Game Thread Game Five: #1 Ohio State 38, #13 Iowa 17 (9/30/06)

[osugrad21]

BN $

Coaches Bollman and Heacock preview the Iowa game.

 

[Best Buckeye]

How can you not like Musberger, he is one of the only intelligent college football commentators out there. But back to the game. If we beat Iowa is it clear sailing to scUM or do you think we will have a tough game at MSU.

Only zurp! haha the other points got lost with his pants
MSU always seems to give us a hard time but they only play one half. For years they have done this except against scum.
:osu:

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

You know who does a great job of broadcasting the games when the Buckeyes are on TV. Paul Keels, Jim Lachey and Jim Karsatos. No sideline "dancing with the stars" bullshit and no question who they are rooting for. It just sucks when the audio doesn't time up with the video.

You have got to be kidding me. I've never heard men who love to hear themselves talk more then those guys. I used to turn off the TV volume and listen to the radio audio. I've listened to plenty of SEC games on the radio when I'm down south and they know how to call a game.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

FIERY HAWKEYE
Iowa quarterback DREW TATE brings plenty of passion to the position every time he steps on the field

Thursday, September 28, 2006


By Bob Baptist THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL ASSOCIATED PRESS Iowa quarterback Drew Tate?s intense gaze reflects the competitiveness he takes on the field each fall Saturday. He?s not averse to taking on teammates who rough up his receivers during practice.


The snapshot moments of
Drew Tate?s career make up a small album in Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz?s mind. There was the first time Ferentz ever met the quarterback, during Tate?s official visit to Iowa.
"He had a letterman?s coat on with a white T-shirt underneath and he weighed about 150 pounds," Ferentz said. "He kind of had a (James) Dean look. He didn?t have a cigarette hanging out of his mouth or stashed behind his ear, but he kind of gave you that (James) Dean look. I said to myself, ?He?s 150 pounds. He?s going to get broken in half.? "
But Tate?s selfconfidence was huge. He had only one question: Whether hotshot quarterback Chris Leak, also visiting that weekend, would sign with Iowa (he went to Florida instead).
"Outside of that, he never asked how many quarterbacks we were looking at, who we were looking at, how many we were going to sign," Ferentz said. "He didn?t really care, which kind of told me this guy is a pretty confident guy."
Then there was the game at Michigan two years ago. Tate?s helmet was ripped off by a blitzing linebacker and he suffered a cut near one eye. A flag stopped the play, but Tate was oblivious. He kept looking downfield for a few seconds before passing incomplete into the end zone.
"He finished the play," Ferentz said.
Finally there was last year in Ohio Stadium. Sacked on third down from the OSU 16-yard line late in the third quarter of an embarrassing loss, Tate spiked the ball in frustration.
Somewhere in the stadium, Tate?s stepfather, Dick Olin, laughed, Tate said this summer. "He liked it. He said, ?That?s my boy.? "
Ferentz said Olin was "probably biting his lip a little bit, too."
That?s how Iowa coaches and some fellow teammates have learned to deal with their fearless, feisty leader, whom Ohio State will face a third and final time in Kinnick Stadium on Saturday night. It will be the rubber match for Tate, a senior from Baytown, Texas. Two years ago, he passed for 331 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-7 Iowa win. Last year, he was limited to 146 yards passing and sacked five times in the 31-6 loss.
Tate got in his linemen?s faces before a crucial down against Iowa State two weeks ago. He said he has fought defensive backs in practice for taking what he felt were cheap shots at his receivers.
"Drew?s a competitor. He?ll get in (your) face," safety Marcus Paschal said. "But it?s all in the love of the game. Nobody?s getting hurt or anything like that, and afterward we can laugh about it."
Tate, who plays the most cerebral of positions, said no one has ever tried to dampen his fire.
"You need that fire," he said. "Some people respond to it differently. But since I?ve been playing at Iowa, everyone has responded positively, all the guys I know. People might say something behind my back, but we?re all in it together and they understand my motives. There?s nothing I don?t think any of my teammates would do for me, and vice versa me for them."
Ferentz said he didn?t have a problem with Tate spiking the ball last year because he didn?t see it as a selfish reaction.
"Did any of us condone what he did? Absolutely not," Ferentz said. "But it made it easier for me and I think everybody on our staff and on our team (that) Drew didn?t do that to show anybody up. He did that because he was frustrated (and) he?s a competitor.
"That?s the part that you admire about Drew . . . (that) he?d jump in front of a train if he felt it would help us win."
Nevertheless, Ferentz said he also pointed out to his firebrand after the spike that there were better times and places to vent. Not where a penalty flag could be thrown on him for causing a delay of the game, or where the other team and 100,000 of its fans could see him lose his cool.
"I?ve always been concerned a little bit about his emotions working for him instead of against him," Ferentz said. "I think he?s turned the table on that."
Tate said not to look for another outburst Saturday.
"I?m older now," he said. "I?m more mature."
[email protected]

