ESPN College Football

As you'd expect, Twitter is buzzing with reaction to the resignation of Jim Tressel as Ohio State's coach earlier Monday.

Ohio State held a team meeting Monday morning to announce the change, but several current and former players have tweeted about Tressel's departure. Most of the reaction is very positive.

Here's a look at some of the comments:

• Center Mike Brewster: Coach Tressel was one of the most honorable men I ever had the chance of being around..he taught me endless life lessons
• Tight end Jake Stoneburner: Tress taught me life lessons and how to become a man. I will forever be grateful that I played for such a great man. He is irreplaceable.
• Left tackle Mike Adams: #coachtress is what young people everywhere should strive to be! What don't break us will make us!
• Linebacker Andrew Sweat: You have done a tremendous amount for us as football players but more importantly developing us as men. Thanks
• Linebacker Etienne Sabino: I have a tremendous amount of respect for. Coach Tressel ..Hate to see this happen
• Running back Jordan Hall: So much love for coach tress. Promise no team wanna play us .#onamission
• Running back Jaamal Berry: Still love you coach Tress were going to win it all for you and #BuckeyeNation
• Wide receiver Chris Fields: This is definitely somethin I did not wanna wake up too!
• Cornerback Travis Howard: This will make us stronger as a team aNd tougher as individuals we gone pull this together and make it happen #beastmode
• Former cornerback Donald Washington: #CoachTress deserves a statue ... I would love to be suiting up for the #bucks with all the bs going on! I gotta feeling the Buckeyes are gon be untamed this fall!
• Former defensive end Cameron Heyward: Sad day to be a buckeye. #coach tressel you will be missed. No one understands what that man has taught me and done for me
• Former tight end Jake Ballard: Jim Tressel is one of the best human beings I have ever met. All he ever did was care and help people. #BuckeyeNation lost a great coach!!
• Former punter Jon Thoma: TRY to find a team who is gonna play harder than the Bucks this year. No mercy. Everybody dies.
• Former running back Chris Wells: say it aint sooo!

There are also these notable tweets:

• Michigan defensive tackle Mike Martin: The head of the scarlet and grey Demon has been cut off!
• Michigan cornerback Troy Woolfolk: Tressel resigned, well I guess it got too hot in the kitchen. Lol
• Former Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga: @OfficialAJHawk are you going to help select the new coach at OSU. I am sure they will be askig for your professional opinion.
• Former Michigan running back Mike Hart: Great day for America! Sad day 4 Big 10, Hate OSU but tressel was a great coach! Would rather beat them when he's the coach than some1 else
• Former Ohio State receiver Ray Small: Lol what y'all gone do 2 me that man resigned his self if u don't like me [bleep] u!!

Again, much more to come on Tressel's resignation.

Former Ohio State receiver Ray Small probably won't be appearing in at any football alumni events any time soon.

Small's comments to The Lantern about memorabilia sales, special car deals and a disregard for NCAA rules drew some strong responses on Twitter from his former Ohio State teammates. Several players criticized Small for speaking out against the program and breaching the team bond.

Here are some responses:

Ohio State C Mike Brewster (played with Small in 2008-09)

• @Brewster50: He isn't a part of the sacred brotherhood anymore...never on time, never accountable, never sacrificed for the team. Can you trust his word?
• @Brewster50: Show me a coward and I will show you ray small
• @Brewster50: I made my name by hard work-blood-sweat and tears...he made his name today...by selling lies to the lantern..enough said..workout time!!

Former Ohio State WR Brian Hartline (played with Small 2006-08)

• @brianhartline: Stop crying and lieing... Just bc u didn't play as much as u wanted to doesn't mean u can talk now...

Former Ohio State RB Chris "Beanie" Wells (played with Small 2006-08)

• @BeanieWells26: The nerve of some cats!! It's one thing to bite the hand that feeds, but to go and lie about what u were being fed???? Really?!

Ohio State LT Mike Adams (played with Small in 2008-09)

• @75Ent: Crazy how people change...thanks a lot man! hope you got paid to do that interview

As my pal Nate likes to say, rough chatter.

Small took to Twitter as well on Thursday.

• @SmallyMcfly: Lol Ima snitch now that's the verdict got it up! Snitch on what?
• @SmallyMcfly: The Media is the devil if people really think I said these unruly thing about the teamates that I love... Now I did tell them about myself

I figured the credibility issue would come up with Small, given his struggles at Ohio State and with coach Jim Tressel. He probably spent more time in Tressel's dog house than on the field. Not exactly a model teammate.

So the attacks against Small from ex-teammates aren't a shock. Neither is the talk about him betraying the team.

The claims that Small is lying, meanwhile, are interesting. How do they know? And why would he lie? Just to get attention?

Here's the ironic part about Ohio State's first five games this season: The Buckeyes figure to play a ton of Tressel-Ball without Jim Tressel.

