2008 tOSU QB discussion (official thread)

[OmahaBeef]

No, his main problem is that he turns the football over too much. Read Grads post above for how that sits with JT (playing time).

I understand that his penchant to throw interceptions is a big problem. I just think following up a Heisman Trophy winner, and fan favorite isn't going to be an easy task.

Actually, I'd say Beanie had more to do with our getting to the title game. Let's look at the last four games of the season:

Wisconsin: Down 17-10 in the third quarter, Beanie gets pissed, tells Tressel, "give me the ball", and carries us to a big win by running for 3 TDs. Boeckman has a decent game.
Illinois: Boeckman throws 3 INTs, 0 TDs, while Beanie has a so-so game (20-76, 3.8 ypc). We lose at home.
Michigan: Boeckman never settles in, doesn't adjust to the weather, fumbles twice and throws and balloon INT, and is skittish the whole game. Beanie again carries us on his shoulders to a win, with the best OSU RB performance ever against Michigan.
LSU: We all saw it. Beanie was the bright spot in our offense the entire night. Boeckman made a few nice throws, but offset that with an overall shaky performance.

I feel if Boeckman plays shaky at all against YSU and Ohio, we'll see Henton start at USC.

Personally, I find that hard to believe. Game 2 @ USC is the last place you want to give a kid his first start, after receiving very minimal playing time last year.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I understand that his penchant to throw interceptions is a big problem. I just think following up a Heisman Trophy winner, and fan favorite isn't going to be an easy task. .

I think this has nothing whatsoever to do with any QB. The only thing that matters is what he does.

 

[Taosman]

Ya gotta wonder what Mili and some others have been smoking to believe
that Boeckman will be anything but steller when he takes the field this fall.
We better hope the defense, mostly the D-line has gotten way better or it will be another 11-2 season with a disappointing end.

 

[Taosman]

I think this has nothing whatsoever to do with any QB. The only thing that matters is what he does.

He's saying the standard has been set impossibly high(Heisman Trophy winner).

 

[Best Buckeye]

He's saying the standard has been set impossibly high(Heisman Trophy winner).

Ahh I know that , and I am saying that the only standard that existed was in his mind and not forced on him by anyone. He had only to perform as JT wanted him to and that " standard" did not require Todd to perform as well as Smith did , or to win the Heisman.
We fans may have set a standard but of course he didn't have to listen or obey that one did he?

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Game 2 @ USC is the last place you want to give a kid his first start, after receiving very minimal playing time last year.

That won't happen, seeing that the USC game is Game 3...

Ya gotta wonder what Mili and some others have been smoking to believe
that Boeckman will be anything but steller when he takes the field this fall.

Talk about the "pot" calling the kettle "crack"...

Maybe three straight shaky games during which he threw three times as many interceptions as touchdowns leads me to some concern that Todd will something other than "stellar" which he first steps on the field. I would love to be wrong, but...

 

[rocketman]

I'm having a tough time figuring out why people are so quick to throw Boeckman under the bus after his first year as a starter. Things could have been so, so much worse. Just look at Iowa.

Yeah he made mistakes. Generally speaking, first year starters make mistakes. He has all off-season to work with the coaches and improve his game. Heck, as a grad student he'll have MORE time to work on his game this year, especially as the starter - he'll get the majority of snaps in practice.

Do some of you guys honestly believe that Boeckman, the guy who started all 13 games last year, has no hope whatsoever of improving? And that Henton or Pryor gives us a better shot of winning despite their complete lack of experience? Yeah, that last game left a sour taste in our mouths, but Christ, give the guy a chance.

 

[pianobuck46]

I'm having a tough time figuring out why people are so quick to throw Boeckman under the bus after his first year as a starter. Things could have been so, so much worse. Just look at Iowa.

Yeah he made mistakes. Generally speaking, first year starters make mistakes. He has all off-season to work with the coaches and improve his game. Heck, as a grad student he'll have MORE time to work on his game this year, especially as the starter - he'll get the majority of snaps in practice.

Do some of you guys honestly believe that Boeckman, the guy who started all 13 games last year, has no hope whatsoever of improving? And that Henton or Pryor gives us a better shot of winning despite their complete lack of experience? Yeah, that last game left a sour taste in our mouths, but Christ, give the guy a chance.

I completely agree. Tress always gives first consideration to the upper classmen. Possibly, if he's injured (God forbid), Henton will be the go-to guy.

As for Pryor, we've all got high hopes for him, of course. But I wouldn't look for him to start. Sometimes we forget that no freshman quarterback has ever won the scUM game............on either side.

:gobucks3::osu2::gobucks4:

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

I'm having a tough time figuring out why people are so quick to throw Boeckman under the bus after his first year as a starter. Things could have been so, so much worse. Just look at Iowa.

No one is throwing Boeckman under the bus, but rather bringing a sense of reality to those who think he's going to start off this season like the last three games of last season didn't happen.

Sometimes we forget that no freshman quarterback has ever won the scUM game............on either side.

Henton will be a RS soph this season.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

Henton will be a RS soph this season.

I think he was referring to the people calling for Pryor or start.

 

[Taosman]

The old "backup QB is the most favorite player on the team" argument.
"Henton HAS to be better! He's the backup! And Todd was horrible!"
Where is the truth in thinking this?

The truth is Todd was the starter when we won the Big Ten.
That led the Big Ten in passing efficiency.
He was getting Heisman talk.
The guy that took us to the National Championship game.

What has Henton done to make anyone believe he (who hasn't started a single game, who played very little,) is in any way, better?
I thought he threw a beautiful interception in the Spring game. :tongue2:

 

[matcar]

The old "backup QB is the most favorite player on the team" argument.
"Henton HAS to be better! He's the backup! And Todd was horrible!"
Where is the truth in thinking this?

