Game Thread Eastern Michigan at tOSU, Sat Sep 25, 3:30 ET ABC/ESPN

[Bill Lucas]

I for one think the running lanes are fine... It's a matter of the back running through a few arms tackles and picking up tough yards. Not often will there but huge gaping holes to run through. This game to me makes me think Tress & Co see that Saine is just totally ineffective when it comes to a true running threat.

Once again the younger backs get a little more work and look at the progress they put up. On a couple of Hall's runs he side stepped a few guys cut it up and got north/south in hurry! Something that at the time I know Saine probably couldn't replicate. Hall brings the shiftiness that none of our backs have and Berry is just so fast. I truely think that those guys will be getting more and more carries in the near future.

Our two primary backs seem (to me) to do way too much dancing before they hit the hole. Hit it and hit it hard. The lack of momentum going into the hole reduces the potential gain IMO. Read it, commit to it and hit it.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

10. If Alabama and Nebraska (or Florida and Oklahoma) win out, then Ohio State probably gets edged out of the title game. Because of their conference title games, an undefeated team from the SEC or the Big XII will have one extra win against a quality opponent. An undefeated Ohio State could play an undefeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl ... for nothing but pride. But that's the BCS system....

Good observations, but I just have to disagree with this one for several reasons. First, the B12 has had their shot for the past two years and their teams got beat. Secondly, the B12 is getting about 1/10 of the hype that they received two years ago, when the media was billing just about every QB in that conference as a Heisman candidate. Lastly and most importantly, the chances of anyone going undefeated in that conference is very low. I would say it's around the same probability as Wisconsin going undefeated for the rest of the year.

Also keep in mind that if either Boise or TCU stays undefeated, the voters would have to drop them below OU/Neb for that to happen. That's a mental barrier that's going to be hard to overcome for a lot of voters.

 

[Zander42]

I find myself pleased as a Buckeye fan and Eastern alum regarding yesterday's game. Yes, the Buckeyes helped themselves to points by the bucket full. Yet, Eastern created enough things to keep the Buckeyes honest and still learning for the future. Win-win, for me.
I had no idea that Eastern only had 66 scholarship players. :wow:

I'd have to agree with you. I'd be reasonably pleased if I were and EMU alum, despite the score. It was such a bizarre game. I though EMU played very well. They did not do anything stupid to give the game away, they were just beat man to man by each Ohio State player, in every position. And that's OK if your EMU, you knew they were better going in, just don't give them (tOSU) anything easy. I thought Ohio State had to earn each of their points. As far as opponents go, I thought EMU gave tOSU the most well played game of any opponent this year, they just didn't have the athletes to make a difference. It's just so strange to say that in a 73-20 game, but that's how I saw it.

If I were a coach for either team, I would be pretty happy. Plenty to learn from, plenty that both teams did well, and Ohio State gets enough highlight reel and style points to keep the media and pollsters happy. Win-win-win.

Now bring on the Big Ten!

 

[UpNorthBuckeye]

Okay, one more eensy-weensy slightly negative observation. I seem to recall yelling at the linebackers as much as I was yelling at DBs. I think most of the time they were responsible for the TEs getting open so much.

Not that I'm an expert.

I know we've had injuries at the 3d linebacker spot, and we all know Rolle is a little vertically-challenged. But, I don't see us getting much better. Maybe Newsome will continue to develop --- I think he "looks good" out there, not that I graded him or anything. He just looks good.

Certainly it's a good game for the defense, to let them know they have not "arrived" yet and they're not all that.

I pity Illinois.

and not just because they have a weird coach!

Go Bucks!
Just Win, Baby!

 

[LitlBuck]

9. In my season preview, I said that Ohio State, on paper, is at least a touchdown better than any team on their schedule. I'd like to revise that statement and say that the Buckeyes are at least two touchdowns better than any team on their schedule. There is no excuse for anything less than 12-0 this year. Whether that's good enough to get them to the BCS title game remains to be seen.

10. If Alabama and Nebraska (or Florida and Oklahoma) win out, then Ohio State probably gets edged out of the title game. Because of their conference title games, an undefeated team from the SEC or the Big XII will have one extra win against a quality opponent. An undefeated Ohio State could play an undefeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl ... for nothing but pride. But that's the BCS system....

I respect the majority of your opinions LJB because I know you follow college football a lot more closely than I do but I have to disagree vehemently with this statement. The Big XII isn't that strong this year except maybe for Nebraska so I don't know where the SOS is going to come from Oklahoma, Nebraska, or Texas except maybe when they play each other. The SEC might be a little stronger top to bottom than the Big Ten but Alabama and Florida SOS isn't going to be that much stronger than Ohio State's especially when you consider that Ohio State will have to play Wisconsin and Iowa both on the road and I would like to see how any of the above 5 teams would do against them especially when you say that Ohio State is going to beat them because they will be undefeated. Statements #9 and #10 just don't add up like they usually do when you make one of your quality posts.

 

[jwinslow]

2010 E Mich Photo Gallery

229 photos online.

I don't always shoot Carmen Ohio, and I packed up to head home without it. Then I spotted Jabari walking over to Carmen Ohio. After trying a few different angles but having folks walk up, I opted to just shoot what I could overhead with my camera phone.

As you can see he was enjoying the moment, and he even did a little hidden 'o-hi-o' to himself below the guy's sleeve in the foreground (I didn't upload that pic since it was blocked off).

You really have to tip your cap to their QB Gilette. He made a number of completions under pressure or even during.

There were 2 or 3 like this on that scoring drive.

 

[Coqui]

There were 2 or 3 like this on that scoring drive.

And you can't fault the secondary too much...any tighter coverage and it would have been passing interference. Gllett made some amazing passes.

