Game Thread BCS National Championship Game: tOSU 24, LSU 38 (final)

[buckeyesin07]

The Buckeye's scheme was fine. It worked. It just wasn't executed as well as it could have been. A pick and a fumble or two, some bad penalties, a blocked kick (after the robo drop), a great opponent. These are what lost the game. The Buckeyes moved the ball just fine most the night.

Defensively, it occurred to me what the difference is between 02 and now. In 02, it seems to me, the philosophy was "You're not gonna beat us deep very often, so we're gonna take away the short stuff" Much more aggressive. Now OSU seems to be worried about getting beat deep and content to allow the short stuff. LSU did exactly what Florida did.. what Illinois did... dinked and dunked all the way down the field. The did well on 1st down, leaving 2nd and short, and 3rd and short. If there is one adjustment I'd like to see it's to take away the short stuff a little more while trusting the DBs to not get beat deep too often. But... that's just me.

I agree with this. While OSU's offense was not perfect last night, I think it did enough to put OSU in the position to win the game. Unfortunately, when the defense gives up 38, you're not going to win too many games. Two NC games, and the defense has given up a combined 79 points. I agree that at this point it is a matter of the defensive coaching staff implementing a game plan that doesn't work. Too much zone, too much giving up the underneath stuff. At least last night OSU was more aggressive with the blitzing (unlike the Florida game), but blitzing doesn't do much good if the opposing offense can find soft spots in the zone and dump the ball down for a gain of 5-8 yards every time.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Oregon -

Do you realize, after two paragraphs of talking about how the O didn't have any wrinkles and didn't adjust, etc. you followed that up by recognition that Ohio State moved the ball with relative ease?

I don't think I said we moved the ball with relative ease. I said we outgained them meaning the game wasn't as lopsided as the score would suggest and that we can compete with LSU. We just weren't very consistent and shot ourselves in the foot time after time.

It was almost a mirror image of the Illinois game. Huge play right of the bat, scores on the opening two possessions, then lost the battle in the trenches the rest of the way, sloppy tackling, costly turnovers and mistakes, and difficulty with an offense that uses misdirection and thrives on having a mobile QB. This is one offense that has given Heacock fits(though to be fair it gives a lot of people fits) and he better figure out something to slow it down soon because this style of offense is gaining popularity in all of college football.

(Brandon Saine didn't qualify as a wrinkle?)

I guess but he was used sparingly. When I think of the typical Jim Tressel wrinkle it's using something/someone we've seen very little of throughout the game to exploit a weakness of the other team. Take Penn St. this year for instance. Our tight ends were rarely heard of before that game but on that night Todd consistently picked up 1st downs with Nicol and Ballard and even through a TD to Ballard. Saine made a splash then wasn't heard from again until the very end.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Oregon - yeah, I know. I said relative ease. I guess I don't see where you're coming from talking about how the Buckeye O didn't do this, or that, when OSU out gained them. Converting yards to points may be the issue, but moving the ball was clearly not. And I suppose that's a Illinois game like parallel too, come to think of it.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Oregon - yeah, I know. I said relative ease. I guess I don't see where you're coming from talking about how the Buckeye O didn't do this, or that, when OSU out gained them. Converting yards to points may be the issue, but moving the ball was clearly not. And I suppose that's a Illinois game like parallel too, come to think of it.

What I'm saying is I didn't see any adjustments to the pass rush of LSU. When LSU came after Todd, they got to him more often than not and that killed us. I think the perfect way to have forced LSU to back off would have been to dump it off to Maurice Wells or Brandon Saine on a screen to the outside right as the LSU pass rush reached Todd. He was a sitting duck back there waiting for the receivers to get open downfield.

 

[craigblitz]

I still do not see how anyone can blame this on the coaches....

From my point view there was nothing the coaches did or did not do that led to LSU winning..

Grad nailed it...
Dropped TD Pass - That TD gets the whole team amped and fired up again.. Instead LSU blocks the FG gets all the MO and OSU has to think sh** here we go again. That is a HUGE 14 Point swing. Coaches have nothing to do with that.

False Start - Steve Rehring false start near the goalline.. Instead of 2 and 5 it is 2-10 and we have to settle for a field goal. Left 4 points on the board. Again, what does that have to do with coaching

2 Personal Fouls on 1 drive - 30 Yards on one drive...30% of the field was a gift... Great play calling by LSU in a short field... that easily could have a been a 4 to 7 point swing.. Yep coaches had nothing to do with that.

Roughing the Punter - The nail in the coffin.. We were getting MO.. Offenise was moving.. THEN DEFLATED... LSU got the ball scores.. Anotehr 7 points given to them. Can't blame the coaches on that one.

Turnovers - Won't plaster Todd any more, but kid you have to take care of that football!! Can't blame the coaches on that.