 

[osugrad21]

Link

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]OSU under the lights again at Iowa[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]BY JIM NAVEAU - Sep. 28, 2006[/FONT]


[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]COLUMBUS ? Does Ohio State struggle in football games played at night or is perception racing ahead of reality about that subject?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In its last five night games, Ohio State has lost three times. But, as coach Jim Tressel was quick to point out earlier this week, the Buckeyes are 8-4 in games played at night since he arrived in 2001.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And there were a couple of pretty big Ohio State wins at night, like the national championship game against Miami and the 24-7 win over Texas in a No. 1 against No. 2 matchup three weeks ago.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Saturday, No. 1 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will be on the big stage at night again when it plays at No. 13 Iowa (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) in a game that kicks off at 8:13 p.m. EDT.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa fans are fired up for what one Iowa newspaper called ?a sporting event for the ages.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It is the fifth night game in the 77-year history of Kinnick Stadium, but only the third with a kickoff time after 5 p.m. And the Hawkeyes are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2003.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Coach Kirk Ferentz and his players seem to be trying to distance themselves from the hype a little, though.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]When Iowa quarterback Drew Tate was asked how big this game was, he said, ?I?m still going to classes. It?s not that big.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tressel dismissed the idea that Ohio State has had any particular problem with night games.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?I don?t know if any of our guys had any mental problems with it. I don?t know, but I?ve never heard our guys worry about that. It just so happens that if you listed those 12 teams we played at night, they?ve been pretty good ones,? he said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ohio State did take the unusual step of having two night practices in the preseason, though. And wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez spoke about the amount of time the Buckeyes spent preparing for night games earlier this season.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Senior defensive back Antonio Smith said waiting all day to play is the only downside of night games.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?You?re in the hotel all day, watching other teams play. A night game is good because everybody is watching you. It?s definitely a good experience playing a night game. But the biggest challenge is waiting to get out there and play,? Smith said.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Defensive tackle David Patterson said the pre-game routine for night games involves a lot of meetings and film sessions.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]?It gives you one more day to try to find an edge,? he said. ?But it?s kind of weird because you?re spending time with football until football.?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ohio State will be trying to end a streak of losing its Big Ten road opener at three straight games. The Buckeyes lost at Penn State last season, lost at Northwestern in 2004 and at Wisconsin in 2003, all at night. [/FONT]

 

[timBUCK2]

"If you listed those (11) teams we've played at night, they've been pretty good ones ? the Miami Hurricanes for one and Texas twice and Wisconsin and Penn State," Tressel said. "We didn't play Baldwin-Wallace."

That sounds like major billboard material for BW there. JT is usually more careful, so I hope this doesn't come back to bite us on the @ss.

 

[zincfinger]

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060928/HAWKS0104/609280323

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Secondary first in Big Ten[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa's pass defense efficiency 12th nationally[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][/FONT][/FONT]

It always seems strange to me how much attention people pay to stat rankings, especially this early in the season, when your numbers are obviously every bit as much a product of whom you've faced as they are a product of how good you are.

 

[jwinslow]

That sounds like major billboard material for BW there. JT is usually more careful, so I hope this doesn't come back to bite us on the @ss.

What is bulletin board material about that? He simply said they've played a ton of good teams at night, which they have... 04 iowa wasn't at night.

 

[Tipdogusaf]

What is bulletin board material about that? He simply said they've played a ton of good teams at night, which they have... 04 iowa wasn't at night.

I think he was joking about it being bulletin board material for Baldwin Wallace. Because Tressel said we played good teams at night not Baldwin Wallace

 

[BB73]

There's an editing error at the end of this preview. I'm sure Tony didn't want to predict 1 point for Iowa.

ozone

Ohio State vs. Iowa Preview
by Tony Gerdeman

This will be the 61st meeting between Iowa and Ohio State, with the Buckeyes holding the edge 43-14-3.​

In fact, Ohio State is 30-4-1 in the last 35 meetings between the two schools.​

Last season, the Buckeyes thoroughly dominated the Hawkeyes, winning 31-6. In that game, Iowa rushed for (-)9 yards.​

It was a bit of payback given the fact that Iowa did virtually the same thing in a 33-7 win the year before.​

This will be the last meeting for the two schools until 2009--so revenge will have to sit on the shelf for a while.​

In Iowa's history, they are 0-9-1 against the #1 team in the nation. The average score in those ten games is 33-9. The last time they played #1, they lost to Nebraska 42-13 in 2000.​

Saturday's game will mark only the second-ever true night game in Kinnick Stadium. The first night game was in 1992 against #1 Miami. The Hurricanes won 24-7.​

