Marcus Hall "Will Not Start" B1G Championship

Submitted by Brhino on

The man who has given us the new "MARCUS HALL EPIC DOUBLE BIRD OF THE WEEK" section of the game columns will, in fact, suffer some repercussions for his actions in the Michigan game:

Ohio State coach Urban Meyer announced on Friday that guard Marcus Hall will not start against Michigan State in the Big Ten championship game. Meyer declined to elaborate when he’d insert Hall in the game, only saying that he’s “very, very disappointed in his actions.”

"Will not start" punishements are the best.  They let you do just enough so your critics can't say you did nothing, but the actual impact on the team is minimal.  

...with that said, if memory serves we've done the same thing plenty of times, so glass houses and all that.

Section 1

December 6th, 2013 at 10:19 PM ^

Can anybody point me to any statement as to remorse, punishment, etc., being meted out to Royce Jenkins-Stone, or any of the other participants in the kickoff play and the ensuing donnybrook?

I know this will sound more like a provocation than a question.  I do intend it as something of a provocation, because I am hard-pressed to understand what else Meyer is supposed to do in this case.

Are all of you all hacked off at Marcus Hall for his expulsion?  Or is it the double flipoff?  Two-word answer to that.  LOUIE. CAPORUSSO.  (Link.)

A big part of this on my part is a serious, honest inquiry; has Hoke made a statement the equivalent of Urban Meyer's statement of disapproval?  And has RJS made the equivalent of Hall's own statement of remorse?

Section 1

December 7th, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^

I would argue (and I have argued previously) that because this is a conference championship game, there should be no suspensions at all.  And yes I understand that this all becomes a conversation point precisely because it is a championship game.

All that I asked is what sort of public statement has been made by Hoke or by RJS, and what exactly (in light of such statements made by Meyer and by Hall) have they actually said or done?

Mr. Yost

December 7th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

What does a public statement do?

How is that any different from not starting Hall tonight?

A public statement really means nothing..."we're going to handle it internally and make sure Royce understands the consequences for his actions." Blah. Blah. Blah.

What about the other OSU player that was suspended? Are you upset there is no statement on him?

Hall was the only starter ejected. 

Section 1

December 7th, 2013 at 10:24 AM ^

So is that what this is all about?  Flipping the bird?  Nothing else?  Because Dontre Wilson (a starter on the kick-return team and an impact player on offense) is not getting any suspension, and I don't know what is happening to Royce-Jenkins Stone.  So if this is all about flipping the bird, that's okay, and that brings us back to Louie Caporusso.

The Board's general thesis seems to be that OSU is clearly an undisciplined and outlaw program because Hall (a fifth-year senior) isn't being suspended for the entire B1G Championship game, and perhaps the BCS NC game.

I am actually not clear on what has been said and/or done with all of the ejected (from The Game) players.  I'd be the first to say that it was a fast decision on the spot and that arguably nobody should have been ejected, or perhaps a dozen guys should have been suspended.  Looking at it again, there wasn't a lot of consistency in the punishment.  

But I don't see any great failing on the part of OSU in handling this.

beevo

December 6th, 2013 at 7:34 PM ^

Does anyone else think that behind the iron doors of Mordor (which happens to be in Columbus) Hall is celebrated?  I bet Urban gave him the "Doesn't reflect positively on the university" followed by "But, it sure was funny" followed by a fist bump.  Just me?

LSAClassOf2000

December 6th, 2013 at 8:16 PM ^

Per the ESPN story, Meyer's approach to when Hall would be in the game was a "we'll see" approach, whatever this means to Meyer, but what is certain is that it means Pat Elflein - who filled in for Hall - will start tomorrow. 

TheSacko221

December 6th, 2013 at 8:24 PM ^

Urb was asked about Hyde's growth from his early year suspension and he said he learned from it and Urb has been very impressed with his actions as if late. Guess he missed Hyde flipping off the crowd.



Sorry Hall your not the best player so you sit while the other guy who flipped the bird starts. Classic Urb if you ask me.

M-Dog

December 7th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^

True.  

If he was Michigan's coach (and he actually had an out in his Florida contract if Michigan came calling), he would be calling Ohio State names.

He plays up to the homers . . . whoever they may be at the time . . . as if he has lived and died with them since birth.

 

Ryno2317

December 6th, 2013 at 9:10 PM ^

Meyer is still a jackass.  He won't play the first quarter at most and he won't even miss that much time if MSU is off to a quick start.  

Goblueman

December 6th, 2013 at 9:12 PM ^

Was going to be no punishment then he gets some blow back so he comes up with a 'punishment' that will have zero effect on game.The kid who replaced Hall played well but as soon as he messes up Hall will be in.Urban has progressed though; he's gone from 'zero discipline' to an attempt to appear to be a disciplinarian.

UMgradMSUdad

December 6th, 2013 at 9:31 PM ^

The not starting is what I would have done in Meyer's place as well.  I'm guessing it will be for the first 3 plays or so, maybe even the entire first offensive series.  Then they'll put him in, he'll raise his hands in triumph, the Bucknuts will go crazy cheering, and the whole episode will piss off Spartan fans to no end.

mooseman

December 7th, 2013 at 2:03 AM ^

Unless I missed it, did the B1G even comment on this? I don't expect much from Meyer but I'm surprised that a player so blatantly flipping off fans is something the Big Ten wants to promote as acceptable.

Guess we can salute the crowd in Columbus next year without repurcussions.

sammylittle

December 7th, 2013 at 7:20 AM ^

"Marcus Hall's actions in last Saturday's game were reprehensible. Though they don't often realize it, college football players are role models to a generation of growing children. On behalf of my football team and my university, I apologize to the children and families who witnessed Marcus Hall 's violent and offensive behavior.



To illustrate to our youngest fans that Marcus Hall's behavior is not an example to be followed, strong action is indicated. And if if this Saturday's game was less important or if Marcus Hall was less important to my football team, I would take that action."

Obvious satire of Urban Meyer (and most big time football coaches).

Magnus

December 7th, 2013 at 10:52 AM ^

Ace and I argued about this on Twitter last weekend. I doubt Meyer would "not start Hall" only to insert him on play #2. He'll probably miss at least a series, maybe the first quarter. I think a fair punishment would be to suspend him for a quarter or maybe a half. NFL players get fined $10,000 for the middle finger, so I don't think it's out of line to expect college players to miss a little bit of playing time.

ford_428cj

December 7th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^

I liked the fight, flipping off the crowd & all of it. This keeps the "game" very much alive & will bring recruits to Mich to want to play in it.

Section 1

December 7th, 2013 at 2:00 PM ^

...to fix this sort of thing for the future.

It is this: crack down on the trashtalking from guys like Norfleet (who, to be sure, was on the field but who didn't start The Fight) and Raymon Taylor, Jourdan Lewis, Frank Clark, Jeremy Clark, and rarely even Jake Ryan.  (And I am probably missing a few names.)

Michigan is surely in the Top Five trashtalking teams in the B1G.  I'd hate to think that Michigan is the trash-talkingest team in the entire midwest, but it might be.

It's the second-worst part of the Fab Five legacy; that all Michgan Wolverine athletes are somehow entitled to trash-talk their way through every game.  

Magnus

December 7th, 2013 at 3:22 PM ^

I try to be objective, and maybe I'm a failure at it, but I don't see Michigan as a trash-talking team. I see more from Ohio State and Michigan State, to be sure. As for being in the top five of a conference that has only 12 teams . . . I don't really care. Teams like Purdue, Indiana, and Illinois don't have any reason to be cocky (in football), so that almost automatically takes them out of the running.