I counted 21-25 points OSU left on the field or gave LSU... In the end if we brought our A+ game and eliminated those mistakes I think LSU still wins by 7 because they are the better more experienced team.

The only questionable thing I have is the abaondoment of the run which was working.. Ladies and Gents we have the best running back in the nation in our backfield... run that horse to death.. He wants the ball.. He makes things happen... 3rd and 4 when it was two down territory... That is Beanie time for 2 plays if need be..

 

[OregonBuckeye]

The only questionable thing I have is the abaondoment of the run which was working.. Ladies and Gents we have the best running back in the nation in our backfield... run that horse to death.. He wants the ball.. He makes things happen... 3rd and 4 when it was two down territory... That is Beanie time for 2 plays if need be..

LSU did a pretty good job of containing him after the first quarter. I believe he had something like 10 carries for 27 yards in the second half and we were playing catch-up.

 

[kn1f3party]

I still do not see how anyone can blame this on the coaches....

From my point view there was nothing the coaches did or did not do that led to LSU winning..

Grad nailed it...
Dropped TD Pass - That TD gets the whole team amped and fired up again.. Instead LSU blocks the FG gets all the MO and OSU has to think sh** here we go again. That is a HUGE 14 Point swing. Coaches have nothing to do with that.

False Start - Steve Rehring false start near the goalline.. Instead of 2 and 5 it is 2-10 and we have to settle for a field goal. Left 4 points on the board. Again, what does that have to do with coaching

2 Personal Fouls on 1 drive - 30 Yards on one drive...30% of the field was a gift... Great play calling by LSU in a short field... that easily could have a been a 4 to 7 point swing.. Yep coaches had nothing to do with that.

Roughing the Punter - The nail in the coffin.. We were getting MO.. Offenise was moving.. THEN DEFLATED... LSU got the ball scores.. Anotehr 7 points given to them. Can't blame the coaches on that one.

Turnovers - Won't plaster Todd any more, but kid you have to take care of that football!! Can't blame the coaches on that.

I counted 21-25 points OSU left on the field or gave LSU... In the end if we brought our A+ game and eliminated those mistakes I think LSU still wins by 7 because they are the better more experienced team.

The only questionable thing I have is the abaondoment of the run which was working.. Ladies and Gents we have the best running back in the nation in our backfield... run that horse to death.. He wants the ball.. He makes things happen... 3rd and 4 when it was two down territory... That is Beanie time for 2 plays if need be..

I don't see how the coaches are blameless. The coaches may not have been on the field making the penalties, failing in their blocking assignments, or missing tackles but they play a huge role in preparing a team, keeping them focused, and making adjustments to slow and swing momentum the other way.

 

[DEBuckeye]

I think osugrad's 5 points a few posts back summed it up very well. But what I don't understand is this- LSU didn't really do anything different from what they've been doing most of the year, and our D looked confused about how to stop them. We've got access to game film, how could they not be prepared for what might be coming at them? Am I missing something? It is shocking to see a Tressel game plan get shut down twice in big games. This is something he's very good at, and I'm very surprised to see him stumped.

Having said that, I have to agree with what several have already said- we had a great season. We've had a great several years. There are hundreds of D-1 programs who would kill for the results we've had since Tressel has taken over.

Our guys don't go into a game looking to lose- they practice hard and play hard, and mistakes or not, I believe they give it their best.

As bummed out, or angry as you may be, you NEVER give up. We are The Ohio State University, and we'll be back next year to give this another shot.

 

[buckeyesin07]

I still do not see how anyone can blame this on the coaches....

From my point view there was nothing the coaches did or did not do that led to LSU winning..

Grad nailed it...
Dropped TD Pass - That TD gets the whole team amped and fired up again.. Instead LSU blocks the FG gets all the MO and OSU has to think sh** here we go again. That is a HUGE 14 Point swing. Coaches have nothing to do with that.

False Start - Steve Rehring false start near the goalline.. Instead of 2 and 5 it is 2-10 and we have to settle for a field goal. Left 4 points on the board. Again, what does that have to do with coaching

2 Personal Fouls on 1 drive - 30 Yards on one drive...30% of the field was a gift... Great play calling by LSU in a short field... that easily could have a been a 4 to 7 point swing.. Yep coaches had nothing to do with that.

Roughing the Punter - The nail in the coffin.. We were getting MO.. Offenise was moving.. THEN DEFLATED... LSU got the ball scores.. Anotehr 7 points given to them. Can't blame the coaches on that one.

Turnovers - Won't plaster Todd any more, but kid you have to take care of that football!! Can't blame the coaches on that.

The only questionable thing I have is the abaondoment of the run which was working..

