End zone: Ohio State 9-27

9/27/2012

Ohio State's spread against the scorched-earth ground game of Michigan State will not be the only clash of styles on Saturday.

When it comes to releasing injury news, the matchup is the football equivalent of Gossip Hour versus the North Korean government. Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer and MSU's Mark Dantonio occupy both extremes in the debate over what is and isn't our business.

Credit Meyer for not submitting to the paranoia that grips so many coaches. Take last week, when he so boldly revealed which starters were out, then interrupted a reporter's unrelated follow-up question to volunteer the ailments of two starters in the secondary -- C.J. Barnett (ankle) and Bradley Roby (shoulder). Meyer's philosophy: Put it all out there, and if you want to burn your original plan because the Buckeyes' third-string safety has been upgraded from week-to-week to day-to-day, have at it.

Dantonio follows the closed-book wisdom of Lane Kiffin -- the smug USC coach made headlines by ending a press conference after 29 seconds -- and Brady Hoke. On mandating NFL-style injury reports in college, the Michigan coach said, "You trying to help the gamblers?" Your thoughts, Mark D? "I don't talk about injuries. Next question."

Even the Skull and Bones are wondering why all the secrets.

For all things OSU sports, follow David's web log, Dotting the 'Eyes.