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2019 Buckeyes Football

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Ohio State now has the highest winning percentage of all time which is pretty crazy considering Michigan essentially dominated all of college football from like 1895-1920.

Did Boise State lose to give us that? Because they passed Michigan earlier this season.
 
I really like mgoblog. It's one of my favorite sports blog, ever. It happens to cover the arch-rival of my favorite team. but that doesn't make it a poor blog. It's really good. And most of the time, it's pretty unbiased. At least as unbiased as a blog covering one school can be.

That said, at times they do sometimes echo the often trotted narrative about Michigan's players and academics: Michigan is just an academically ( and therefore, morally) superior institution, so it's OK when they lose. They're supposed to lose when they are surrounded by cheaters. They don't do it the right way. We do.

Here's an article they just wrote. https://mgoblog.com/content/obligation

The whole premise of the article is that Justin Fields is taking online classes, which means OSU doesn't care about academics, but Michigan does, so they have no chance to beat OSU. Ever.

Which is funny. Let me share 2 quotes about Michigan football players and education:

“I would use myself as an example. I came in there, wanted to be a history major, and I was told early on in my freshman year that I shouldn’t be, that it takes too much time, too much reading, that I shouldn’t be a history major and play football.”

“Michigan is a good school and I got a good education there,” he said, “but the athletic department has ways to get borderline guys in and, when they’re in, they steer them to courses in sports communications. They’re adulated when they’re playing, but when they get out, the people who adulated them won’t hire them.”

source 1 source 2

The person who said that?

JIM HARBAUGH

YOUR OWN COACH DOESN'T THINK YOUR UNIVERSITY MAKES FOOTBALL PLAYERS BE REAL STUDENTS!

And as of 2014 things hadn't really changed:


Michigan is a great college. So is OSU. So are all the B1G schools. So are the SEC schools. They ALL lower their standards for athletes in revenue sports. Some may do it more than others, but being a P5 school and claiming some sort of marginal academic superiority is just not a winning argument.

We're all at least partially Cleveland sports fans, so we all are well versed in defense mechanisms. This wreaks of a desperate one at that. Some of my best students have gone to OSU. It's a top 100 school, and is actually on the affordable side. Stop demeaning a great school just because your marginal students can't beat their marginal students. Not even your own coach believes it.
 
This has been a pathetic Michigan man belief for a long, long time now. This isn’t something new. They’ve always had this superiority complex. There’s no changing their deluded minds. Nobody outside of their bubble actually buys into it, so who cares? Just laugh at them, move on and enjoy Ohio State whooping their ass and winning Championship(s) every year.
 
It's 2019. Online classes aren't any easier than regular classes. They require the same time investment at least from my experience. And even if they didn't, it's wholly irrelevant. The entire thing is just jealous Michigan fan, and quite frankly it's pathetic. There are some respectable Michigan fans that see it and have called out their fellows, too. Just absolutely pathetic.
 
Ryan Day won B1G Coach of the year. He matches the total of all of the post Woody coaches...combined
 
Ryan Day won B1G Coach of the year. He matches the total of all of the post Woody coaches...combined

Happy for Ryan, but good lord it's a joke that Urban didn't win it once (not even in 2014, lost to Jerry Kill and 8-5 Minnesota).
 
Ryan Day won B1G Coach of the year. He matches the total of all of the post Woody coaches...combined

While we've had a fair number of successful coaches, Ryan Day may be the only one that surprised everyone with how well they did. Day has a chance to put up a season that surpasses everything Meyer did in his first season, which is really impressive. I hope he can finish the job.
 
Suppose Wisconsin doesn't bark up that game versus Illinois, but rest of the season plays out identical. They are sitting at 11-1 with the lone loss to OSU.

a.) Where is Wiscosnin ranked in the CFP?
b.) Is Wisconsin win and in?
c.) Is Wisconsin ranked high enough that an OSU win Saturday clinches the #1 seed?
 
Suppose Wisconsin doesn't bark up that game versus Illinois, but rest of the season plays out identical. They are sitting at 11-1 with the lone loss to OSU.

a.) Where is Wiscosnin ranked in the CFP?
b.) Is Wisconsin win and in?
c.) Is Wisconsin ranked high enough that an OSU win Saturday clinches the #1 seed?

Wisconsin would be knocking on the door for certain, if not sitting in Georgia's spot. The only real blemish on their resume is that Illinois loss, so only losing to the #1 team would not look nearly as bad as that South Carolina fuckup. They already stand at #8, which feels high IMO, so the committee doesn't hate them.

Wisconsin would absolutely be a win and in team in that scenario. Don't think they'd be able to budge LSU out of #1. We are only doing it because the committee practically views us as an SEC team.
 