The Hawkeyes have won their last five home openers and the Buckeyes have lost their last three conference road openers. The Buckeyes have won eleven straight overall, good for the second-longest streak in the country.​

The Buckeyes are 21-2 in September under Jim Tressel.​

When Iowa Has the Ball​

Iowa runs a fairly basic pro-style offense, and it all starts with quarterback Drew Tate. Tate is a senior who has seen as much as Big Ten quarterback can. He has had his ups and his downs, but he has always been the catalyst of this team.​

There is still some question whether Tate is 100% recovered from an abdominal strain that caused him to miss the Syracuse game two weeks ago. You have to wonder what it would take to re-aggravate the situation.​

While Drew Tate is still the same quarterback he's been for three years, he has had to adjust where he throws the ball. The Hawkeyes do not have the receivers they have had in the past. Running back Albert Young is the team's leading receiver with eighteen catches for 152 yards.​

Young doesn't just get the ball out of the backfield; he will also line up in the slot quite a bit and Tate will hit him for a quick screen out wide. If linebackers Marcus Freeman, Curtis Terry or John Kerr have to slide out to take him, they have to make the tackle. And if Young actually runs a route, safeties Anderson Russell or Brandon Mitchell will be pressured. It's this formation that may be enough reason for Ohio State to go with the nickel package for most of the game.​

Tate doesn't just throw to Young, however, as tight end Scott Chandler is the second-leading receiver on the team. He's big (6'7" 257) and has soft hands. Nine of his sixteen receptions this season have gone for first downs.​

The Hawkeyes newest, and youngest, weapon is freshman wideout Dominique Douglas. Douglas leads the team with 195 receiving yards on his fourteen receptions. The last two games he's had six receptions for 88 yards and five for 64. Tate is beginning to lean on him. It will be interesting to see if Douglas can continue to deliver given the stakes.​

Buckeye cornerbacks Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith will be able to match up very well with the Hawkeye receivers, but they will need to stay with them a little longer once Tate starts to scramble and look downfield.​

Tate has only been sacked twice this season, so his line has been giving him a decent amount of time. They haven't, however, had to face a defense as active Ohio State yet.​

The Buckeyes would probably like to limit their blitzes and just get after Tate with the front four. Defensive end Vernon Gholston would be a candidate for a big day, as Iowa's tackles aren't terribly experienced. The middle of their offensive line is more experienced, except at center where redshirt freshman Rafael Eubanks will start. If he doesn't yet have Quinn Pitcock and David Patterson running through his head while he sleeps, he will by Sunday.​

And it may get worse. Illinois blitzed Drew Tate quite a bit and got after him, forcing him out of the pocket. Fortunately for Iowa, Tate's not out of his comfort zone running around. He's mobile and shifty, seemingly able to contort his body in an effort to avoid a strong-armed grasp of his jersey.​

If the Buckeye front four can't get pressure on Tate and have to bring blitzers, Tate will be running for his life. But that's when his experience comes in and that's also when patterns break down and so does coverage. That's how Cincinnati was able to move the ball on Ohio State.​

While the offensive line has done a decent job of protecting Tate, they haven't done much for running back Albert Young. Last season, Young led the Big Ten in rushing during conference games. This season, however, he's only rushing for 71 yards per game. He has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game this season. Some of that, however, is due to Iowa's depth at tailback. Damian Sims and Shonn Greene have taken some of his carries. Sims is the big play guy, capable of breaking a long one at any time. Greene is the short-yardage pounder, who just happens to be averaging 6.6 yards per carry. Despite the depth, however, the team's longest run from scrimmage is only 21 yards.​

Expect to see a whole lot of middle linebacker James Laurinaitis greeting Albert Young unfavorably. Laurinaitis is averaging eleven tackles per game over his last three games. He also has three interceptions in those three games.​

As is always the case, the Hawkeyes are very sound in special teams.​

Place-kicker Kyle Schlicher has made five of his six field goal attempts, with a long of 45. He has also hit all eight of his extra points. The Hawkeyes also have another kicker, Austin Signor, who is specializing in kickoffs. Eleven of his 21 kickoffs have been touchbacks. Given the trust the Kirk Ferentz has in his special teams, expect him to kick deep and try to keep any returns from taking place.​

Andy Fenstermaker is the Hawkeye punter. He is averaging 35.3 yards per punt, but he only has a long of 48 yards.​

Iowa's return game is okay, but nothing special. It is doubtful that they will get any kickoffs to return. They do have a few guys that can return punts. Their main returner is Andy Brodell. He has returned ten punts for 121 yards, with a long of 31.​

When Ohio State Has the Ball​

Last week, Troy Smith's streak of five consecutive games with at least 200 yards passing was snapped, as he only threw for 115 against Penn State. He has, however, led the Buckeyes to eleven straight wins. And in those eleven wins, the Buckeyes have scored at least 24 points in each game.​