While Tressel serves his suspension, the Buckeyes likely will employ the strategy that has brought them tremendous success during the coach's tenure. You know the core principles: stout defense, field position, conservative offensive play calls, polished special teams and, most important, fewer mistakes than the opponent.

Ohio State often plays Tressel-Ball with a full complement of starters, so it's hardly a stretch to suggest the Buckeyes will turn to the scheme as they try to survive the first five games without top quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four others.

If Tressel-Ball is in the forecast for Ohio State, Joe Bauserman most likely will be, too.

The Buckeyes need a replacement for Pryor, and Bauserman appears to be the safest choice. He has significantly more game experience than any of the other quarterbacks vying to replace Pryor. He has been in the system for four seasons.

But he didn't really separate himself this spring, leaving the door open for Kenny Guiton, Taylor Graham and the most talked-about candidate, Braxton Miller. A true freshman who enrolled early, Miller had Buckeyes fans buzzing after a strong performance in the spring game, albeit against defenders several notches down the depth chart.

The Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon encapsulates the QB question in a recent story:

The debate seems to come down to Bauserman, Mr. Safe and Steady, versus Miller, Mr. Clueless but Flashy. Quarterbacks coach Nick Siciliano did not shy away from that comparison.

"The best comparison I can make is when Trent Dilfer was the caretaker of the Baltimore Ravens, and he led them to a Super Bowl victory [in 2001]," Siciliano said. "He wasn't expected to go out and put up phenomenal numbers. He was supposed to take care of the ball, and they relied on their defense. I don't know throughout the course of time if we haven't ever had a different opinion. That's still what we want our quarterbacks to do."

If Bauserman can be Ohio State's Dilfer, the Buckeyes should be in good shape until Pryor's return.

But what if Ohio State needs its quarterback to win games, rather than not lose them? There are legit questions about the Buckeyes' supporting cast. Because of the suspensions, they have no proven receivers and a hole at left tackle. While folks are excited about the running backs group, Ohio State certainly would be better off if it had Dan Herron as an option. And while the Buckeyes' track record on defense suggests they'll be fine, they still must replace a lot of production.

This could be a reason to take a chance with Miller, but it also might strengthen Bauserman's case to start. In 2008, when Pryor replaced veteran Todd Boeckman at quarterback, he was surrounded by an excellent supporting cast (running back Chris "Beanie" Wells, receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline, the nation's No. 6 scoring defense).

With question marks elsewhere, I'd expect Ohio State to go with the safe choice at quarterback when the season kicks off Sept. 3.

Although the NCAA's Notice of Allegations to Ohio State last month brought more bad publicity for coach Jim Tressel and the program, it didn't contain much that the school didn't already know.

Ohio State's big fear throughout this process is that something else would come to light, another layer that could bring more trouble.

It might have just arrived.

The Columbus Dispatch reports Saturday that Ohio State will investigate used-car purchases made by dozens of Buckeyes players at two Columbus-area dealerships. According to the newspaper, the school investigation will examine at least 50 sales to both Ohio State players and their relatives to see if any improper benefits were provided.

Ohio State compliance director Doug Archie told The Dispatch, "I have nothing to believe a violation has occurred." Archie also said that he was aware of all the players' car purchases but not those made by their relatives.

NCAA rules don't prohibit athletes from shopping at the same stores, eating at the same restaurants or buying cars at the same dealerships. The rules prohibit athletes and their relatives from receiving discounts that are not offered to the general public.

Some nuggets from the story:

• Both dealerships call Ohio State's compliance office when athletes are buying cars and provide purchase prices and loan information. Ohio State will occasionally check purchase prices against the Kelley Blue Book values.
• Public records show that in 2009, a 2-year-old Chrysler 300 with less than 20,000 miles was titled to then-sophomore linebacker Thaddeus Gibson. Documents show the purchase price as $0. ... Gibson said he was unaware the title on his car showed zero as the sales price. "I paid for the car, and I'm still paying for it," he said, declining to answer further questions.
• A salesman who worked at both dealerships, Aaron Kniffin, and one of the dealership owners, Jason Goss, attended seven football games as guests of players, including the 2007 BCS National Championship game and the 2009 Fiesta Bowl. After the 2008 season, Archie removed Kniffin from the players' guest list because Ohio State doesn't allow those who do business with the players to be on the list.
• Two former NCAA enforcement officials, who spoke to The Dispatch on the condition of anonymity, said there's cause for concern. The two collectively have decades of NCAA compliance experience. Neither had ever heard of so many athletes buying cars from the same salesman.
• Officials at two national car-valuation companies -- National Automobile Dealers Association and Kelley Blue Book -- were asked by The Dispatch to estimate the value of the cars at the time of purchase. The values they estimated were higher than the price paid in nearly half of the transactions. However, they said it's difficult to accurately evaluate the sales without seeing the vehicles to assess condition and options.
• Among the players who bought cars from the dealerships are quarterback Terrelle Pryor, running back Dan Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey, Buckeyes basketball player William Buford and former running back Chris Wells. Cars also have been sold to Pryor's mother and brother and Herron's father, and Pryor also received loaner cars from Kniffin.
• Kniffin told The Dispatch that the sales prices for the cars were much higher than what is listed on state motor-vehicle records. Goss disputed that claim.
• Kniffin, who said he is not an OSU fan, has had financial problems since 2006. He now owes more than $130,000 to the IRS, and his $570,000 Delaware County home is in foreclosure.