I am actually sad Day won Coach of the Year. Not that he didn't deserve it. But Tressel was unquestionably the best coach in the B1G during his tenure, and Urban was even better. It's insane the OSU had the best coach for essentially 2 decades, yet never was he the best coach in a given year. It defies logic. It gets even worse when you look at the guys who won it. Guys, who even at their best couldn't hold a candle to Tressel or Urban, except in the eyes of the voters.

It was so absurd, I wanted OSU to never win it. Now that it has though, I thought it'd be fun to go back and look at all the hilarious times they screwed up this award. Starting in 2002:

2002 - The first of many Kirk Ferentz wins. Iowa had gone 7-5 the previous year. Ferentz went 11-1, but also lost to a 7-7 Iowa St team. Tressel went 13-0 after a 7-5 year, and went on to win the BCS Title against Miami. Not quite sure how improving from 7-5 to 11-1 is better than improving to 13-0.

2003 - John L Smith.

This will be the first in a long line "this guy was NEVER a better coach than Tressel or Meyer". Smith took over from Bobby Williams, who had gone 4-8. MSU lost to Louisiana Tech and barely beat Western Michigan. They did beat solid Iowa and Minnesota squads that year. But 8-4 and wins over Iowa and Minnesota are enough? Smith never went to another bowl game before being fired. Tressel went 10-2. Joe Tiller or Lloyd Carr had better arguments.

Also, John L. Smith won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2004 - Kirk Ferentz.

This one was somewhat legit. OSU only went 7-4. Iowa tied Michigan for the B1G, but Michigan won head to head. Michigan was the defending B1G champs, although Iowa was coming off their own 10-3 season. Barry Alvarez had a legit gripe.

2005 - Joe Paterno.

Penn State went from 4-7 to 11-1, and was 1 second away from 12-0. Deserved.

2006 - Brett Bielema. Ugh.

Bielema took over a 10 win team from Barry Alvarez. Wisconsin didn't have OSU on the schedule, played 2 MAC and 1 FCS (then 1-AA) schools, and went 11-1. Tressel replaced 9 defensive starter and 5 1st round draft picks, twice beat the #2 team in the country, won 10 games by at least 17 points, and was wire to wire #1. Tressel legit added more win off the previous season. It marked the second time he went undefeated and lost COY to a team that improved less.

Also, Bielema won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2007 - Ron Zook.

OK, I get that Illinois beat OSU in Columbus and Illinois went to the Rose Bowl. But Tressel replaced a Heisman winner and two first round receivers, and went back to the championship game. AND HE LOST TO RON FREAKING ZOOK.

Ron Zook won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2008 - Joe Paterno.

This one is legit. OSU returned a ton of talent, and not only got worse, but didn't win the conference.

2009 - Ferentz.

Maybe the most egregious one. Tressel lost a ton of talent. At the end of the year, Iowa had 11 players 1st or 2nd team All B1G, while OSU has 6. Iowa had 4 players 1st team on both coaches and media, while OSU had 1 (Kurt Coleman). OSU beat Iowa head to head and outright won the B1G.

Iowa had better players AND a better coach, and yet OSU won the conference. That is just devoid of logic.

2010 - Mark Dantonio

MSU, Wisconsin and OSU split the B1G title. Michigan State didn't play OSU but beat Wisconsin. OSU's only loss was Wisconsin. OSU was a heavy preseason favorite, so it's understandable that Tressel didn't win.

2011 - Brady Hoke

OSU's probation year with Fickell, who went 6-7. Hoke went 10-2 after replacing Rich Rod. Wisconsin and Michigan State, after being co-champs the previous year, met in the B1G title game. I can see why Hoke winning 10 games after Michigan had won 15 in the previous 3 years merits the award.

OTOH, Brady Hoke won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2012 - Bill O’Brien.

I get that O’Brien has a tough task picking up the program after the Sandusky scandal. The NCAA let PSU players transfer without sitting out, so they lost a lot.

Here’s the problem: a common argument for other coaches winning over OSU coaches is that OSU is so good year to year, they don’t improve as much.

Well, Urban took over a 7 loss team in probation, and went undefeated. O’Brien took a 4 loss team in probation and went 8-4, including losing to a 3rd place MAC East team at home and a 4-8 Virginia team. OSU won’t by 12 in a white out at Happy Valley.

Just makes no sense. For the second time, an OSU coach went undefeated and added 6 wins and didn’t win COY.

2013 - Dantonio

Well deserved. OSU was the prohibitive preseason favorite and MSU beat OSU for the B1G.

2014 - Jerry Kill

I get that Minnesota is not a easy job. I also get that Jerry Kill had medical issues. But Minnesota went from 8-4 to 8-4 and OSU won the first B1G since 2010.

Also, Jerry Kill won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!


2015 - Dantonio

See 2013

Wait, Ferentz won? Dantonio beat one of the best OSU team of all time, beat Ferentz on a neutral field, and yet Ferentz won COY.

