A few observations after the SDSU game

[osugrad21]

1. Okay, the problem is sloppy routes. Why doesn't our receivers coach and offensive coordinator make it a priority and practice hard at it?

I'm positive that route running is a major component of their workout, however, when the action is live, route running and concentration becomes a brand new beast. The bad habit of relying on pure athleticism instead of technique is VERY difficult to break.

2. I sure hope the point about waiting for receivers to come out of breaks is off base.

Many of the reads were open but TS waited that split second too long...look at the semi-pump fakes and stuttering feet...that is a sign of a late read and a realization the pocket is about to collapse.

 

[Faust]

First, inaccurate: Zwick is 5-4.

Second, disingenuous: QB's aren't pitchers; tracking wins and losses is not a valid statistic for QB's, as football is much more of a team game than baseball. In football, you win as a team and you lose as a team.

True enough, Lord. But Zwick and Smith obviously played for the same team. The results have generally been better with Smith at the helm.

 

[Carmen Ohio]

I'm a little surprised that nobody posting here is considering the possibility that this is just how we play. I'm going to reserve judgement until we get into conference games when everybody kicks it up a notch and pulls out all the stops, but I still like this offense better than any we've had under JT's watch except a few games in 2002 when MoC was at full speed. Doesn't anybody remember all those crazy-assed games in 02 and 03. With all the love I had for Krenzel, he probably relished having a coach who only wanted just enough to win. I'm not sure Smith and Zwick understand that.

People I talked to who saw the game here in "neutral" New York City think we should have beaten Texas. By my count 42-23 if our offense full took advantage of red zone opportunities or 25-23 in the true spirit of Tressel Ball if we make that 50 yarder. There was even a point there in the 4th quarter when Texas folks all thought they'd lost their poster boy quarterback. We are the last team they want to see again.

In 2003 when we were most poll's pre-season #1 coming off the national championship with almost everybody coming back San Diego State gave us as big a scare as anybody on our schedule. We won 16-13 on 3 Nugent field goals and a 100 yard Will Allen interception return. By conventional standards our offense was totally inept that day. We went on to keep "just winning" against NC State and Bowling Green before running out of breaks at Wisconsin. We still would have gone to the NC if we had beaten Michigan. In this day and age of Ohio State football, 27 to 6 against anybody is a blowout. Tressel teams in previous years would have found a way to make Miami and San Diego a nail-biter - but would also have found a way to beat Texas in the Shoe.

We are good by OSU's current standards - superior defense and special teams, but still need work to run the table and get the NC. I think our intensity against Iowa and perhaps to a larger extent Penn State, will say more about this team than anything we've seen to date.

 

[buckeyeboy]

We are the last team they want to see again.

I agree with this point, at least. We outplayed them but beat ourselves on Sept. 10, even with all the problems that come along with not being able to settle on a QB. I'm absolutely convinced we'd beat them if we played again this season.

 

[Zurp]

First, inaccurate: Zwick is 5-4.

And isn't Smith 5-1, not 6-1? He beat Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State, and Michigan last year, lost to Purdue last year. Now he beat SDSU this year. Am I missing a team?

Second, disingenuous: QB's aren't pitchers; tracking wins and losses is not a valid statistic for QB's, as football is much more of a team game than baseball. In football, you win as a team and you lose as a team.

I agree, LJB. This whole deal about keeping records with QB's is, in my opinion, just stupid. By these rules, Krenzel gets a loss for the Outback Bowl, where he played for what, one quarter? Smith could go in, throw a pick-6 in his first play, and be taken out for Zwick the next series. Zwick goes on to pass for 700+ yards, 18 touchdowns, and the Bucks win 500-7. Who gets the win? Smith does. Zwick gets the loss against Texas simply because he took the first snap. Krenzel gets the loss against South Carolina simply because he took the first snap. To repeat LJB, you win as a team, and you lose as a team. I think the better stat is that in 2004, Ohio State was 8-4. In 2005, so far, Ohio State is 2-1.

 

[bigBUXfan]

if the problem is not talent, what is it?:???