• Kniffin told The Dispatch that he has sold cars to at least four dozen OSU athletes and their relatives, that the OSU compliance staff directed them to him, and that university officials reviewed all documents before sales were final. Archie said that he has spoken to Kniffin only once, never reviews sales documents and has not directed players to any dealerships.

There's a lot of smoke here for Ohio State at a very bad time. Archie plans to look at the transactions and work with the Big Ten during the investigation. But this could once again open things up to the NCAA, which recently has spent a lot of time in Columbus.

Some folks close to the Buckeyes program told me in March that players' cars could be the next issue, especially if the NCAA began digging. The Dispatch report has to be on the radar in Indianapolis, and it'll be interesting to see how this process unfolds.

Tressel isn't mentioned in The Dispatch report, but there will be questions asked about what he or other Buckeyes coaches knew of these transactions.

Sept. 3 feels like a long way off for the Scarlet and Gray.

In many ways, the drive epitomizes Terrelle Pryor's career at Ohio State.

It didn't always look pretty and featured some bumps along the way -- a fumble recovered by Pryor, two negative-yardage plays by the quarterback -- but no one could argue with the end result.

"A lot of luck, a lot of luck," Pryor told reporters Wednesday in Columbus, "and I think we executed."

Back in October 2008, No. 14 Ohio State trailed No. 18 Wisconsin 17-13 with 6:26 left in the game when Pryor led the offense onto the field. The Buckeyes needed to drive 80 yards.

It's never easy to beat Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium. Much less at night. Much less with a true freshman calling the signals. Pryor was making just his third career start and his first on the road.

Before Ohio State took the field, senior running back Chris "Beanie" Wells approached Pryor.

"Beanie said, 'You're in a man's world. This is what it is. So are you gonna be a man or a kid?' " Pryor said after the game.

To that point, his night had been a mixed bag: a few good completions, a first-quarter interception and four sacks taken.

The drive began with a dropped pass by receiver Brian Hartline. Moments later, Pryor faced third-and-6 from his own 24-yard line, and he hit Hartline for a 19-yard gain. Then came the fumble, which Pryor fell on at the Ohio State 38.

Pryor responded on the next play with a 27-yard pass to Hartline, who fumbled following a hit by safety Jay Valai. Once again, Ohio State dodged a bullet as receiver Brian Robiskie recovered.

The freshman quarterback once again was challenged following a 4-yard loss. But on second-and-14, he found Ray Small for a 13-yard gain. Three plays later, Wisconsin had a defensive meltdown and Pryor scooted into the end zone on an 11-yard run with 1:08 left for the winning score.

Ohio State prevailed 20-17.

"That was like his first big game as a starter," Buckeyes receiver DeVier Posey said. "I feel like he was sort of born that day."

Barely two years later, Pryor makes his first trip back to Madison, as No. 1 Ohio State faces No. 18 Wisconsin on Saturday. Once again, he'll have to deal with a rowdy road crowd in an October night game that will shape the Big Ten title race.

Pryor is much more aware of what to expect this time around, but he still draws upon what happened in 2008.

"That started my confidence of being a quarterback here, but it also grew and grew," he said after last week's win against Indiana. "Any time you get that win, it's huge. I matured as time [went] by."

Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt watched it all unfold, rendered powerless by NCAA transfer rules. Watt had to sit out the 2008 season after transferring to Wisconsin from Central Michigan.

"I was watching on the sidelines in sweatpants, not being able to have any impact on the game," he recalled. "Just watching everything unfold and watching [Pryor] carry their team down the field on that last drive and ultimately score, that hurt.

"That's something that stuck with me for a while, and it's something we need to avenge this week."

Watt calls Pryor "the complete package" now and notes that the Buckeyes quarterback has greater command of the offense this year. After an inconsistent sophomore season, Pryor has been much more polished this fall, completing 68 percent of his passes for 1,349 yards with a league-leading 15 touchdown passes and only three interceptions.

Although he's not running nearly as much this year, he remains a threat on the ground, averaging 6.2 yards a carry with three touchdowns.

Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel has observed a "day-by-day, week-by-week, season-by-season maturation" with Pryor, but the quarterback's first big step took place in Madison on that October night in 2008.

"For a young guy, he certainly didn't seem to be affected by the difficulty of the defense and the difficulty of the crowd and all of those things," Tressel said. "I thought that was a very important moment for him to step up."