 

[LitlBuck]

And you can't fault the secondary too much...any tighter coverage and it would have been passing interference. Gllett made some amazing passes.

and their receivers made some excellent receptions especially the one that went for a touchdown.

Very nice pics Josh

 

[jeffflynn55]

20 points?

Is anyone else concerned that a team with a 0-16 record managed to score 20 pints on our defense? I couldn't find the game on TV, and probably wouldn't have watched it anyway, because it was a joke. Did the starters for OSU stay in the whole game? Were the EMU touchdowns scored against the starting defense?

 

[osugrad21]

Is anyone else concerned that a team with a 0-16 record managed to score 20 pints on our defense? I couldn't find the game on TV, and probably wouldn't have watched it anyway, because it was a joke. Did the starters for OSU stay in the whole game? Were the EMU touchdowns scored against the starting defense?

Nope...not concerned. Starting defense at the time...but the secondary is ravaged with injuries and EMU's Qb made some perfect throws under serious pressure. The film will be perfect teaching moments for a bunch of DBs that will need to step up. However, I have full confidence it will be fixed.

 

[osugrad21]

And you can't fault the secondary too much...any tighter coverage and it would have been passing interference. Gllett made some amazing passes.

Eh, the TE throws have multiple levels of blame...from free release on the DL to LBs not impeding vertical routes to late safeties.

 

[buckeyeintn]

Not in the least. The sky is not falling.

Is anyone else concerned that a team with a 0-16 record managed to score 20 pints on our defense? I couldn't find the game on TV, and probably wouldn't have watched it anyway, because it was a joke. Did the starters for OSU stay in the whole game? Were the EMU touchdowns scored against the starting defense?

 

[Zander42]

Is anyone else concerned that a team with a 0-16 record managed to score 20 pints on our defense? I couldn't find the game on TV, and probably wouldn't have watched it anyway, because it was a joke. Did the starters for OSU stay in the whole game? Were the EMU touchdowns scored against the starting defense?

Not really. Like Woody said, they have guys on scholarship too, and even though they don't match up with our guys, they do know how to play football. Most of them have even played a game or two before. :)

There is no defense for a perfectly thrown ball thrown at exactly the right time. And that is basically what we saw on those scoring drives. Coupled with a few possible interceptions that didn't happen, the results are some scores. Most teams, most of the time, are going to make a mistake driving down the field like that. A slight delay in the QB release, and it's a sack, a fumble, and int or an incomplete. One of their receivers doesn't quite get a grip on the ball fast enough and he gets popped and the ball comes loose. On those three drives, none of this things happened, and that's how it goes sometimes.

There definitely mistakes on the defense side during those drives. I'm sure they lost some focus when we were up by 3 scores against one of the worst teams (on paper) in the FBS. How could you not loose a bit of a step in that situation, anyone would. The D-line slowed down a little, the LB's weren't so quick to recognize those TE's releasing and the DB's were pups for the most part.

Now, I'm being philosophical and all trying to keep everyone safely away from the cliff. I do recognize that these types of mental gaffs could cost us a game. But I don't think the defense is likely to loose focus like that at say, Wisky or Iowa, the same way they might against EMU, up three scores. It's just not bloody likely. If that happens, the the O will have to step up. Our O can score on anyone in the country, anyone. If our O is having a bad day at the same time that the D looks bad, then we'll likely loose, simple as that.

One final thought. Don't think for a minute that EMU stopped trying after their third touchdown. They would have loved nothing more than to go score for score with us in the second half. Can you imagine if they had 'won' the second half. Did that happen? Not even close. The Defense found the gaps in their plan, plugged them, stepped up and finished the game. They realized that even lowly EMU can gash them if they don't bring it every play. They realize they are not gods, and that is a fucking valuable lesson to learn on a 73-20 afternoon.

 

[SCBuck13]

Eh, the TE throws have multiple levels of blame...from free release on the DL to LBs not impeding vertical routes to late safeties.

To me, it seemed like the LB's were to blame for the TE completions. It seemed like on multiple occasions the strongside linebacker would get caught not reading his keys and the TE would slip into the secondary with no collision, so the safety would have to react very quickly.

It was probably a case of the defense thinking that they could get by on talent alone, due to playing an inferior opponent. Just have to focus on some fundamentals, and everything should be fine.

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

6. In the first three games, the Ohio State defense forced 12 turnovers and gave up a total of 17 points. Yesterday, the D forced just one turnover and gave up 20 points. I realize the EMU quarterback Alex Gillett really threaded the needle on some of his throws (especially the two TD's), but TE Ben Thayer (5 receptions for 75 yards) was wide open on several occasions. I don't mind a "bend but not break" defensive philosophy ... as long as you don't break ... and EMU broke OSU three times. In a 73-20 blow-out it's easy to overlook that fact, but Ohio State will face some very good offenses in the Big Ten, and their defense needs to tighten up just a bit.

Wholeheartedly agree. We could get exposed big time by a team that will constantly attack the middle passing...

10. If Alabama and Nebraska (or Florida and Oklahoma) win out, then Ohio State probably gets edged out of the title game. Because of their conference title games, an undefeated team from the SEC or the Big XII will have one extra win against a quality opponent. An undefeated Ohio State could play an undefeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl ... for nothing but pride. But that's the BCS system....

Wholeheartedly disagree. We win out, we're in...period. We're #2 with a bullet for a reason. Nebraska has to hope both BSU and TCU lose...Oregon will drop a game in conference play, so Nebraska would jump them. With us entering Big Ten play and Boise State entering WAC play, our clear conference rating advantage will keep us ahead of Boise State regardless of how BSU blows our their opponents...and Boise State has to play at Nevada who is a tough team this year with Colin Kaepernick at QB.