The argument for Ferentz is he went from 7-5 to 12-0. But that's what Tressel and Meyer did, and neither won COY. And Tressel and Meyer were in their 2nd and 1t year at OSU, so it wasn't like it really their fault the record was so bad the year before. It's just mindboggling.

2016 - James Franklin

Again, I get some of the argument. PSU only ever won 7 or 8 games from post-Sandusky until this year. PSU jumped to 11-2, won the B1G and beat OSU.

However, OSU lost their leading rusher, their 3 leading receivers, and 7 defensive starters, including 3 first rounders. They responded by going 3-1 vs the top 10, with 3 of the 4 games being road night games. Half of OSU's oppponents won 9 or more games. Doing that well against that schedule after losing that much talent wins any other coach the award.

2017 - Paul Chryst

Chryst went 12-0 in the regular season, and beat decent Michigan, NW and Iowa teams. Which would be fine if Tressel had won in 2002 or Meyer in 2012. But I don't see how going from 10 to 12 wins in the bad division is COY worthy.

2018 - Pat Fitzgerald

This has to be because Meyer got suspended, right?

NW was 8-4. They lost at home to Duke by 14 at home. They lost to 4-8 Akron...AT HOME! They beat Rutgers by 3. This coming off a year when they won 10 games. How about the coach that beat the East Co-Champs and the West Champs by 3 TDs a piece? Nah, lets give it to the coach that lost to Akron.

Since the B1G split into East and West, Minnesota won 4 of the first 5 COY awards. Even this year, PJ Fleck won COY by the coaches vote. How does the West keep getting it's but kicked in the B1G Title game with better coaches?
 
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I am actually sad Day won Coach of the Year. Not that he didn't deserve it. But Tressel was unquestionably the best coach in the B1G during his tenure, and Urban was even better. It's insane the OSU had the best coach for essentially 2 decades, yet never was he the best coach in a given year. It defies logic. It gets even worse when you look at the guys who won it. Guys, who even at their best couldn't hold a candle to Tressel or Urban, except in the eyes of the voters.

It was so absurd, I wanted OSU to never win it. Now that it has though, I thought it'd be fun to go back and look at all the hilarious times they screwed up this award. Starting in 2002:

2002 - The first of many Kirk Ferentz wins. Iowa had gone 7-5 the previous year. Ferentz went 11-1, but also lost to a 7-7 Iowa St team. Tressel went 13-0 after a 7-5 year, and went on to win the BCS Title against Miami. Not quite sure how improving from 7-5 to 11-1 is better than improving to 13-0.

2003 - John L Smith.

This will be the first in a long line "this guy was NEVER a better coach than Tressel or Meyer". Smith took over from Bobby Williams, who had gone 4-8. MSU lost to Louisiana Tech and barely beat Western Michigan. They did beat solid Iowa and Minnesota squads that year. But 8-4 and wins over Iowa and Minnesota are enough? Smith never went to another bowl game before being fired. Tressel went 10-2. Joe Tiller or Lloyd Carr had better arguments.

Also, John L. Smith won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2004 - Kirk Ferentz.

This one was somewhat legit. OSU only went 7-4. Iowa tied Michigan for the B1G, but Michigan won head to head. Michigan was the defending B1G champs, although Iowa was coming off their own 10-3 season. Barry Alvarez had a legit gripe.

2005 - Joe Paterno.

Penn State went from 4-7 to 11-1, and was 1 second away from 12-0. Deserved.

2006 - Brett Bielema. Ugh.

Bielema took over a 10 win team from Barry Alvarez. Wisconsin didn't have OSU on the schedule, played 2 MAC and 1 FCS (then 1-AA) schools, and went 11-1. Tressel replaced 9 defensive starter and 5 1st round draft picks, twice beat the #2 team in the country, won 10 games by at least 17 points, and was wire to wire #1. Tressel legit added more win off the previous season. It marked the second time he went undefeated and lost COY to a team that improved less.

Also, Bielema won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2007 - Ron Zook.

OK, I get that Illinois beat OSU in Columbus and Illinois went to the Rose Bowl. But Tressel replaced a Heisman winner and two first round receivers, and went back to the championship game. AND HE LOST TO RON FREAKING ZOOK.

Ron Zook won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2008 - Joe Paterno.

This one is legit. OSU returned a ton of talent, and not only got worse, but didn't win the conference.

2009 - Ferentz.

Maybe the most egregious one. Tressel lost a ton of talent. At the end of the year, Iowa had 11 players 1st or 2nd team All B1G, while OSU has 6. Iowa had 4 players 1st team on both coaches and media, while OSU had 1 (Kurt Coleman). OSU beat Iowa head to head and outright won the B1G.

