Q&A With BBC Regarding Coach Hazell

Against our better judgement, we spoke with the Red Army communist network, Buckeye Battle Cry and asked a few questions about Coach Hazell and what we can/should expect. Despite the busy schedule they have for their bowl coverage, they were very accomodating. 

Here was their take.


BS: Should we be excited by Hazell? Why or why not?

BBC: Absolutely. A great coach, well respected by those at Ohio State and loved by former players. Even the guys in the media who cover Ohio Sports, in Columbus and at Kent State, say that he's a good coach but an even better person. Purdue is in good hands.

For what it's worth, before leaving for Kent State, he held the title of Assistant Head Coach at OSU, and was believed to be the "heir apparent" once Coach Tressel stepped down. He left for Kent early in the spring; had he waited, it's likely that he would have been leading the team last season rather than Luke Fickell.

It's also worth noting that a number of Ohio State fans would have no problem with him returning to the OSU sidelines later in his career... which, given how spoiled we've been with great coaches, should say something.

BS: What will he bring to the table?

BBC: Other than a legacy of success at multiple levels, I think he's been able to do two significant things. First, he's a good teacher and someone who can bring people to believe in themselves and in each other - look no further than what's happened at Kent this year; after a collapse against Kentucky, the team rallied and really bought into his plan for the rest of the season.

Secondly, he's got a creative offensive mind; I'll talk more about this in a bit.

BS: He seems to be a guy who always looks prepared and confident. Is he?

BBC: From everything I've heard, he is... some of this could be a result of learning under "The Senator," but I believe that his passion for his players and program pushes him to be ready for any contingency.

BS: Purdue fans worry he'll only run the ball but good coaches work to their players' strengths -- agree?

BBC: Interestingly enough, we often referred to him as the "anti-Bollman"; Ohio State's offensive line coach and offensive coordinator who really really liked to run the ball into A gap over and over and over. 

During the 2010 season, though, Coach Hazell was the one who pushed for the offense to start diversifying and embrace the passing game- you might remember that the Rose Bowl win against Oregon opened with a barrage of passing plays; most insiders believe that this was Coach Hazell's influence on the gameplan and a direct response to his work with Ohio State's receiving corps during that season.

[Ed note: take a look at this video following the Toledo game in 2009 as well as Tressel's smirky response.]

 

BS: Does he make Purdue more of a player in the Big Ten in your opinion?
 
BBC: I think he does -- from his ability to get Boiler fans to buy into the program, to his connections as a recruiter in Ohio and Florida, his being on your sidelines is a great thing for Purdue.  Plus, it makes you all that harder to dislike... although, I'm sure we'll find a way.

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Thanks to the BBC for agreeing to answer our questions. Feel free to stop by there for.... well, whatever it is someone would go to an OSU blog for.  

The BS Q&A With the BBC

Teach me how to Brutus!

If you're expecting pipes, roaring fires, ascots and haughty British accents... well, we don't mean that BBC.

We're talking to the Buckeye Battle Cry this week, who asked if we'd be interested in doing a Q&A as we did last year. Twice. (It's okay, we're used to others having a crush on us.)

You can see our answers to their questions over yonder. Much like the 11W boys, they are decent folks. I know, I know. Why are all these OSU sites trying to be our friends? It makes us feel dirty. Then again, sometimes we like to be dirty... ah, where was I?

Oh yes, our questions for the lads at the BBC. Cheerio!

O-H-I-O Makes People Mad

Last week's poll question seemed to be one that the readership was ready for, as opinions on obnoxious fans in the Big Ten as well as both good and bad experiences came through at length. It was amusing that as soon as the poll was up, one reader said "What's the point of this? To see how much Ohio State will win by?"

It turns out that OSU was indeed the runaway winner, garnering 61% of the more than 800 votes. Wisconsin finished a firm second with 14%, followed by IU, interestingly, at 11%.

Michigan finished fourth in the voting (something they'd give anything to do nowadays -- zing!), followed by a smattering of votes for Iowa, MSU, PSU, Nebraska, Illinois and Northwestern. And getting not a single vote cast as the most obnoxious fans in the Big Ten? Why, the kind people of Minnesota.

How did that happen?

Up 10 with 4 minutes to go. At home. That's a lock. Or rather, that should be a lock. They need to take this and learn from it. This kind of game won't kill you in January, but you have to learn your lesson and not let it derail a promising season. With the experience on this team, I don't think that will happen, but they need to step on teams when they're down and not let them up at all. Let this be just a bump in the road.

Note to aOSU fans: WEAR GRAY!!

On this October 3rd, Buckeye fans, Indiana University, and her AD, Fred Glass is going to try to use you guys. Mr. Glass knows there's no way in hell that his Hoosiers will fill Memorial Stadium...especially with the new addition. But, he also knows the Bucknuts travel well, and as fate would have it, Scarlet looks a ton like Crimson...especially from a helicopter.

So, Buckeye fans, enjoy your trip to Bloomington...Take in the nice campus, and enjoy the cut-outs that look like IU football players which will be standing still as Pryor and Co. go up and down the field on Lynch's squad- But wear your Gray, that day!

Don't be a player Mr. Glass' sinister scheme to edify his employer while giving the Buckeye nation ZERO credit.

Wisconsin fans had no options in '08

BS Reader Poll -- Game 6

For game 6 of the Joe Tiller farewell season, Joe and the boys get to go to Columbus – one of Joe’s least-favorite places to go, judging by his record – to visit the 'vest and take on the perennially national championship game-bound Buckeyes. I don’t have any empirical data on this (yet) but I’m willing to bet this is the game Purdue fans have the least confidence about. I mean, other than being confident that the Boilers will lose.

Nevertheless, we’re curious. Do you think the Boilers have a shot in this game? Can they win it? Or is there no chance? You only get to vote one way or the other. So vote it up.

Game 6
October 11, 2008
Purdue at Ohio State
OTT Preview




Vote on other games!

Congrats Blue! I guess they're not so slow.

Congrats Coach Carr and the UM Seniors on getting a bowl victory!


The myth that the Big Ten is slow as a conference really is rooted in last year's national championship game as everybody knows. Guys like Ted Ginn, Dorien Bryant, Derrick Williams, James Laurinaitis and others are all sticks-in-the mud...so the braintrust at ESPN tells us. Turns out, that might not be the case. Mario Manningham reversed field twice versus Florida today...I'm pretty sure you can't do that if you're slow.

Here's what makes you look slow: Confusion. A better team will confuse a lesser team and make them look perplexed and leave them flat-footed and out of position...Youth can make you look slow, so can a scheme. But there's no shortage on speed in our little conference.

Michigan looked fast v. a good SEC team today, Wisconsin looked slow v. a good SEC team today. But it was just today...Sadly, it will take OSU beating LSU for the slow moniker to fall, so make it happen, Bucks.