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

[osugrad21]

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferentz, Hawkeyes not discouraged[/FONT]​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Loss to top-ranked Buckeyes drops Iowa six spots in polls[/FONT]​

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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By Andy Hamilton
Iowa City Press-Citizen [/FONT][/FONT]​

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[/FONT][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Kirk Ferentz said Saturday night that those associated with the Iowa football program feel the worst is behind the Hawkeyes.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]He was referring to quarterback Drew Tate's abdominal strain, although the statement might also fit Iowa's list of opponents after Ohio State handled the Hawkeyes 38-17.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Buckeyes came into Kinnick Stadium as the nation's top-ranked team. They did nothing to damage their reputation, intercepting Tate three times, collecting four turnovers, doubling Iowa in possession time and leaving the Hawkeyes with their first loss.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Iowa (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) dropped six spots to No. 19 in both polls Sunday, but the second loss in 27 home games didn't seem knock the Hawkeyes down too far in the confidence department going into their meeting with Purdue (4-1, 1-0).[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"I didn't see anything from where I stand that left me discouraged," Ferentz said. "We're going to have a good football team. We feel confident about that. But we're not taking it for granted, either. It's not just going to happen because we've improved in the past. That's not automatic."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Especially until Iowa's search for offensive reliability ends. The Hawkeyes shuffled offensive linemen around last week, and center Rafael Eubanks didn't play with a knee injury. Tate and left tackle Dace Richardson were among those who were in and out of practice, and Iowa was hit and miss as a unit.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Hawkeyes accumulated 336 yards against the Buckeyes and posted scoring drives of 66, 80 and 86 yards. But they also had six possessions that lasted three or fewer plays and held the ball for less than six minutes during the second half.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"We've been through five games and our offense still hasn't done what it's capable of doing," Tate said, "and everyone knows that."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tate blamed himself for Iowa's offensive issues against Ohio State, although his misfires were hardly the only Hawkeye mistakes. Tate completed 19-of-41 passing for 249 yards and a touchdown. He missed some open receivers, but he also was victimized by a handful of dropped passes and hurried into throws by the blitzing Buckeyes.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"I wasn't completing passes," Tate said. "I was missing guys. ... One of the things I could feel happening in the first half was my timing on timing routes -- I was just a hair too soon for the receivers. If I could just hold it for a split-second more, the ball would be a little bit late and they'd have time to come out of their cuts and look for the ball. That's just me not doing what I'm supposed to do."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But Iowa's coaches wondered if the practice time Tate missed during the past five weeks played a part.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"He's probably his own worst critic, and you could probably see some frustration, but I thought he competed all the way through it," Ferentz said. "He missed a few throws -- a couple things he'd like to have back, certainly. But he's missed some practice time. I'm not making excuses for him, but he has missed some practice time over the last several weeks."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Tate said offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe suggested that his injury might be playing a factor on the sidelines during the second half.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Then I got to thinking about it," Tate said. "I've been playing this game a long time. If I can't go back there and complete a comeback or a hook route from not throwing all week, maybe just half a week, that's still no excuse."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The injury that sidelined Tate against Syracuse has prevented the Hawkeyes from utilizing backup Jason Manson at receiver, and when it flared up again during Tuesday's practice Ferentz wondered if there was a possibility that the Hawkeyes might have to shut Tate down for an extended time.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"That was my concern after Tuesday," Ferentz said. "You can't move forward if you're up and down all the time, stopping and starting."[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ferentz said this is the first time he's been around an injury like this. He said the Iowa staff did some research and found another quarterback going through the same thing and making progress.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"We're not out of the woods, but I feel better now than I did a week ago or two weeks ago," Ferentz said. "That's a positive. When he pulled out Tuesday, I was a little concerned about that. But he came back and practiced well the next two days. It's just good to know somebody else out there is going through something similar to this.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"At least we're all kind of feeling now that the worst is behind us."[/FONT][/FONT]

 

[osugrad21]

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Police arrest out-of-staters for allegedly selling fake tickets​