If you haven't figured it out already, you can reach me here. And don't forget to follow me on Twitter (@ESPN_BigTen).

Ian from Flint, Mich., writes: My question deals with the instate and overall recruiting argument for UM and MSU. All I read and here about anymore is how MSU is dominating in state recruiting these day, and while [William] Gholston last year and [Lawrence] Thomas this year are major pickups, I don't think anyone could say MSU is dominating. I think it is more that UM can recruit nationally while MSU has to primarily stay within the region. Plus, states like Florida, which UM recruits HARD, produces more talent than Michigan anyway, so I don't see this "MSU dominates recruiting" having any credibility, do you? Thanks

Adam Rittenberg: Some good points here, Ian. Michigan State clearly has improved its in-state recruiting, particularly in the Detroit area. That's not really up for debate. But some of that is caused by Michigan steering much of its recruiting efforts to other regions, namely Florida, where Rich Rodriguez has had success throughout his career. And it's true that on average, Florida produces more elite prospects than Michigan. I look at it like this: The Spartans are closing the gap in local and regional recruiting, but Michigan has changed its recruiting philosophy under Rodriguez and hasn't done too poorly locally or nationally. I would agree that "dominating" is a word thrown around too much.

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Thomas from West Lafayette, Ind., writes: I'm a Kansas student from Big Ten country, I'm wondering why the expansion hype hasn't included KU. I mean KU has a BCS bowl title in the past 5 years, basketball powerhouse, super loyal fans close to a big TV market (KC) it makes geographic sense. And Kansas is in the oft-cited AAU for academics. If the Big Ten wants Mizzou, they should think about including Kansas, as the number one reason Mizzou doesn't want to leave is the rivalry. I would love to see IU vs KU basketball games every year.

Adam Rittenberg: Thomas, you aren't the first person to ask about Kansas and Big Ten expansion. While KU football has elevated its profile in recent years, it remains a basketball powerhouse and always will be. This expansion is largely about football, so a school like Nebraska makes a bigger impact for your league on the gridiron. Nebraska still moves the needle in football, and I wouldn't say the same about Kansas, which would be an excellent hoops addition. So why Missouri over Kansas? Mizzou is located closer to the Big Ten footprint and already has a rivalry with Illinois. Kansas would have to build new rivalries with the current Big Ten schools, although it would have a great one with Mizzou if both joined the league. I also think the Big Ten could get the markets it needs with Missouri alone, rather than Missouri and Kansas.

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Will from Columbus, Ohio, writes: With Football just about to kick off summer workouts what are your thoughts on the Ohio State backfield? As they say the buckeyes have a lot of horses in the stables. with Saine and Herron leading the way with Hall and Martin making some noise last year. This year with a healthy J. Barry and newcomers Hyde/Smith could also be in the mix of things. How is JT going to keep these guys happy. I dont see 1000 yd rusher anytime soon for the buckeye for awhile.

Adam Rittenberg: Brandon Saine probably has the best shot to reach 1,000 rushing yards this year but Ohio State certainly has a crowded backfield. I don't know if Jim Tressel can keep everyone totally happy, aside from telling them that the team goals are above individual ones and that the competition for carries remains open. There's no Beanie Wells on this team, and if a guy makes progress in practice, he should have a chance to increase his load on game day. Ohio State will enter the season with Saine and Dan Herron as the top two backs. Jordan Hall and Jaamal Berry are intriguing, but both need to do more in preseason camp.

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Matt from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: Adam, considering how good Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has been for Iowa, and the fact that the second part of his last name begins K-O-U-L, why hasn't the nickname "DJ Koul" caught on? People already call him DJK, so why don't people go the extra mile and go with DJ Koul? It sounds better. As a lifelong Hawkeye fan, this has bothered me for some time.

Adam Rittenberg: Ha, I like the suggestion, Matt. I'll pass this along to DJK and see what he thinks. Knowing Derrell, I'm sure he's very excited that you're spending a lot of time thinking about his nickname situation.

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Austin from Kansas City, Mo., writes: Hi Adam i have a friend who has been offered scholarships to play at Nebraska, Kstate, Kansas, Mizzou, and Iowa. He wants to play on a team that will have a legitimate title shot in the next four years. He is torn between the five and really doesn't know where he wants to go. I have been telling him to look more into Iowa and Nebraska what do you think? He is a 6'2 265lbs defensive end with a 4.7 forty. Very quick. who would he have the best chance with?

Adam Rittenberg: Your buddy has a tough decision to make, Austin, especially based on the expansion situation. If you're talking national title, I'd nudge him toward Nebraska or Iowa. Both of those teams will enter the 2010 season ranked in the top 15 and compete for conference championships this fall. Missouri wasn't far from a national title shot in 2007, but it's hard to see the Tigers leapfrogging Texas, Oklahoma or Nebraska in the Big 12. Now if Missouri and Nebraska join the Big Ten, that could change the game a little bit. Iowa and Nebraska are the safe bets. Good luck to him.