The truth is Todd was the starter when we won the Big Ten.
That led the Big Ten in passing efficiency.
He was getting Heisman talk.
The guy that took us to the National Championship game.

What has Henton done to make anyone believe he (who hasn't started a single game, who played very little,) is in any way, better?
I thought he threw a beautiful interception in the Spring game. :tongue2:

Todd was very solid for 3/4 of the season. And no one disagrees with that. The problem many of us had is that when the going got tough, Todd didn't hold up as well. Now, I've been one on here stating that I think he'll come back strong, but I'm 100% with Mili that you absolutely cannot ignore what happened late in the season when Beanie and the line ABSOLUTELY CARRIED us. Yeah, the losses were team losses, but the QB play was not a bright spot during the home stretch. I really feel that Todd, given all this time w/ the staff, will improve upon last year and he'll also improve because he's going to be pushed...HARD this year.

But to ignore what happened late, is to let is happen all over again. JT knows that better than any of us and as Grad has said, you've got 1A and 1B right now. That's good for the team IMO.

By the way, you ask what Henton shows? Well, he shows poise and confidence, which was obvious last year before the incident. That's what we're all expecting out of the starting QB, regardless of who it is.

 

[cincibuck]

2006 QB Troy Smith, WRs Ginn, Gonzales, Robiskie, Hartline, Hall + RB Pittman who could catch the screen and short passes.

2007 QB Todd Boeckman, WRs Robiskie, Hartline, Small and Saine as the RB who can catch the screen or the short route.

Two very different situations. that's a tremendous drop off in experience and SPEED. It's a line up that requires changes in offensive line ups and strategy. Suddenly no one worrys about the QB pulling the ball down and running with it. Suddenly there's no one WR who can run past your safties on any play.

I think everyone underestimates what the loss of Teddy meant in the Florida game and what the loss of your three NFL capable offensive leaders really meant.

Boeckman getting off to a good start was aided by the presence of Kent State and Akron and YSU on the schedule, a Washington team that did not live up to expectations, Northwestern and Minnesota in crisis mode. Indeed, out of the first seven games only Purdue looked like a team that could give the Bucks a game.

During that time Boeckman played better than I expected, except for the Purdue game. Go back and watch that game again and see how many times he throws the ball up for grabs on long routes... now is it the fact that we no longer had a Ginn who could get behind any safety in the NCAA, no longer had a Gonzales who always seemed to get open in third down situations, no longer had a QB who could throw that ball? I don't know. But by the middle of the game I kept wondering why the hell Tressel kept insisting on the long ball. Was the fault in Boeckman's execution, knowledge of when to throw that pass and when to look for the secondary receivers on the play, or was it in Tressel for repeatedly calling that play?

One thing does seem to come to my mind, Todd's play, perhaps confidence, fell off after that game. In part because the competition got much better? No doubt. But a drop off just the same.

 

[RB07OSU]

Todd was very solid for 3/4 of the season. And no one disagrees with that. The problem many of us had is that when the going got tough, Todd didn't hold up as well. Now, I've been one on here stating that I think he'll come back strong, but I'm 100% with Mili that you absolutely cannot ignore what happened late in the season when Beanie and the line ABSOLUTELY CARRIED us. Yeah, the losses were team losses, but the QB play was not a bright spot during the home stretch. I really feel that Todd, given all this time w/ the staff, will improve upon last year and he'll also improve because he's going to be pushed...HARD this year.

But to ignore what happened late, is to let is happen all over again. JT knows that better than any of us and as Grad has said, you've got 1A and 1B right now. That's good for the team IMO.

By the way, you ask what Henton shows? Well, he shows poise and confidence, which was obvious last year before the incident. That's what we're all expecting out of the starting QB, regardless of who it is.

I agree 100% with this stance...being an absolute optimist is great but you have to look at the facts. TB, as Milli said, threw 3 times as many picks as TD's in the last 3 games. Not all of this was entirely his fault but you would have to kid yourself to ignore the fact that he played awful the last 3 games. On the flip side, you would have to be ignorant to dismiss his spectacular play in the beggining of the year. With all that said, TB has the potential to be a very good player for us next year. Imo, he is going to be even better with the help of Pryor and Henton rotating in, so the pressure to make improvisational plays will be lessened. However, Todd did struggle immensely against the best 3 teams we played all year, so you can't ignore that. Todd will get pushed for playing time this year and it is only going to help the team. He will either get better or he will see the field less if someone else is playing better. I anticipate Todd being on the field aprox. 75% of the time this year and as the starter, with Henton and Pryor sharing reps the rest of the aprox. 25%. Imo that is what would be best for both Todd and the team for next year. It gives you stability with a senior leader that has good ability, but it also gives you 2 legitimate run threats that can add another dimension.

 

[CONGERSBUCKEYE]

I will not be surprised if Henton beats Todd out. Zwick was a safe play but Troy brought another element. I am sure Todd will start but Henton and Pryor will get their fair share of chances and create more offensive options. Pryor will have set plays to master. The best players play. JT changed kickers last year that I thought was a good sign of living behind his talk. Henton would have caught Todd last year. Todd's experience was his benfit over Henton but now has the system experience and will get more game time. I personally believe that if Henton would have been used more last year and in the bowl game it would have made recruiting Pryor that much harder. Let the games begin. There is a reason Henton and Pryor are highly recruited and Todd grayshirted. Not meaning that as a knock on Todd. Todd does a great job with his abilities and time in the program. Just going to be hard to keep the other two on the sidelines. Henton who was supposed to Transfer leads Ohio State to the Promise Land. Expect the unexpected.