No question about it, the Buckeyes are in a down period in their football history, not being able to reload last year after losing several players to the NFL Draft (including 3 players that went in the first round). Struggling through a brutal 1999 schedule at 6-6 (including eight teams that went to bowl games at the end of the season) and facing another torturous schedule this season (eight teams went to bowl games in 1999 and one team, Miami of Ohio, should have gone to a bowl game with a 10-1 record in 1998), OSU’s hopes for a Big Ten Title are dim at best.

The cupboard isn’t bare by any means as talented players return on both sides of the ball, along with a highly ranked recruiting class coming in that has numerous capable players that can help immediately.

On offense, six starters return, they are: WR’s Reggie Germany and Ken-Yon Rambo (both Seniors), they combined for 1,486 yards on 84 catches last season; Offensive Linemen Tyson Walter and Henry Fleming (both Seniors), along with Le Charles Bentley, Jr.; and QB Steve Bellisari, Jr., who threw for 1,616 yards on only a 45.1 completion percentage with 12 TD’s and nine INT’s, he rushed for 332 yards and two touchdowns on 116 carries.

On defense, nine starters return, they are: Defensive Line-men Rodney Bailey, Brent Johnson (both seniors), Mike Collins and Ryan Pickett (both Juniors); linebackers Jason Ott and Courtland Bullard (both Juniors); and Defensive Backs Nate Clements, Jr., Mike Doss and Donnie Nicky (both Sophomores). The returning leaders on defense include: 90 tackles by DB Nate Clements and four Int’s by DL Mike Collins.

P/PK Dan Stultz returns after averaging 38.6 yards a punt and converting 12 of 16 field goal attempts, including 5 of 7 from beyond 40 yards. He had his best season as a PK in 1999 and looks to be even better in 2000. For most of last season, his punting was very effective, averaging around 40 yards a punt, but the last part of the year his average dropped as he struggled with his consistency. Look for him to concentrate on just placekicking and hand over the punting duties to highly touted Punter B. J. Sander.

There were six coaching changes to John Cooper’s staff after the awful 1999 campaign; most notably WR’s coach Chuck Stobart replacing fired Mike Jacobs at Offensive Coordinator. Stobart has had several coaching stops in his fine career, including Offensive Coordinator for some of Bo’s great Michigan teams and Head Coach at Toledo when the Rockets won the inaugural California Bowl over San Jose State on a last second field goal in 1981. The other notable change was Defensive Coordinator Fred Pageac (a long time OSU assistant) being elevated to Assistant Head Coach (DB’s Coach Jon Tenuta replaces him), all but assuring him the Head Coaching position when Cooper retires, possibly after the 2003 season or earlier.

No doubt, the hiring of Stobart as O-Coordinator could be one of John Cooper’s best moves at OSU, as his offensive style fits the elusive Bellisari’s talents. Jacobs was trying to run the great Joe Germaine’s offense with Bellisari behind center. They are two different QB’s.

Patience and ball control are the keys to the offense this season with the goal being getting first downs first before the big play. Taking time off the clock and keeping the defense off the field. Opponents had the fall for an average of seven minutes more in time of possession than the Bucks in 1999. Sort passes, rollouts, a steady running game from the running backs and some option running by Bellisari should help keep the offense on the field. The trio of TB’s Jonathan Wells, Derek Combs and Jerry Westbrooks, along with speedy, bruising y-1 and 250 pound Fullback Jamar Martin, the running tame looks good. Make no mistake about it, the offense goes nowhere if the o-line doesn’t block. Last season’s weak spot was the line. This group needs tremendous improvement in order for the Bucks to contend for anything in 2000. If Bellisari and the O-Line don’t play up to par, this season will be around .500 just like last season. If Belisari goes down with an injury and is out for the season, a .500 record will not be reached.

The defense will have to improve in 2000. The stingy stop troops of years past disappeared in 1999. The unit gave up 287 points last season, a 23.9 average per game. The addition of DB Derek Ross to the defensive backfield will help, as he is an outstanding defensive player and is even better on special teams (punt and field goal blocking team).

Prediction: This looks to be an improved season with an experienced Bellisari at starting QB. The talent and experience is there to have an outstanding season, but with another mind-boggling though schedule, an 8-4 season will have to do. The breaks will have to go Ohio State’s way to have a better year than that. Some fans may think this prediction is pushing it, but we stick by it.