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Brad from Madison, Wis., writes: Adam, given that Penn State 1) doesn't seem to have a solidified starting QB as of yet, 2) their WR corps seems to be held together at the moment with duct tape, and 3) that the O-line gave up a ton of sacks in the spring, do you think there is any real chance that Evan Royster can reach 15+ TDs this season? ...or will opposing defenses, not fearing the pass, merely stack the box to shut down the run enough to keep him in the range of 1200 yards and 12 TDs?

Adam Rittenberg: I disagree with point No. 2, as Penn State should be OK at wide receiver this fall. But generally, you're correct about Penn State's plight on offense. The load definitely falls on Royster, but will he have any running room? Opposing defenses unquestionably will stack the box against Penn State, forcing a young quarterback to be the difference maker. It's up to Royster, who has a very impressive career yards-per-carry average, to find ways to grind out yards. I hope Penn State gives him enough carries to truly be a featured guy and possibly get to 15 touchdowns. He'll need help, and it's why Penn State's offensive line is a more important issue entering the fall than who's starting at quarterback. If the O-line doesn't give the other guys a chance, the offense doesn't have a chance to produce.

Unlike last year, when the Big Ten lost superstar juniors like Shonn Greene and Chris "Beanie" Wells to the NFL draft, the Jan. 15 deadline came and went without too much damage done.

Although several teams lost key players, a total of only six Big Ten juniors declared for the draft. The SEC had more than double that total (13).

The Big Ten's upper crust continues to look very strong for the 2010 season. Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin all return a lot on both sides of the ball, while Penn State received an enormous boost when running back Evan Royster stiff-armed the draft for one more year in Happy Valley. Cameron Heyward's return to Ohio State also looms large for the Buckeyes.

There were few major surprises among the Big Ten's early entries. No one expected Arrelious Benn or Navorro Bowman to return, and Bryan Bulaga's Orange Bowl performance made him pretty much a lock to declare. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. now projects Bulaga to be the first Big Ten player taken in April's draft.

Here's a quick look at who's gone:

• Iowa CB Amari Spievey
• Iowa LT Bryan Bulaga
• Ohio State DE Thaddeus Gibson
• Penn State LB Navorro Bowman
• Illinois WR Arrelious Benn
• Michigan CB Donovan Warren

Big weekend in the NFL playoffs for former Big Ten running backs, as Shonn Greene (Iowa-New York Jets) and Chris "Beanie" Wells (Ohio State-Arizona Cardinals) both advance.

• Illinois AD Ron Guenther has some interesting thoughts on Big Ten expansion, Bob Asmussen writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• Penn State players look forward to facing the reigning national champs in September, Ron Musselman writes in the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette. To upset Alabama, Penn State needs several players to step up and replace productive seniors, Bob Flounders writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News.
• Iowa's Orange Bowl victory is money in the bank for Kirk Ferentz and his staff, Scott Dochterman writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• Northwestern kicker Stefan Demos isn't hiding after his Outback Bowl meltdown, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Mark Dantonio will have his own recruits in place to produce for Michigan State in 2010, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
• Ohio State carried some positive vibes into the offseason, Ken Gordon and Tim May write in The Columbus Dispatch.
• Former Michigan player Justin Feagin enters a guilty plea in his drug conspiracy case, annarbor.com's Art Aisner writes.

LOS ANGELES -- Ohio State's greatest teams this decade are usually remembered for having a featured back.

In 2002, Maurice Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards and 16 touchdowns as Ohio State went on to a national championship.

In 2005 and 2006, Antonio Pittman carried the load for the Buckeyes, combining for 2,564 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.

Pittman turned things over to Chris Wells in 2007 and 2008, and "Beanie" combined for 2,806 rush yards and 23 scores.

Those ball carriers had support, whether it was another running back like Lydell Ross or Wells (for Pittman) or a quarterback like Troy Smith (for Pittman) or Terrelle Pryor (for Wells). But Ohio State usually boasts a clear-cut bell cow in its backfield.

The 2009 Buckeyes won't be remembered for a featured back, but they could be remembered for a tandem that helped to end the school's BCS bowl slump.

Junior Brandon Saine and sophomore Dan Herron shared the rushing load this fall along with Pryor, who leads Ohio State with 142 attempts and 707 yards. Pryor accounts for 27.7 percent of Ohio State's rushing attempts, while both Saine (131 attempts, 25.6 percent) and Herron (139 percent (27.1 percent) have similar pieces of the carries pie.

Saine and Herron played huge roles in Ohio State's November surge to the Big Ten title. They combined for 200 rush yards and three touchdowns in Ohio State's 27-24 overtime win against Iowa, which clinched the league championship. One week later, the two backs combined for 180 rush yards and a score against Michigan.

