Based on JT's history, OSU will never have a high powered offense

[MililaniBuckeye]

2002: 51, 50, 45, 45, 34 (Averaged 29 pts per game on the year)

One could definitely make the case that Tressel teams usually win with superior defense, outstanding special teams, and a just good enough offense. A friend of mine called during the game and started railing about "that lughead Jim Bollman". But let's wait and see what the Buckeye offense does the next two games before getting too excited one way or the other.

Keep in mind that during those playoff years for YSU, they were facing not only at least one I-A team every year, but also four of the very best teams in I-AA during the playoffs (not counting any other good teams during the regular season). For example, in 1997, they failed to score 25+ points in only three games out of 15...the 2002 Buckeyes failed six times out of 14 (not counting OTs).

 

[Taosman]

Tress , himself has said, "we should be explosive" . He has to be some what frustrated by the lack of production.

Do you think he knows something we don't? {sarcasm font}

It's a work in progress. This is the way his teams develop.

"Some times, the hardest thing in the world, is to be patient."

 

[zincfinger]

...but the Rose Bowl win against ASU should have given him an NC. It was the fact that they lost to MSU late instead of early...

The Rose Bowl win against ASU came the year before the loss to MSU. But I agree with your theme, as I think does any Buckeye fan, that if the '98 team (who beat A&M in the Sugar Bowl) had gotten their crack against Tennessee, they would have smacked 'em.

 

[Golferdow01]

The Rose Bowl win against ASU came the year before the loss to MSU. But I agree with your theme, as I think does any Buckeye fan, that if the '98 team (who beat A&M in the Sugar Bowl) had gotten their crack against Tennessee, they would have smacked 'em.

That was definitely the best offensive team I can remember for awhile...that would have been fun to watch

 

[osugrad21]

IMHO, many of you are reaping what you sow with the annual high hopes of a USC-like offense.

People screamed for him to spread the field...it is spread.

People screamed to let the playmakers get the ball...they have had their opportunities thus far and have not delivered.

People wanted the stretch play...you got it.

The fact is, Jim Tressel is paid to win football games. He has a proven formula of success that has garnered him more rings than any of us will ever possess unless we open a pawn shop. Sure, we can complain, we can wish, we can hold our breath until we turn all sorts of funky colors, but when the final call comes down, when the buck has nobody else to pass on to, it is Jim Tressel who makes that final judgment.

He can spin it however he wants...5 wide, Polecat, Pro-I, but there will minimum risk involved by the players involved.

That is Jim Tressel.

In the past few seasons, USC has been known for their offense...but what about that defense? Who else shut down Oklahoma the way the Trojans did last year? It was a demoralizing beat down in every aspect.

The offense is the sweet icing that everyone loves...but the defense is the cake that makes it whole.

I'd love to see PS2-like big plays every game, but it is not going to happen. Could it? Sure...but not when JT is thinking 3 games ahead.

tOSU, with its "vanilla" playcalling, had multiple opportunities to put UT to sleep...but did not do so.

If Hamby catches that ball, if AY funnelled his man inside in cover 2 and Salley was a step quicker, if Huston hits the FG, if the KO safety was executed....this discussion does not take place.

Just my thoughts guys. Don't look for greener pastures...you might not like what you get in the long run.

 

[stxbuck]

Tressel should not have put himself in a position-recruiting wise-where he does not have one true power back on the roster. MoC or not-he should have kept the pipeline filled. In the last 3 recruiting classes, we have not signing one power type back-perhaps, in this case, Tressel should have swallowed his pride and recruited a less hyped grinder to use as a situational back, like Joe. You can't expect to have a back like MoC every year, but you should expect to have a back like Brandon Joe every year at OSU.

 

[cincibuck]

Tressel should not have put himself in a position-recruiting wise-where he does not have one true power back on the roster. MoC or not-he should have kept the pipeline filled. In the last 3 recruiting classes, we have not signing one power type back-perhaps, in this case, Tressel should have swallowed his pride and recruited a less hyped grinder to use as a situational back, like Joe. You can't expect to have a back like MoC every year, but you should expect to have a back like Brandon Joe every year at OSU.

Brandon was a Cooper recruit, was he not? Far be it from me to agree with anything a St. X grad has to say, but this sure resonates with me.

 

[strohs]

In the past few seasons, USC has been known for their offense...but what about that defense? Who else shut down Oklahoma the way the Trojans did last year? It was a demoralizing beat down in every aspect.

Thats exactly why I want half of what USC has on offense, we would absolutely be killing everyone if we did.

 

[osugrad21]

Thats exactly why I want half of what USC has on offense, we would absolutely be killing everyone if we did.

I'd settle for Matt Leinart. He is another coach on the field...

Everything else is in place

 

[Onebuckfan]

Is it personel?