Iowa had better players AND a better coach, and yet OSU won the conference. That is just devoid of logic.

2010 - Mark Dantonio

MSU, Wisconsin and OSU split the B1G title. Michigan State didn't play OSU but beat Wisconsin. OSU's only loss was Wisconsin. OSU was a heavy preseason favorite, so it's understandable that Tressel didn't win.

2011 - Brady Hoke

OSU's probation year with Fickell, who went 6-7. Hoke went 10-2 after replacing Rich Rod. Wisconsin and Michigan State, after being co-champs the previous year, met in the B1G title game. I can see why Hoke winning 10 games after Michigan had won 15 in the previous 3 years merits the award.

OTOH, Brady Hoke won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!

2012 - Bill O’Brien.

I get that O’Brien has a tough task picking up the program after the Sandusky scandal. The NCAA let PSU players transfer without sitting out, so they lost a lot.

Here’s the problem: a common argument for other coaches winning over OSU coaches is that OSU is so good year to year, they don’t improve as much.

Well, Urban took over a 7 loss team in probation, and went undefeated. O’Brien took a 4 loss team in probation and went 8-4, including losing to a 3rd place MAC East team at home and a 4-8 Virginia team. OSU won’t by 12 in a white out at Happy Valley.

Just makes no sense. For the second time, an OSU coach went undefeated and added 6 wins and didn’t win COY.

2013 - Dantonio

Well deserved. OSU was the prohibitive preseason favorite and MSU beat OSU for the B1G.

2014 - Jerry Kill

I get that Minnesota is not a easy job. I also get that Jerry Kill had medical issues. But Minnesota went from 8-4 to 8-4 and OSU won the first B1G since 2010.

Also, Jerry Kill won more B1G COY than Tressel and Urban combined!


2015 - Dantonio

See 2013

Wait, Ferentz won? Dantonio beat one of the best OSU team of all time, beat Ferentz on a neutral field, and yet Ferentz won COY.

The argument for Ferentz is he went from 7-5 to 12-0. But that's what Tressel and Meyer did, and neither won COY. And Tressel and Meyer were in their 2nd and 1t year at OSU, so it wasn't like it really their fault the record was so bad the year before. It's just mindboggling.

2016 - James Franklin

Again, I get some of the argument. PSU only ever won 7 or 8 games from post-Sandusky until this year. PSU jumped to 11-2, won the B1G and beat OSU.

However, OSU lost their leading rusher, their 3 leading receivers, and 7 defensive starters, including 3 first rounders. They responded by going 3-1 vs the top 10, with 3 of the 4 games being road night games. Half of OSU's oppponents won 9 or more games. Doing that well against that schedule after losing that much talent wins any other coach the award.

2017 - Paul Chryst

Chryst went 12-0 in the regular season, and beat decent Michigan, NW and Iowa teams. Which would be fine if Tressel had won in 2002 or Meyer in 2012. But I don't see how going from 10 to 12 wins in the bad division is COY worthy.

2018 - Pat Fitzgerald

This has to be because Meyer got suspended, right?

NW was 8-4. They lost at home to Duke by 14 at home. They lost to 4-8 Akron...AT HOME! They beat Rutgers by 3. This coming off a year when they won 10 games. How about the coach that beat the East Co-Champs and the West Champs by 3 TDs a piece? Nah, lets give it to the coach that lost to Akron.

Since the B1G split into East and West, Minnesota won 4 of the first 5 COY awards. Even this year, PJ Fleck won COY by the coaches vote. How does the West keep getting it's but kicked in the B1G Title game with better coaches?

There are of course cases to be made for Ohio State every year basically, but COY has not been treated as the "Best Coach Award" but rather the "Coach Who Surprised Us Award." They completely discount the coach's involvement in recruiting and seem to judge how well they maximized the talent they had with the schedule they had (not that award selections are always consistent in their criteria). In any other year Fleck probably runs away with it for the B1G, but this year Day was supposed to lead a slightly downhill OSU team instead of having a better regular season than Meyer ever led. That surprised people. Most years Ohio State doing well with a big name coach ain't a surprise in the least. Is it fair that our success keeps us from this award? Maybe not. But neither is having to lose to your rival 8 times in a row, so I'd rather be where we are.

Minnesota wasn't supposed to do shit this year, but they won 10 games and beat Penn State in an undefeated (at the time) matchup. That's about as impressive to me as Day inheriting most of his team from an all-time coach and doing wonders with it. If Minny beat Wiscy and was headed to Indy, PJ would absolutely take that trophy home.

We win so much and these awards really don't mean anything, at least for the coaches. We're the first team (I think) to ever sweep the Offensive/Defensive POY awards along with the COY. It's really not such a shame that we normally get overlooked in this area IMO. Don't we have enough?*



*No, not nearly, and we should be #1 in basketball too.
 

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