"As the season went on, we got better together," Saine said. "We know we have a huge role in these games, so we really work together."

Herron played a more prominent role last year after Wells missed three games with a toe injury, and he started the first four games of this season. Saine, who battled injuries throughout his first two seasons, took on a lead role after Herron had ankle problems early in Big Ten play.

But throughout the fall, the two backs kept the communication lines open and helped each other prepare for a critical November push.

"It's helped me just to have a guy who's out there just like you are, who sees things when he's not in and I'm in," Herron said. "We fed off each other, telling what we can get better, picking up blocks, whatever it is. At the beginning of the season we had a little slow start. We both had a couple injuries we went through.

"The last couple games, things really picked up for us."

Though Saine is bigger (6-foot-1, 217), he's more of a big-play threat on the edges, as he showed with touchdown runs of 49 and 29 yards against Iowa and Michigan, respectively. He has the nickname "Zoom" for his breakaway speed.

The 5-foot-10, 193-pound Herron is a hard-charging, low-to-the-ground, between-the-tackles runner, and goes by the childhood nickname "Boom" for obvious reasons.

"He's got a quick first step and a burst," Saine said of Herron. "That works well for him. He can get through the hole before the defenders are ready."

Herron never senses any jealousy between him and Saine, and when one back succeeds on the field, he motivates the other to do the same.

"To have a good team, you need to have a couple good guys ready to carry the mail, and those are two good ones," head coach Jim Tressel said. "They don't care how many carries they get, they don't care who gets called upon when, they just want to do what they can to help the team, and we're fortunate to have two kids like that."

As they do every season, Ohio State fans had plenty of burning questions about a Buckeyes running back this fall.

Jaamal Berry.

They wondered when Berry would see the field, how his injured hamstring was progressing and whether head coach Jim Tressel would end up redshirting the highly touted freshman from Miami. These questions peppered Tressel at his weekly news conference and filled up my inbox.

As the wait for Berry continued, it was clear that many Buckeye fans had seen enough of running backs Brandon Saine and Dan Herron. Chris "Beanie" Wells was sorely missed, and for the first time since 2004, when Lydell Ross and Antonio Pittman shared the carries load, Ohio State lacked a dominant runner.

Could the Buckeyes win the Big Ten without a bell cow in the backfield? The answer arrived last Saturday at Ohio Stadium.

Saine and Herron turned in their best performances of the season in the biggest game of the season. The two backs combined for 200 rush yards and three touchdowns against a stout Iowa defense as Ohio State rode a run-heavy offense to a 27-24 overtime victory.

"Those are two tough kids and the seniors mean a lot to those two," Tressel said after the game. "They were not going to let those seniors down."

Ohio State didn't hide its intentions on offense from the get-go. Tressel didn't want to throw downfield against an Iowa defense that ranks second nationally in interceptions (19).

So the Buckeyes ran the ball a season-high 51 times, with 43 attempts going to either Saine or Herron. Ohio State's offensive line, which, like Saine and Herron, has drawn plenty of criticism this season, imposed its will against the Iowa defensive front.

"Boom [Herron] and Brandon were running the ball," quarterback Terrelle Pryor told reporters. "We really didn't need to pass."

The two backs accounted for almost all of Ohio State's big plays on offense.

Saine gave the Buckeyes their first lead with a 22-yard scoring burst late in the second quarter. After Iowa tied the score at 10-10, Herron sprinted 11 yards to the end zone out of the Wildcat formation. Moments later, following a Ross Homan interception, Saine scooted down the sideline for a 49-yard score.

"We were really just having fun out there and stepping up and doing what we knew how to do," Saine said. "We weren't trying to overthink anything. We were trying to be in the moment the whole time."

It has been a mixed bag this year for both Saine and Herron. Both have had decent performances -- Saine against Indiana and Illinois, Herron against Illinois and New Mexico State -- and both have battled injuries (concussion for Saine, ankle for Herron).

But when Ohio State needed to lean on the run game, both backs stepped up.

"They both learned their way as they backed up Beanie over the years," Tressel said. "They waited their turn and kept trying to improve along the way, and they're playing good football."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Welcome to a new feature on the Big Ten blog, to appear every Monday afternoon the rest of the season. I'll hand out thumbs ups and thumbs downs to players, coaches, teams, position groups and anything else Big Ten-related from the previous week of games.

Let's hope Roger Ebert doesn't sue me for copyright infringement.

Thumbs up, Ohio State's defensive line -- The Buckeyes won the matchup of strength vs. strength with USC's offensive line for most of Saturday's game. Tackle Cameron Heyward was a dominant force in the middle, and the Buckeyes put constant pressure on Matt Barkley. If the D-line had received just a bit of help from the offense, Ohio State would have won.

