OSU football: Fans expect more in 2008
The day was made for football -- just not a glorified scrimmage in April.
It felt like an October Saturday, but it played like an April one. But more than 76,000 fans didn't need a real game to come to Ohio Stadium on Saturday.
Even a jersey scrimmage -- spiced up as the Scarlet and Gray spring game -- was reason enough to spend the day getting soaked, even if the highlights were few and the action, like all spring games, lacked a certain autumn flair.
Perhaps it's just being a die-hard at its finest -- or its worst depending on your perspective. Perhaps all just needed to get a close look at a certain incoming freshman, Terrelle Pryor, who donned a raincoat instead of a jersey.
Perhaps all 76,344 are just nuts.
Undoubtedly, however, it sent a message expectations are high.
They didn't come to watch the Scarlet win 20-7 or to see tailback Chris Wells on the sidelines in sweats. They didn't come to see schemes, fined-tuned blocking or how well the special teams would play.
They came as if to infer they expect big things.
They always expect big things and so do these players. But this turnout, even on a less-than-ideal spring afternoon, was 2,000 more than 2007 and almost 15,000 more than the 2006 edition.
Several months after those games, the Buckeyes finished in the national title game and, well, you know the routine after that.
These 76,000-plus came out, expecting much the same to happen again come this fall -- minus another fall on your face collapse.
But for that many to come out indicates just what they expect starting with the opener against Youngstown State on August 30.
They also might have a point.
No matter how much the national media beats up the Buckeyes -- some deserved, most not -- this team might not be able to call the 2008 season a success unless they're playing in a third straight title game.
Lose to USC in September and it fuels speculation OSU can't beat anybody good these days. There's also no chance the Buckeyes will get the votes to move back up the polls should they lose to another top-tier team unless everyone else falls on their face.
Lose in the Big Ten to Illinois again and see the above scenario.
The Buckeyes won't get the benefit of the doubt this year, which might be how it should be.
Then again, with this team, they shouldn't really need it.
Almost every key face returns on defense, and just as many make up an offense that assuredly will be more diverse come August.
Forget about the speed that everyone questions. It's a laughable reason at best for the SEC's dominance against OSU in recent years to continue.
Speed didn't kill OSU the past two years against Florida and LSU. But the Buckeyes got punched in the mouth and never got back up.
A team known for its physical style hasn't displayed it in big moments, something that must change for them to avoid egg on their face yet again.
But everything also will change when Pryor arrives this summer.
Among the good signs from Saturday's game was strong quarterback play. Todd Boeckman finished 12-of-18 in poor conditions, Joe Bauserman showed strong arm strength and Antonio Henton followed suit as well.
If the bar is raised for Pryor by their strong play, that only helps this team.
Make no mistake, massive expectations are what every program wants.
Even in losing the BCS title game in 2007 that team surpassed expectations that weren't high to begin with.
This team won't have that luxury, but it will be expected to win -- and do it frequently on the big stage.
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