Three men facing various charges​

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By Iowa City Press-Citizen
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Police arrested three out-of-state men for allegedly selling fake tickets to Saturday's Iowa-Ohio State football game.
Kevin Bryant, 48, of Decatur, Ga., was charged with two counts of forgery and fifth-degree theft. According to police reports, Bryant traded a fake Iowa football ticket for a leather jacket. When arrested at 11:20 a.m. in the 1000 block of Melrose Avenue, police allegedly found Bryant with numerous fake tickets and cash.
Calvin E. Harris, 38, of Apopka, Fla., was arrested at 2:50 p.m. at Burlington and Front streets for forgery and interference with official acts. Police said Harris was holding out tickets to sell. When Harris saw the officer, he hid his tickets and ran off when the officer asked to see the tickets. Harris also had other fake tickets and a large amount of cash on him when caught, police reports show.
About 4 p.m. at Burlington and Clinton streets, police arrested Demetrius Williams, 29, of Bronx, N.Y., for two counts of forgery, criminal mischief and obstruction of emergency communications. Police reports show Williams sold fake tickets to two people.
One of the buyers confronted Williams and attempted to call 911. Williams broke the man's cell phone to prevent him from calling the police.
Saturday's game at Kinnick Stadium had a sellout crowd. Early last week, tickets were selling for as much as $1,000 online.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Bye, bye hype

Commentary

Jason Brummond - The Daily Iowan

His hands sucked in the pigskin. He turned toward the middle of the field and gave a desperately raucous audience a reason to hope.

But before Kinnick's fans, who had left no seats unfilled more than 20 minutes before game time, could raise and whip those white towels once more, out came the ball from tight end Scott Chandler's grasp, a fourth-quarter fumble recovered by Ohio State. With it seemed to go the Hawkeyes' chances for the ultimate upset, beating the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time in school history.

When powerhouses such as the Buckeyes are presented with missed tackles, turnovers, dropped passes, and poor decisions, it's expected of them to bury the opposition. But this squad gave Iowa chance after chance. And the Hawkeyes faltered, like an overmatched group under the beam of burning lights and pressure of proportions rarely faced.

A Hawkeye defensive stand on the ensuing possession gave the offense yet another chance to narrow the 31-17 margin. With 6:47 left in the final period, Iowa took over on its own six. One play later, for the second time in the ball game, a Drew Tate pass intended for Herb Grigsby was intercepted.

If the nail wasn't already pounded all the way into the coffin, that last knock shut it tight as could be.

"We're giving [the Buckeyes] a lot of credit, and they deserve credit, because they played a great game, but at the same time, the first half was anybody's game, and even during the third quarter and fourth quarter, it was anybody's game," wide receiver Andy Brodell said. "If a couple plays go our way, if a couple turnovers aren't made, we're gonna be in business. But we didn't take care of business, and it was pretty evident."

Almost every Iowa player spoke the same way after the 38-17 loss. Things could have been different if foolish mistakes had been minimized. Then again, foolish mistakes become a lot easier to make when up against teams of the highest caliber.

"I think we were in it up until the end," defensive tackle Mitch King, arguably the most impressive Hawkeye of the game, said. "I think our offense is capable of making those two scores quickly. We were never out of that game until the clock was done.

"We just made some mistakes, and they jumped on them."

Now it's all gone. All the hype and the glamour was packed into ESPN's and ABC's trucks and led back to the interstate. No more Herky heads on crowd-pleasing commentators, no more parties in Hubbard Park. It was all fun, but Iowa is Iowa again. It's back to ESPNU for Hawkeye football next week.

Kirk Ferentz said after the game he thought his team prepared and played tough.

"I didn't see anything, from where I stand, that left me discouraged," he said. "I think we're going to be a good football team. We feel confident about that, but we're not taking it for granted, either. It's not just going to happen because we've improved in the past. That's no automatic."

Saturday against Purdue is a must-win chance at redemption. The Boilermakers' high-flying offense averages almost 37 points per game.

It's not Ohio State, but it's not a walk-in-the-park. Kinnick must rock just as hard, and the mistakes of the week before must be eliminated, if the hurt is to be stopped at one loss.

 

[lvbuckeye]

"We're giving [the Buckeyes] a lot of credit, and they deserve credit, because they played a great game, but at the same time, the first half was anybody's game, and even during the third quarter and fourth quarter, it was anybody's game," wide receiver Andy Brodell said. "If a couple plays go our way, if a couple turnovers aren't made, we're gonna be in business. But we didn't take care of business, and it was pretty evident."

