2003 year in review:

 

It is all over. Even the NFLers have hung up their cleats.  How long until August?  Don’t even talk to me about basketball.  The Buckeyes are even more dysfunctional than the Osbornes.  Maybe, by tournament time I will be able to take an interest……maybe.

Since we have nothing else to do it probably wouldn’t hurt to take a look back.  Our championship reign is over.  We swaggered and we strutted and we thoroughly enjoyed our time.  We ended up 11-2 and #4 in the nation.  Not a bad run when you consider the hurdles which were faced.  The problems began with the loss of the best running back in the country at about the same time the New York Times tried to smear the entire university.  The writer, Mike Freeman, for that ethically challenged publication has since  resigned after it was discovered that he claimed to have graduated from University of Delaware.  He attended for four years, but never graduated.  I guess this was the right guy to write about academic fraud.

            The schedule gods did the Buckeyes no favors with trips to PSU, Wisconsin and Michigan.  Also while UM enjoyed an open date, followed by a scrimmage with Northwestern in preparation for THE GAME, the Bucks had MSU and followed that with a death struggle with Purdue.  I still resent having to play in Madison two years in a row and the 8:00 PM local time kick off did the visitors no favors.  Giving the already obnoxious Wisconsin fans an extra seven hours of pre-game drinking time is just plain unfair.  To say the Badger fans were drunk and rowdy is an unfair slap at drunk and rowdy fans everywhere. 

            Still, we replaced one all American safety with another all American safety, we replaced an all American punter with a Ray Guy winner.  We built a 17 game, and counting, home win streak.  We won a BCS bowl for the second straight year.

            There were a few disappointments along the way.  The loss of Clarett for all the wrong reasons hurt.  Krenzel’s failure to emerge as a consistent passer and a veteran offensive line’s lack of production disappointed.  After emerging as a defensive star in Madison in 02, Chris Gamble let a big one get by him in the same venue in 03 and it cost us the game.  The defense at times seemed magnificent and at other times seemed unable to protect a lead.  The failure of Ross or Hall to emerge at tailback caused a lot of problems.  The officials reluctance to call holding on the players hanging on to Will Smith’s jersey all season long was very frustrating.

            Still, all things considered, it was a remarkable, if nerve-wracking year.  Personally, I’m glad it is over, especially after the impressive Fiesta Bowl performance.

I had no idea what the team would look like, when in the eyes of many of us, there was nothing really to play for.  A great amount of credit must go to the coaches and the senior leadership for their focused and inspired play in Tempe.  No, it certainly was not the pure joy of the previous year but it was a damn fine way to end our reign and commence the pursuit of our next title.

            Looking ahead, we first need to consider some of the things and people we will miss.  First and foremost, we lost our DC, Mark Dantonio.  This has to be categorized as a major loss.  With all due respect to Mark Snyder, Mel Tucker, Luke Fickell and Jim Heacoat, we will miss Mark.  Normally losing a one-year starter at safety would not be a big deal , but Will Allen’s play not only in 2003, but in 2002 will make this a major loss.  Chris Gamble did not have the season many had hoped for, but still his departure is a major loss.  With Dustin Fox, and Nate Salley returning along with a slew of ultra-talented DB’s the secondary will be in good shape for next year and beyond.  75% of the starting D-line is gone.  Will Smith, Tim Anderson and Darrion Scott were among the most productive D-lines in Buckeye history.  You’d have to go back to Coach Fickell’s senior year to find a comparable group of warriors.  Fortunately, we have found a lot of playing time for the understudies so when Marcus Green, Quinn Pidcock, Mike Kudlea and Joel Penton,  join Simon Fraser they will not be rookies.  The challenge will be to find the depth needed to rotate fresh legs in and out of the games.

With no disrespect to Rob Reynolds and Pagac Jr, I cannot wait to see our linebackers play in 2004!  We will be better, perhaps much better at linebacker next year.  Hawk played great all year and Carpenter came on like gangbusters late in the season.  Add transfers John Kerr and Anthony Schlaegel.  The most ballyhooed of the three super-soph linebackers, Mike D’Andrea has yet to produce much beyond special teams.  Assuming he recovers from injury, this will be a crucial season for him at LB or might a move to DE be in the works. All in all the defense should be sound and by mid season, might be spectactular.

            Looking at the offense let’s start with the O-line. 3/5 of our starting offensive line is gone and the hope is here that this Mangold and Sims and three new friends will help make this  a minor loss. While Stephanovich, Olivia and Clarke were not without some talent, their productivity as a unit will not be the toughest of acts to follow.   Running backs and fullbacks all return.  We need help at running back.  To me the greatest mystery since the Lindbergh kidnapping  is why top running backs from across the nation are not beating down the doors to be a Buckeye.  How many Heisman trophy winners do we have to produce?  Why wouldn’t every stud running back want to play in an offense which features the run like ours does.  With our tradition at this position this baffles me almost as much as ability to recruit world class receivers every year.  OK, losing Mike Jenkins will hurt big time.  Nobody ever came up with more clutch catches than number 12.  A great team player, always blocked, never complained about not getting enough touches, contributed on special teams and never once embarrassed his team with his mouth (need I remind you of  David Boston and Terry Glenn?).  Still having Santonio Holmes, Bam Childress and Roy Hall make for a secure feeling about this position.  The loss of Craig Krenzel is strange.   Craig’s departure, on one hand might be the biggest single loss form last year. At the same time I feel it is possible that we might see improvement at the QB position next year.   The leadership, and guts Craig Krenzel gave us may never be replaced.  Craig’s record requires that he be spoken of in the same breath as Rex Kern.  There is no higher compliment.  Still the skill and athletic ability of Zwick and Smith might allow us to see improved play at QB.  Still when it is 3^rd  and 7 or 4^th and 17, I,  for one, am gonna really wish Craig were around. 

            Kicking game – BJ Sander followed up on Andy Groom’s All American season by winning the Ray Guy award.  While Krenzel was the unquestioned leader of the team, BJ was our most potent weapon, and probably our most valuable player.  I have no idea how well or with whom we  will replace BJ.   Nug returns so kick offs, field goals and PAT’s are a done deal.  Our return game was mostly bad in 2003 so we can realistically hope for improvement there.

            In summary we go into spring ball with the makings of another fine defense.  The offense will be green, but has potential.  What happens at running back will go a long ways toward determining if the offense sprints or sputters.  Our rookie quarterback will need a strong running game.

            The coaching staff will have a new look.  The departure of Dantonio makes the promotions of Mark Snyder to DC and Mel Tucker to co-DC logical.  What is strange is that JT has stated that the new coach to replace Dantonio will likely be on the offensive side.  The offense already has sort of an additional coach with Tress spending most of his time on that side of the ball.  Sounds like JT recognizes which unit needs help.  Another departure is that of Tim Spencer.  Spence has always been a great Buckeye and seems a great role model for the players.  The lack of production in recent years from the running back positiion(except for #13) is odd and may give us an opportunity to grow in this area.  It will be interesting to see who the two new additions to the staff will be.

            National Letter of Intent signing day is Wednesday February 4, and  spring practice will begin in April.  Those two events will answer some of our questions, but probably raise more.

 

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