Being 51 years old I never thought i would see an OSU team unable to run the football consistently..They should be able to line up against teams likes SDSU with a fullback, man on man block and run the tailback all day long. With the threat of Holmes Ginn it should even be easier. Im a little uncomfortable rotating tailbacks.Let's stick with one, and get him the QB and line in sync.A few good running series and the passing game will open. IMO you need to be able to run early to set up the pass and then run late to put the game away. The spread is fine but you stll need a 1000 yrd back like those good Norhtwestern teams, sometimes the weather late in the Big 10 dictates that you run the football.I was hoping Haw would develop into a 25 carry back.

 

[slickman]

Who put the genie back in the bottle?

Everybody was expecting great things to just come forth but they have not so far. Did these guys start reading their own press clippings? Do they get a third into the play then stand up to look around at who might be scoring the long TD? This is kind of what I'm thinking. They don't look like they're playing with a chip on their shoulder. Maybe if they lost one more game they'd be sick and tired of getting disrespected enough to be the badasses they were born to be.


The word "hope" is a "weasel word" so I'm going to just say they ought not rest on their laurels.

 

[lvbuckeye]

The word "hope" is a "weasel word" so I'm going to just say they ought not rest on their laurels.

when asked by Chicago Tribune writer and friend Bob Greene the last time that they met whether winning was the most important thing, Woody quoted a line from a Ralph Waldo Emerson poem: "'For in the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love hears the rustle of a wing.' You see," said Woody, "the greastest thing is not to always win, but to hope."

considering the fact that that very same line is on Woody's gravestone (God rest his soul), i'm pretty sure that hope isn't a weasel word.

 

[slickman]

I'm refering to terms of "I hope we improve", "We're hoping to do better," "I hope that you like the insurance policy," etc., etc.

I'm referring to the term, "weasel words" which are used to conceal the truth. Hope is a beautiful thing in and of itself but not used as an action word in various contexts.

type "weasel words" in google sometime and you might be amazed. I'm just talking about verbs. I didn't mean to offend the ghost of Woody.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

IMHO, many of you are reaping what you sow with the annual high hopes of a USC-like offense.

People screamed for him to spread the field...it is spread.

People screamed to let the playmakers get the ball...they have had their opportunities thus far and have not delivered.

People wanted the stretch play...you got it.

The fact is, Jim Tressel is paid to win football games. He has a proven formula of success that has garnered him more rings than any of us will ever possess unless we open a pawn shop. Sure, we can complain, we can wish, we can hold our breath until we turn all sorts of funky colors, but when the final call comes down, when the buck has nobody else to pass on to, it is Jim Tressel who makes that final judgment.

He can spin it however he wants...5 wide, Polecat, Pro-I, but there will minimum risk involved by the players involved.

That is Jim Tressel.

In the past few seasons, USC has been known for their offense...but what about that defense? Who else shut down Oklahoma the way the Trojans did last year? It was a demoralizing beat down in every aspect.

The offense is the sweet icing that everyone loves...but the defense is the cake that makes it whole.

I'd love to see PS2-like big plays every game, but it is not going to happen. Could it? Sure...but not when JT is thinking 3 games ahead.

tOSU, with its "vanilla" playcalling, had multiple opportunities to put UT to sleep...but did not do so.

If Hamby catches that ball, if AY funnelled his man inside in cover 2 and Salley was a step quicker, if Huston hits the FG, if the KO safety was executed....this discussion does not take place.

Just my thoughts guys. Don't look for greener pastures...you might not like what you get in the long run.

Nice post Grad. I just wish on the stretch play the te could do a little bit better blocking.

I think we see a little bit better execution out of the team this week.

 

[BB73]

I watched a good deal of the Notre Dame game on Saturday, and I can guarantee you that Charlie Weis tells Brady Quinn to "throw the deep ball all day long." I saw probably eight bomb attempts. Notre Dame ended up with 38 points in regulation against Michigan State (who I gather is a little bit better than SDSU)....if you think OSU would have 10 INTS and a gigantic beat down as a result of going downfield on every play, you basically have no confidence in our WR's or defense. The offense that we are running is the offense that one runs when he feels impotent and frightened to put the D in a bad spot.

ND was down 21 in the fourth quarter, they had to keep throwing the ball to try to catch up and keep stopping the clock. When tOSU is 2 scores ahead of a team that's had 3 first downs all day, I don't think we need to be throwing a lot of bombs.

We can let Louisville and Texas Tech impress the pollsters by running up scores. Late in the third quarter, up 49-13, Brian Brohm threw for a 69-yard TD pass. If he would have gotten hit and injured after staying in the pocket a long time to make that throw, would Louisville fans be happy with that call now?

Let's keep winning games, and keep improving our offensive execution. Our formations are much more open than they were a few years ago.

And let's look at other "offensive" coaches and what they've done. Callahan has had a nightmare installing the west-coast offense at Nebraska.

Walt Harris went to Stanford this year. They just lost to 1-2 Cal-Davis, whose previous opponents were New Hampshire and Portland State. That's right, Cal-Davis (who just moved from Div. II to 1-AA), lost to New Hampshire and Portland State, and beat Stanford!

The grass isn't always greener.