I really really wish people would stop comparing last night to the TCUN 2024 game. It's a VERY lazy take that doesn't come close to the actual reality.

For starters, Indiana this year is far superior to that TCUN team. Ohio State found ways to lose both games, but last night was a lot more about Indiana making plays when it needed to, and 2024 against the cheaters was about Ohio State trying to be something they weren't that year. Also, while the offensive game plan last night was less than optimal, it was NOT beating its head into the wall repeatedly like in 2024. Further, while there were some struggles in the first half, it was VERY clear the offense transformed into something else in the 2nd half, and I attribute a lot of that to Sayin settling down and seeing the game more as his speed. The running game did find some room to operate (remember sacks come out of the rushing totals) and was effective in the 2nd half.

If I wanted to pick an analogue to a previous loss, I'd say it's a lot more like Oregon from 2024 or maybe Sparty from 2013. The struggles on 3rd down really stick with me, a lot of them were short and weren't converted - oddly enough the longest 3rd down they converted was the last play of the game.

Anyway, last night was nothing like TCUN 2024 in basically every aspect except the final score.

Jaxbuck said:

I was commenting to the idea that it was an absolute. "Hartline was just checked out"

If we are talking in the middle ground then yes, obviously he had some distraction while Cignetti's crew that's been together forever just sat around making a better game plan.

That said, you take the distractions away and I am not so sure Hartline and company still don't get beat by Cignetti's crew last night. Once the game started the adjustments were not quick. Distraction during the week shouldn't impact that.

Click to expand...

Agreed.

Login to view embedded media I thought the flag was a little weak. The grab of the jersey does not impede the ability for the receiver to catch it. It is a more forceful grab than it needed to be, though.

Jaxbuck said:

I don't have the film for it obviously but it looked to me like they were rotating after the snap and doing it very, very fast.

Some of it was just great plan and execution by IU.

I saw nothing embarrassing whatsoever. Frustrating for sure but sometimes the other guys is good.

Click to expand...

embarrassing only to the extent that all we've heard for the last 8 months is how much of a savant sayin is at reading the field and reacting instantly and the whole iron sharpens iron trope.

not taking anything away from IU... they were very good.

i'm not an x's and o's guy, but what i saw was a lot of shifting and stunting on the D line. maybe that was just eye candy, but i didn't notice stuff in the secondary that drew my eyes.

Buckeyefrankmp said:

When will this trend of following the analytics end in regards of going for it on 4th and 1? That might work when playing inferior opponents that you can push around. Indiana is not one of them. (I can't believe I just typed that.)

Click to expand...

I hate everything. That we can't a yard when we need it. It's just baffling to me. I dont have a problem with Day choosing to kick a field goal in theory. But does anyone want Fielding taking big kicks? And that INDIANA beat us fair and square lol

Jaxbuck said:

I am going by a top 10 offense that's balanced run and pass.

I see that in Oregon. I maybe, sorta, kind of see it in TT but I question their true talent level and inflated numbers from a weak schedule.

IU and Oregon are the teams I see (quick visual of the stats) that have the profile to do what I believe the blueprint needs to be to beat this team.

Being honest, it isn't easy. If I was a fan of another team, I would not want to draw OSU. I don't think IU wants a rematch tbh.

Click to expand...

Oh I think OSU kills that team in a rematch. I give IU credit. They played hard yesterday and deserved to win.

The gameplan was super strange and sloppy. Very 2024 version of the Game, and Day's insistence on playing not to lose to hold things back. Cignetti treated the B1G Championship like a national championship game, throwing everything they had at OSU.

Also, Day seems to hate special teams. Lol

shetuck said:

we played as if we'd never seen a zone before. that was a big head scratcher for me.

Click to expand...

I don't have the film for it obviously but it looked to me like they were rotating after the snap and doing it very, very fast.

Some of it was just great plan and execution by IU.

I saw nothing embarrassing whatsoever. Frustrating for sure but sometimes the other guys is good.

knuckifyoubuck said:

I agree nothin fundamentally wrong but he misses wide open WRs and hits TEs and RBs - it is very frustrating with multiple options open but he is young.

Under throw to JJ cost us 7 points, too.

Day can shrug the sneaks off (see his presser) but he really needs to work on keeping his feet and driving on those, too, in my imo.

Click to expand...

All kinds of things for him t work on, for sure.

That sneak though, I questioned that before they did it. It was a long yard, not the inches kind of thing. A QB sneak is tough there.

Jaxbuck said:

The efficiency strategy is 100% the best way to play. It's risk management at the end of the day. You are taking away the things an inferior opponent needs (more chances for random variance to help them-flukey plays, penalties, turn overs etc).

You increase the volume of plays, you increase the risk factor.

The problem last night was getting beat at their own efficiency game (ever so slightly) by IU. Very few other teams profile to be able to do that.

Click to expand...

we played as if we'd never seen a zone before. that was a big head scratcher for me.

RugbyBuck said:

I just assumed that we had a can of whup-ass in the pantry and agreed that there was no need to open it until we needed it. We needed a little of that last night; not even a lot of it. Two fucking touchdowns wins this game. We can’t get two motherfucking touchdowns? And the third down conversion rate? Jhfc, why’d we even show up in Indy?

Click to expand...

i think the choice was what was at stake last night and if we wanted to burn that matchstick to get it, as opposed to letting the guys play through it and try to straight-up execute with one hand tied behind their backs... i mean why only start using the tight ends on the short dumps suddenly in the 2nd quarter, and then to only just keep things close?