Obviously, his passing numbers are expected to improve this week, but it may be Smith's running that is the difference.​

In Iowa's last two games, the opposing quarterbacks have gained 79 and 78 yards rushing, respectively. Those numbers come from a combination of designed runs and scrambles. It would not be surprising to see Troy Smith utilized in the same way this week. Keep in mind that he rushed for 127 yards against the Hawkeyes last year as well.​

Trying to keep Smith from getting out of the pocket will be an active defensive line. Defensive tackle Mitch King is third on the team in tackles and has seven tackles for loss including 5.5 sacks. He's small for an interior lineman (6'3" 264), but he's quick and relentless. It would probably be best to attack him by running right at him and having him swallowed up by center Doug Datish and guards Steve Rehring and T.J. Downing.​

Defensive end Kenny Iwebema has 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He will be a stiff test for left tackle Alex Boone, who is finally healthy after playing a bit banged up this season. It showed last week as Boone played his best game of the season. If he can keep Iwebema neutralized, then Troy Smith can decide if and when he wants to take off on the ground.​

Ohio State receivers Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez combined for four catches and 31 yards in last week's rain-soaked game. If the weather cooperates, they should more than make up for those performances. Iowa has a couple of big corners in Adam Shada (6'1" 185) and Charles Godfrey (6'1" 208), but they can't stay with the speed of Ohio State.​

The Hawkeye safeties tend to play way back, so there will be room underneath to throw the ball. They may not allow any long balls, so the Buckeyes just need to remain consistent and sustain their drives. They don't need to get greedy if the deep throw isn't there.​

Buckeye running back Antonio Pittman is currently ranked 11th in the nation in rushing yards per game at 112.5. Last year, Pittman carried the ball 28 times for 171 yards against Iowa. In his 71 carries this season, he has yet to be stopped behind the line of scrimmage.​

Shadowing Pittman all game long will be middle linebacker Mike Klinkenborg and weakside linebacker Edmond Miles. They are the two leading tacklers on the team, with Klinkenborg averaging ten tackles per game and Miles nabbing six. However, between the two of them, they only have 2.5 tackles for loss. Most of their tackles will come a few yards past the line of scrimmage, which is usually enough to keep the chains moving.​

Two weeks ago, Iowa State rushed for 171 yards against the Hawkeyes. The numbers could be similar for the Buckeyes this week.​

Ohio State continues to excel in special teams and field position.​

Fourteen of place-kicker Aaron Pettrey's twenty kickoffs have been touchbacks. If he isn't kicking into a stiff wind, there should not be any Iowa kick returns on Saturday. Pettrey, however, has only made three of his six field goal attempts. It remains to be seen what he does under pressure.​

Punter A.J. Trapasso continues to be just about everything you could want in your punter. He's averaging 42.7 yards per punt and he's kicking the ball high enough to allow the Buckeye gunners to get downfield and make a play.​

Ted Ginn is due for some type of return. In the second half against Penn State last week he started taking the punts upfield immediately rather than looking for something out wide. This is a positive step and one that gains positive yards. It also puts pressure on Iowa to get downfield as quickly as possible.​

How It'll End Up​

If there is no rain Saturday night, emotion will only be able to take the Hawkeyes so far.​

The crowd will certainly be loud and lewd.​

But sometimes repetitive third down pick ups have a way of putting you back in your seat.​

Iowa will get the ball to start the game--they always do. However, they've only scored ten points in the first quarter this season.​

Ohio State will move the ball a little bit early, but won't threaten until late in the first quarter.​

Antonio Pittman will carry the ball at least 25 times for around 150 yards.​

Troy Smith will cut down on his two turnovers from last week, and if he doesn't, the defense will come through. (The Ohio State defense has given up zero points after the offense's four turnovers this season.)​

Ted Ginn and Anthony Gonzalez will find the end zone again.​

Drew Tate will be frustrated again, but will spark a semi-late comeback.​

But they won't get any closer than ten points in the fourth quarter.​

And Quinn Pitcock and Vernon Gholston still won't get blocked. (They'll get held.)​

Ohio State 31 - Iowa 1​

​

 

[osugrad21]

What is bulletin board material about that? He simply said they've played a ton of good teams at night, which they have... 04 iowa wasn't at night.

Kinda slow today I see...

 

[jwinslow]

Kinda slow today I see...

Yep, I took the short bus this morning.

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

Yep, I took the short bus this morning.

I was confused the first time, then I managed to read it again. Don't feel too bad.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Spielman just predicted a 27-13 victory on his radio show.

Exactly the score predicted by Yours Truly as well as BB73...


Paint the end zones!

 

[bkochmc]

Spielman just predicted a 27-13 victory on his radio show.

Exactly the score predicted by Yours Truly as well as BB73...


Paint the end zones!