 

[ScarletNGry]

I think one problem with our quaterbacks has been that none of them have had the 100% backing of the coaches. That might have finally taken a turn for the better as it appears that Tressel is going to stay with Smith barring injury or flat out horrible play. I think this will allow him to loosen up a bit and stop looking over his shoulder thinking that if he makes a bad decision it could mean the hook for him.

I also think Zwick got this same chance last season and could not make the best of it. He had a long leash through the first 6 games of last year and never took advantage of it. However, our offensive line did not really get until late in the year. With the line playing the way it is now, there should be no reason Troy Smith is not lighting up defenses. If he can learn to play within the spread offense and throw the football with some confidence he could really start to be what we are looking for at QB.

Even with all that said, I would gladly take someone at QB that is just going to do his part and get the rest of the team involved. If Troy does not stop running the ball every pass play, we are going to start having some WRs getting a little restless.

 

[wdg01]

I think Zwick is the perfect qb for the 4th quarter. With him in the game, we don't have to rely on a running game to run out the clock, because all his passes are high %. I believe he took over 5 minutes off the clock on one drive! That is what we have needed, and tho I've been a big Smith advocate since early last year, I believe Zwick may have found a spot in our gameplan and I expect to see him when JT decides to shorten the game and protect our lead.

 

[Zurp]

I think Zwick is the perfect qb for the 4th quarter. With him in the game, we don't have to rely on a running game to run out the clock, because all his passes are high %. I believe he took over 5 minutes off the clock on one drive! That is what we have needed, and tho I've been a big Smith advocate since early last year, I believe Zwick may have found a spot in our gameplan and I expect to see him when JT decides to shorten the game and protect our lead.

Interesting. Along the lines of giving the starting QB the W/L (which, as I've said before, I REALLY dislike), the buckeyes have a "relief" QB, or "closer" in Zwick.

I guess I'd go along with this philosophy if QB's got tired and that hurt their game, the way pitchers get tired and they start throwing meat-balls out there. I've never heard that about QB's, but maybe you're on to something.

 

[exhawg]

Interesting. Along the lines of giving the starting QB the W/L (which, as I've said before, I REALLY dislike), the buckeyes have a "relief" QB, or "closer" in Zwick.

I guess I'd go along with this philosophy if QB's got tired and that hurt their game, the way pitchers get tired and they start throwing meat-balls out there. I've never heard that about QB's, but maybe you're on to something.

What, Smith's arm gets tired from tucking the ball and running? :p

 

[coxew]

I also think Zwick got this same chance last season and could not make the best of it. He had a long leash through the first 6 games of last year and never took advantage of it.

I don't really agree with this. Not trying to start another debate here but I feel he was rained in after the Marshall game last year. JZ put up the best half of football an OSU QB has ever had in the first half. The second half was another story. A bad mistake throwing to Holmes leads to one pic and a bad route by Ginn leads to another. JZ then leads the team down the field for the winning drive.

After the game, Tressel made some comments about that not being the type of game he wanted to play, he didn't want to throw the ball for 300 yards, he wanted to run the ball and control the clock. The following week, he did just that against last years #1 nationally ranked defense. Between poor line play, playing against a great defense, and having the ball taken out of his hands, JZ was not the same.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Interesting. Along the lines of giving the starting QB the W/L (which, as I've said before, I REALLY dislike), the buckeyes have a "relief" QB, or "closer" in Zwick.

I guess I'd go along with this philosophy if QB's got tired and that hurt their game, the way pitchers get tired and they start throwing meat-balls out there. I've never heard that about QB's, but maybe you're on to something.

Bob Hoying
Brett Powers.


Any questions?

 

[Zurp]

Bob Hoying
Brett Powers.

Any questions?

Yeah. I guess I don't see your point. From what I remember, Hoying was good, and Brett Powers wasn't. Cooper played Powers because Powers was older. They played the "rotating QB" system, with Hoying playing 3-4 drives, then Powers would come in for 3-4 drives. I don't remember Hoying playing 3 quarters and then Powers coming in to get the "save." Maybe you're right, though. (Beer hasn't given me the remembery that I thought it would.)