Thumbs down, Northwestern's defensive line -- What figured to be one of the team's strongest units has underperformed so far. Is star end Corey Wootton still limited by his surgically repaired knee? Northwestern clearly misses John Gill in the middle and needs to step things up against Syracuse.

Thumbs up, O'Brien Schofield -- The Wisconsin defensive end recorded four tackles for loss, including a sack, and led the team with 11 total tackles against Fresno State. Schofield is stepping up both on and off the field for Wisconsin.

Thumbs down, Wisconsin's third-down defense -- The Badgers were miserable on third down against Fresno State, which converted 11 of 18 attempts. Wisconsin won't win many more games if that percentage doesn't change.

Thumbs up, Minnesota's linebackers -- Led by Nate Triplett, the National Defensive Player of the Week, the Gophers had all three starting linebackers record double digits in tackles against run-happy Air Force. Triplett led the way with 17 stops, plus a 52-yard fumble return for a touchdown, followed by Lee Campbell (11 tackles, 1.5 for loss) and Simoni Lawrence (10 tackles).

Thumbs down, Minnesota's skill players not named Eric Decker -- Take away Decker's 10 catches for 113 yards, and Minnesota's offensive numbers against Air Force look pretty gruesome (214 total yards). Whether it's DeLeon Eskridge, Duane Bennett, Troy Stoudermire or someone else, the Gophers need to find more offensive weapons.

Thumbs up, Kirk Cousins -- Cousins looks and acts the part of Michigan State's offensive leader, and he played pretty darn well against Central Michigan, completing 13 of 18 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. The sophomore has earned the right to play more snaps ahead of Keith Nichol.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Time to put a bow on Week 2 in the Big Ten with five lessons learned.

1. Michigan is back -- The Wolverines are young and not very deep at several spots, but they're extremely resilient and clearly on the right track under second-year head coach Rich Rodriguez. True freshman Tate Forcier delivered a performance to remember against a good Notre Dame team, completing 6 of 7 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown on the game's decisive drive. Rodriguez's offense has returned to form behind Forcier, running back Brandon Minor and a much improved line. Michigan has closed the book on last season's 3-9 disaster and could make a serious push for the Big Ten title.

2. Ohio State's offense needs a spark -- When you start four possessions inside the opponent's territory, even if the opponent is USC, you need to get more than two field goals. Buckeyes running back Brandon Saine said after Saturday's game that "we always talk about ending each drive with a kick." But too often since 2007, those kicks have been field goal attempts, not extra point attempts. Whether it's Jim Tressel's play-calling or Terrelle Pryor's inconsistency or an unproven supporting cast around Pryor, something just isn't clicking for the Buckeyes on offense and it cost them a huge win against the Trojans.

3. The Big Ten isn't that bad -- After being ripped all week and most of Saturday afternoon, the Big Ten held its own in the key games. Michigan upset Notre Dame and Ohio State dominated USC for most of the way. Purdue paced Oregon at Autzen Stadium, Iowa rebounded strong at Iowa State and both Minnesota and Wisconsin notched nice wins against Air Force and Fresno State. The Big Ten might not be at the SEC's level, but it hasn't suffered multiple embarrassments like the ACC or the Big 12. Though the USC loss stings, having Michigan back on the national scene really helps the league's overall perception.

4. A new group of running backs emerges -- The Big Ten no longer has Shonn Greene, Javon Ringer or Chris "Beanie" Wells, but the league is once again reloading at the running back spot. Purdue's Ralph Bolden looks like a star in two games, while Wisconsin's John Clay delivered a bounce-back performance and Indiana's Demetrius McCray sparked a dormant rushing attack. Michigan's Minor and Illinois' Jason Ford were superb in their returns from injuries. Iowa turned to a true freshman (Brandon Wegher) and a redshirt freshman (Adam Robinson) to ease its rushing woes. Junior Stephen Simmons has emerged as Northwestern's top back after a very nice performance Saturday.

5. League race could be a lot more interesting -- The Big Ten has been pegged as a two-team league, but several other squads could work their way into a wide-open race. Michigan has looked more impressive than any Big Ten team so far, and Iowa made a strong statement in Ames after an extremely shaky start against Northern Iowa. Ohio State clearly has some issues on offense, and Penn State's run game struggled against Syracuse at home. Everything still could come down to Penn State-Ohio State on Nov. 7 in Happy Valley, but a few more matchups will shape the league race.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The most significant number during Ohio State's preseason wasn't 2 (Terrelle Pryor's jersey), 3 (consecutive BCS bowl losses), 4 (consecutive Big Ten titles) or 5 (consecutive wins against Michigan).

It was 37.

"We had 37 guys that are new to the team," senior safety and co-captain Kurt Coleman said. "There's a lot of things that we didn't know what to expect heading into camp, but during camp, we definitely jelled and we've gone after it. The younger guys are definitely ready to step up and make big plays."

