Silver Bullet Points

But the good news is...

Will lil' Animal follow in Malcolm's footsteps?

I love when I'm wrong, which is almost always.

Brian Robiskie and Malcolm Jenkins announced that they will be returning for their senior season at Ohio St. Yes, Vernon Gholston is moving on to seemingly greener pastures, but getting Jenkins for another year is a real steal. Says the all-conference DB during a Mike Doss-like revelation:

"What's important to me is accomplishing more. I want to win the Thorpe. I want to be a first-team All-American," Jenkins said. "I want to win a national championship. I want to experience a senior season. You can't put a price tag on that. To be paid to play football is just a benefit. I'm not ready to transition to the next stage of my life yet."

Goal setting, optimism, a big picture perspective...these are things one looks for in a leader of a program in dire need of direction and a new identity. If James Laurinaitis (still a big 'if') and Marcus Freeman (crossing my fingers) were to forgo the draft, the 2008 defense will return 9 starters from this year's top-ranked squad.

A farewell to arms

Robo, while less of a "steal" considering his probable draft position, will begin his final season at the top of the Biletnikoff watch list and be surrounded by offensive weapons like Wells, Saine, Hartline, Ray Small and newcomers DeVier Posey ( 5-star receiver) and Lamaar Thomas (a speedster likened to Florida's Percy Harvin.)

• If you're ready to ease back into college football, CFN is a good place to start. The site has somehow found the only sports writers in America that DON'T employ Ohio St. and the Big Ten as verbal whipping boys. This Q&A section addresses the constant push to merge the SEC with the NFC Central and here you can find an unbiased, rational defense for the beleaguered conference.
  

• Will Pete Carroll finally return to the NFL? And, if so, how much of an advantage does that give the Buckeyes over USC in next fall's match-up? The Vegas oddsmakers are standing by.
  

• Purdue's Joe Tiller, on the other hand, is waiting until his welcome is good and worn out before he leaves.

• Some guy in Michigan to Pryor: "UM sucks; stick with the Bucks."

• Finally, I'd like to extend a delayed thank you to our traveling reporters and friends, Paul, Josh and JR for making Buckeye Nation a better place to be. You bore witness to scenes that will haunt your nightmares for years to come and lived to tell the story. For these model Americans it's back to selling dreams at unbeatable interest rates...until next season...