Almost every Iowa player spoke the same way after the 38-17 loss. Things could have been different if foolish mistakes had been minimized. Then again, foolish mistakes become a lot easier to make when up against teams of the highest caliber.

"I think we were in it up until the end," defensive tackle Mitch King, arguably the most impressive Hawkeye of the game, said. "I think our offense is capable of making those two scores quickly. We were never out of that game until the clock was done.

"We just made some mistakes, and they jumped on them."

you know, Tressel must really be a sadistic SOB. i think he really enjoys messing with people's minds... he blows these guys out, and they all think they were still in it... and it's not like it's the first time i've watched him do it, either... Earth to Iowa (Idiots Out Wandering Around is such a great acronym!): you were NEVER in the game. Tressel was TOYING with you.

 

[TimTaylor75]

Iowa wasn't flagged once all night....

He still caught it and scored, so this one doesn't bother me too much.

 

[osugrad21]

OZone

Football
The-Ozone Note and Quotebook
By John Porentas
Anderson Out: OSU sophomore starting safety Anderson Russell was lost for the season in the first quarter of the Iowa game when he sustained a knee injury while covering a kickoff.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Anderson Russell [/FONT]

"From what I gather it's a season-ending injury, and that's a shame because he's a great kid and a great player and was really doing a fine job as a safety, but he'll be back," said OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel. "That's the great thing about today's world is those guys get some injuries and they get back, it just won't be this year, so someone is going to have to step up for us to keep moving on," said Tressel.
That someone at Iowa was sophomore Jamario O'Neal. O'Neal saw considerable playing time last season but his time has been limited thus far this season.
"Coming into the preseason I had my wisdom teeth taken out. I think that kind of set me back a little bit," said O'Neal.
"Really I was tackling in practice, but it's picking the ball off and making plays on the ball because that's what the coaches want. They don't want somebody that's going to make a thousand tackles. They want the ball. I think that's what I had to work on," O'Neal said.
O'Neal was happy for the chance to play, but not happy about the circumstances that got him on the field.
"The coaches always say you're just one injury away. It's not like you want somebody to get hurt or anything like that, but that's just how the game is. You never wish for anyone to get hurt," he said.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jamario O'Neal [/FONT]

"I didn't know what was up, then I saw Anderson laying down. I thought 'Oh my God, I've got to get in. It wasn't like I was anxious, but my heart was beating so fast I just went in there," O'Neal said.
Despite some jitters early, O'Neal played reasonably well against Iowa. He has always been known for his athleticism, but has had some learning to do about what the OSU coaching staff is looking for in their safeties.
"After the first series I calmed down and just let it go and started making plays," O'Neal said.
"Defense is a game of takeaways and tackling. As a secondary it's also pass breakups and interceptions. We're just trying to show that we can do things better than last year's team. We didn't have that many takeaways. Now we're showing we can do the extra stuff and make interceptions and fumble recoveries and things like that," said O'Neal.
Napping on the Sidelines: The officiating in the Iowa game left more than just a little to be desired. The officials missed at least two calls in Iowa's first scoring drive that allowed the Hawkeyes to keep the ball, one a phantom interference call on Donald Washington and the other an incomplete pass call on what looked like a clear fumble by Iowa quarterback Drew Tate. The most egregious call, however, was the call of an incomplete pass on a catch made by Teddy Ginn in the second half. The officials on the field actually got the call right, but somehow the replay official inexplicably made absolutely the wrong call to overturn the one on the field. It was truly a mystifying turn of events.
One call that they did get right was the delay of game call on an OSU kickoff. OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel took full responsibility for what he said was a proper call by the officials.
"When they spot the ball ready to play you have 25 seconds to kick it," said Tressel.
"We're so used to that doggone game, people standing around for hours it seems like, and we didn't notice (the ball had been spotted).
"It was our fault on the sideline as coaches for not saying hey, lets go. I feel terrible about it, but you almost fall asleep during some of these TV timeouts. Anyway, we (the OSU coaching staff) messed up," Tressel said.
Out-Ginning Ginn: OSU fans have become accustomed to seeing kick returner and wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. make spectacular plays that take advantage of his speed and nifty moves, but against Iowa it was wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez that made the spectacular run after a catch for a score. It was somewhat of a risky play for Gonzalez, who ran backward about five yards before finally moving up field toward the goal line some 20 yards away.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Anthony Gonzalez [/FONT]