TampaBuckeyes said:

I mean we can say for certain that he spend time talking the the USF administration and/or his agent. His agent didn’t take the job with zero input from him.

We also know he and Day spent extra time with Chris Henry and Guilford due to his leaving.

We don’t know if he made any calls about staff or to any USF players and recruits. I imagine he spent a little time on it.

Day insinuated during his interview that it wasn’t a normal week and there were some distractions. We can also assume from our eyes that the offense wasn’t prepared for the IU defense. IU didn’t do anything different than they did all year, yet the offense had no idea how to deal with the stunts and simulated pressure. The strategy appeared to be to roll out a generic game plan that they have used all year.

Coaching in college football during the season is a 12-16 hour a day job 7 days a week. Any time spent trying to do another job is either coming out of that time or sleep time.

Click to expand...

I was commenting to the idea that it was an absolute. "Hartline was just checked out"

If we are talking in the middle ground then yes, obviously he had some distraction while Cignetti's crew that's been together forever just sat around making a better game plan.

That said, you take the distractions away and I am not so sure Hartline and company still don't get beat by Cignetti's crew last night. Once the game started the adjustments were not quick. Distraction during the week shouldn't impact that.

The efficiency strategy is 100% the best way to play. It's risk management at the end of the day. You are taking away the things an inferior opponent needs (more chances for random variance to help them-flukey plays, penalties, turn overs etc).

You increase the volume of plays, you increase the risk factor.

The problem last night was getting beat at their own efficiency game (ever so slightly) by IU. Very few other teams profile to be able to do that.

Jaxbuck said:

There is literally no way any of us will ever know if Hartline was distracted or if that was a 1st year OC getting his pants pulled down by a veteran DC with a veteran team.

Our offense and QB were clearly on the back foot all night though. Adjustments were late and ultimately not effective enough.

Click to expand...

I mean we can say for certain that he spend time talking the the USF administration and/or his agent. His agent didn’t take the job with zero input from him.

We also know he and Day spent extra time with Chris Henry and Guilford due to his leaving.

We don’t know if he made any calls about staff or to any USF players and recruits. I imagine he spent a little time on it.

Day insinuated during his interview that it wasn’t a normal week and there were some distractions. We can also assume from our eyes that the offense wasn’t prepared for the IU defense. IU didn’t do anything different than they did all year, yet the offense had no idea how to deal with the stunts and simulated pressure. The strategy appeared to be to roll out a generic game plan that they have used all year.

Coaching in college football during the season is a 12-16 hour a day job 7 days a week. Any time spent trying to do another job is either coming out of that time or sleep time.

BigWoof31 said:

Fellas, I have some tough questions to ask. See below:

Login to view embedded media

Click to expand...

Oh this is fun

How about we use some historical set up that fits the narrative we want to promote and ask why we don't simply get a rematch with IU for the NC like the SEC got to do on more than one occasion?

I'm sure y'all would be good with that logic since it served you so well in the past?

shetuck said:

100%... i was surprised he even agreed to play. i saw no sense in it, given his "going about things with a businesslike attitude" narrative.

it was at least embarrassing, in the sense that there was no need for it happen.

Click to expand...

Playin low possession games as a strategy ok I guess. Then value every possession. Plus get an automatic place kicker.

I just assumed that we had a can of whup-ass in the pantry and agreed that there was no need to open it until we needed it. We needed a little of that last night; not even a lot of it. Two fucking touchdowns wins this game. We can’t get two motherfucking touchdowns? And the third down conversion rate? Jhfc, why’d we even show up in Indy?

System_id said:

Agreed. Not even sure about Oregon to be honest. Indiana mostly shut them down at Autzen and only gave up 13 offensive points.

The question from here on out is can Buckeye offense muster enough to get to 20 points. Do that in three straight games and they're likely hoisting another trophy imo.

Click to expand...

I am going by a top 10 offense that's balanced run and pass.

I see that in Oregon. I maybe, sorta, kind of see it in TT but I question their true talent level and inflated numbers from a weak schedule.

IU and Oregon are the teams I see (quick visual of the stats) that have the profile to do what I believe the blueprint needs to be to beat this team.

Being honest, it isn't easy. If I was a fan of another team, I would not want to draw OSU. I don't think IU wants a rematch tbh.

Fellas, I have some tough questions to ask. See below:

Login to view embedded media

I think the coaches drank the rat poison about this game not mattering. The offensive gameplan and redzone playcalling especially leads me to believe they were not serious about winning this game. Not an excuse by any means but it just didn't make sense otherwise.

The way the game played out was eerily similar to the Michigan game last year, but for like the opposite reason.

Bizzaro world. I cannot fucking wait for these conference championship games to no longer exist.

RugbyBuck said:

I was on board with the laid back efficiency-focused offense during the season, but felt sure that he could flip the switch to an attacking aggressive offense when it became necessary. Either he couldn’t, wouldn’t, or didn’t realize it was necessary last night, because he sure AF didn’t. That was more than embarrassing, it was a waste of the talent of this side and the work they’ve put in.

Click to expand...

100%... i was surprised he even agreed to play. i saw no sense in it, given his "going about things with a businesslike attitude" narrative.

it was at least embarrassing, in the sense that there was no need for it happen.

Nati-Toledo Bucks said:

Login to view embedded media
I’m not gonna stop yelling about not having 3 WRs on the field at all times..

Click to expand...

It's hard to have 3 wide when your OL is getting abused. Plus, the Buckeyes have some pretty badass tight ends.