I can't say I disagree with anything you posted here. However, I still think the defensive game plan was a bit suspect. Too much zone, and LSU (much like Florida last year), had too much success finding the soft spots in the zone.

I have seen several posters say that we abandoned the run. When are you talking about? If it's in the second half, we didn't get the ball until we were down 21. I'm just curious when you thought we abandoned the run and weren't down multiple TDs in the second half, at which time you kind of have to abandon the run.

 

[buckeyesin07]

What I'm saying is I didn't see any adjustments to the pass rush of LSU. When LSU came after Todd, they got to him more often than not and that killed us.

I think they got to Todd more often than not because our receivers weren't open. Even when LSU blitzed, I think our line did a good enough job mostly of giving him sufficient time to throw. I just don't think he had anywhere to throw the ball. Now, if by adjustments to the pass rush you mean mixing up the routes our receivers were running, looking for the TE, or looking for the RB out of the backfield, I totally agree.

 

[bkochmc]

I must be a glutton for punishment... just read this thread. I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said but I do have a few thoughts from some posts...

For such a high standards board before the game it has turned ugly. Dont be so sore. LSU is a good team. The tigers may not be faster than you guy:osu:s but on TV it sure looked like it, esp. on Defense. Good LUCK next year! GEAUX TIGERS, P.S. You guys will be loaded next season.

Was the difference in this game speed? No, I thought OSU looked just as fast as LSU.
Was the difference in this game athletes? No, again OSU matched most of LSU's athletes fairly well.
What was the difference? Execution. LSU executed their gameplan to near perfection (minus 1 interception) where OSU left many opportunities on the field and made some stupid mistakes (personal foul penalties). Credit LSU's execution to Miles and his coaching staff.

Well... as far as rebuilding years go... it's been an interesting one. Proud of my Buckeyes.

Good game to LSU and congrats.

I just found myself itching for spring ball to get here... turn, turn, turn.

Suggestion for all "waiting" for spring ball to get here... OSU does have a basketball team that is starting to put things together... cheer them on! (Not directed just at Deety).

Wish I could rep all those who deserve it and ding all those who didn't. Woody didn't win one in the 70's, that's how hard it is. Tressel will keep us in it every year. Believe!!

One of the better after-game comments I've seen. It is TOUGH to win a national championship, let alone be in the position to win 3 in 6 years. Tressel has spoiled today's Ohio State fans just like Woody spoiled Ohio State fans from 1951-1978.

 

[craigblitz]

LSU didn't really do anything different from what they've been doing most of the year, and our D looked confused about how to stop them.

I don't think we looked confused.. a couple of plays yes but overall no... LSU didn't need to do a lot of things different.. the things they ran.. they ran very well... Sign of a good team!

have seen several posters say that we abandoned the run. When are you talking about? If it's in the second half, we didn't get the ball until we were down 21

I am talking as early as the first half... we were moving the football pretty well with the run.. then we go for some deep balls (which is a good thing from time to time.) Even down 21 you have to show patience... 2 quarters of football are left.. Our BEST weapon is Wells... We have to fully utilize him throughout the game and have the disipline and patience to do so. But that is why I am typing on this keyboard and the coaches earn a living making those decisions.

 

[Jaxbuck]

For me, the night is simply summed up with:

Personal fouls
Roughing the punter
Robo not making a play he usually makes in his sleep
LSU with 3rd and 1 again...
OSU abandoning the run

Yep

The worst part to me is the last point. We talked in the general Bowl discussion thread about how many coaches this year took an L because they got away from what they do and how lucky we were to have a coach that doesn't suffer from that. We spoke too soon.

I'd rather go down to LSU slamming Beanie into 11 man fronts than asking Boeckman to carry us. Simply from the mathmatical point of view, the first ones at least has a possibility of success. Not ripping TB, he's done as well as could be expected but he has his limitations. At this point in his career if you make him throw it enough he's going to have some turnovers.

Also I think its time we examine everything we do on defense and make some changes. UF, Illinois and LSU completely exposed us. It's time to acknowledge we have a problem and fix it.

 

[Lockup]

I have three big hats off in this game.

1. Beanie: IMO he is the only one who showed up for all four quarters. Even when he did not get many yards he ran very hard I thought and the stiff arm that put the LSU guy on his butt was great.

2. OSU fans that made the trip. I am not sure I ever heard a break down in the dome but from what I saw and heard there look to be a hell of a lot more bucks fans there than anyone thought there would be. I did not hear the LSU fans being that much louder than us.

3. The team getting there in the first place. I know that sounds kind of wussy like but hey they were never suppose to be there to begin with.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Now, if by adjustments to the pass rush you mean mixing up the routes our receivers were running, looking for the TE, or looking for the RB out of the backfield, I totally agree.

That's exactly what I mean.