Ohio State lost 12 starters from last year's team, including national award winners like linebacker James Laurinaitis and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins, as well as offensive skill threats like Chris "Beanie" Wells and Brian Robiskie. Head coach Jim Tressel's Week 1 depth chart features 21 freshmen or sophomores in starting or backup roles.

Several true freshmen could see the field in Saturday's season opener against Navy (ESPN, noon ET), including wide receiver Duron Carter, fullbacks Zach Boren and Adam Homan, and offensive linemen Jack Mewhort and Corey Linsley.

"This preseason was a little bit different than perhaps a year ago, when we had a lot of veterans," Tressel said. "We had a lot of kids coming back who knew why we did things and how we did and who could teach the group coming in. We didn't have quite the number of veterans in our camp [this year].

"So it certainly was a newer group."

As a result, the Buckeyes intensified their preparation for the season. The small group of seniors scheduled a Team Week (most called it Hell Week) midway through camp where all electronic devices -- cell phones, TVs, laptops -- were confiscated for a week as players spent all of their off-field time hanging out together and bonding.

There also were differences when the team hit the practice field.

"We definitely hit a lot more," Coleman said, "which is good. Usually we go into a season, and we're not really fully prepared for that first game. This year, we're definitely prepared for what we're about to go through. You go into the first week, you don't understand the game speed, you don't understand the real hitting of someone going live.

"Us hitting almost every day, it really conditions your body and conditions your mind."

Ohio State can't afford many growing pains from its young players this fall, especially with No. 4 USC looming in Week 2. Last year, the Buckeyes struggled through their pre-USC tune-up against Ohio, and didn't look much better the next week against the mighty Trojans.

A strong effort against Navy will be crucial, and Coleman expects a smooth transition from the team's underclassmen.

"I'm going to say this: The guys that play, they're ready," Coleman said. "I would think they were at least a year into the program, the way they play and the way their bodies are. It's amazing the way they came into camp ready to go."

This spring, Tressel discussed the importance of preventing a sense of entitlement from taking over the team. No players in the program have lost to Michigan or been on a team that failed to win at least a share of the league championship. Freshmen like Carter are joining a program used to dominating the Big Ten.

But Coleman and his fellow captains have ensured that the young players don't think success is automatic.

"We've told them several times that, this isn't easy," Coleman said. "This is going to be a long road and we're going to face a lot of adversity throughout this trip. We told them, 'What we've done in the past doesn't matter. That's not going to help us win.'

"It's tough helping them understand the troubles and the problems that we'll go through this season."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

As expected, there were a ton of good responses to the villains series. You're definitely in midseason form.

After reading your e-mails, it's clear that I'm the biggest Big Ten villain here. I definitely swung and missed on a few of these picks. This is one subject where I'll gladly defer to the fans. You know your teams, and you know who you love to hate.

Bret Bielema is definitely off the hook for Iowa fans. Same goes for Terrelle Pryor and Nittany Nation.

Talk back time.

Mark from Perkasie, Pa., writes: Hey Adam,Big Meee-chigan fan here, and without a doubt, the biggest villain against Wolverine football has to be...Troy Smith. No one has ever played better in this series in the past 25 years. A close second on my list would be...Justin "THE ULTIMATE TURNCOAT" Boren.Keep up the great blogging, Adam!!

Adam Rittenberg: Good call, Mark. Smith torched Michigan for 857 pass yards and seven touchdowns in three games against the Wolverines.

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Tom from Hoboken, N.J., writes: As a Buckeye Fan, Tim Biakabutuka (spelling) is still one of the Bucks worst villians, his 300-yard game killed the Bucks hope for the National Title in the late 90's. Hearing his name makes me cringe.

Adam Rittenberg: Biakabutuka was a beast against OSU. As long as we're talking running back villains, Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells would probably qualify as well. He hurt Michigan in his final two seasons as a Buckeye.

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Congratulations to Wisconsin's John Clay, Michigan's Brandon Minor and Ohio State's Dan Herron for being named to the Doak Walker Award watch list. All three running backs should have big seasons for their respective teams.

That said, I've got a major beef with this list.

No Evan Royster? Are you kidding me?

Royster is the Big Ten's leading returning rusher after racking up 1,236 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. He finished fourth in the league in rushing behind Doak Walker Award winner Shonn Greene, Doak Walker finalist Javon Ringer and Ohio State star Chris "Beanie" Wells. The Penn State sophomore was named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award in November.

Perhaps the Doak Walker folks forgot about the league that dominated their award last year, accounting for two of the three finalists and the eventual winner. To exclude Royster and have players like Donald Buckram and DaJuane Collins on the list is absurd.

Royster is more deserving of national recognition than any other Big Ten back.

The Doak Walker Award, according to its Web site, is "the only major collegiate football award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification." But I've heard nothing about Royster having academic struggles at Penn State. His status with the team has never been in question.

I'm almost certain that this is an oversight, and I'll be checking in with the Doak Walker folks this morning to see what they say.