mike "The Pirate" Leach by decades and despite his law degree, and civil war reenactment hobby or whatever the fuck, he's powerless against it. In fact Leach seems to embrace the concept. During his 11-25 tenure in "The Palouse" he's gone for it on multiple occasions on his own 30 yard line. Perhaps he remembered that the Cougs forgot to practice punt coverage, or for that matter kick-off coverage, because Cal scored a good chunk of their points running back kicks that night. 

Here's where it gets good! Guess who the highest paid public employee in the state of Washington is... Yup! Mike Leach. A man who may have stuffed the son of "television personality" Craig James into a metal lawnmower shed one windswept Lubbock afternoon. This has to be the first and only time WSU paid its coach more than those fucking Huskies over in Seattle. Hey, they have their own problems.....paying off former Coach Cutty Sark's bar tab being one of them, but the Dawgs have to be laughing. Leach's agent managed to bury a poison pill in the "Pirate's" contract whereby WSU will be "on the hook" for 60% of his salary should the entire fanbase wish to "mutiny" and demand he "walk the plank." AAARRGHHHH! (Hey, I admit it I fell for all this quirky "He loves pirates, he never actually played football, he's actually a Hobbit" shit.)

So while Ohio State is busy beating Hawaii (Hawaii? why does Hawaii have a football team? there can't be a reason for this) with a dead fish, think of me blowing four hours of whatever life I have remaining reliving my college years. Yay! Go Cougs! I'll let Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington have the final word.