"Generally you don't want to try something like that unless you're sure that you can get the yards back that you lost by going backwards. From what I saw I felt like I could probably do that," Gonzalez said.
"I think with any guy with phenomenal speed they learn early in their career to give ground to get ground," said OSU quarterback Troy Smith.
"Sometimes that can come back to haunt you, but with a guy like Anthony Gonzalez, he an do that, turn the boosters on, the jets, whatever you want to call it and he can speed around the side. The guys up front did a great job with holding up their front four and Gonzo made a great play," Smith said.
Gonzalez got those yards back and then went the rest of the distance of the field to score what went into the books as a 30 yard touchdown reception. The play brought a smile to the faces of not just OSU fans, but to the other players on the field as well.
"The play that Gonzo made tonight, that was one of the best runs that I've seen since I've started playing football," said OSU left guard Steve Rehring.
"It's fun to play for those guys and with those guys. If we do our job they can make plays."
Defense Not Impressed: While the OSU defense came up with four turnovers that included three interceptions and fumble recovery, the members of that defense were not exactly overjoyed with their performance against Iowa despite the avalanche of defensive big plays.
"We've had better games," said defensive end Vernon Gholston.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Vernon Gholston [/FONT]

"This was probably one of our worse games of the season, but going against a team like Iowa you can't expect everything to go perfect.
"Me personally, no. I was not satisfied with what we did. Defense is all about stopping an offense." Gholston said.
Iowa at times early in the game was able to run the ball some between the tackles and scored the first rushing touchdown of the season against the OSU defense. Despite what they themselves termed a sub-par performance, they'll take the win.
"They gouged us on the run a little bit here and there but it's a Big Ten victory for us and hopefully we can keep it going,:" said OSU linebacker James Laurinaitis.
Senior defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock likes the fact that the young OSU defense understands that it still has a ways to go even though the team has been successful thus far this season.
"A lot of these younger guys are very mature," Pitcock said.
"They're able to go through the rookie mistakes and kind of sit back and learn. I think the thing with us is that we're kind of calm out there and we don't get hysterical when we make mistakes," he said.
Running Game Ramping Up: OSU running backs Antonio Pittman and Chris Wells were both extremely effective against the Hawkeyes. Pittman went over 100 yards for the fourth time this season in the game and Wells came in to add over 70 more yards to OSU's rushing total. OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel was pleased with the production of his running game. Wells was just happy to finally be able to contribute in a constructive way.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Chris Wells [/FONT]

"It felt real good. I've just been patient. I think tonight my time came and the coaches let me go out there and play," said Wells.
"I was just so glad I could go out there and help the team really," he said.
One of Wells' best runs of the night was also one of his shortest. Facing a fourth and one the Buckeyes handed the ball to Wells who powered his way to a first down. The play preceded the big play made by Gonzalez and kept that drive alive. Wells said his tough run was simply what he expects of himself. He also added that he had more than just a little help on the play.
"I don't know what to tell you about that really. Fourth and one, I look at it that my father always taught me that if you're a running back and you can't get a yard, they don't need you," he said.
"I just got right behind him (OSU left tackle Alex Boone) and went," Wells said.
Wells made it sound simple, but OSU offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said that there was more to it than that, like an abundance of talent.
"Chris Wells is a pretty good short yardage back," he said.
Cut Off the Head of the Snake: The OSU defense made a high priority of getting after Iowa quarterback Drew Tate. The Buckeyes felt that if they could get into Tate's head a little bit, he might make some mistakes. OSU was able to pressure Tate, and the strategy proved to be fruitful as Tate threw three interceptions.
"We just tried to affect him anyway we can, get pressure on him and try to affect him," said defensive end Vernon Gholston.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Quinn Pitcock [/FONT]

"Tate is a great quarterback and the leader on the offense," said defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock.
"He's the one that makes big plays, him and Chandler and Young. We knew that we had to get in his mind and get him throwing the ball into coverage. Brandon Mitchell had another chance for an interception very early in the game but he missed, so we were able to get him flustered and create turnovers," Pitcock said.
Handling Adversity, Handling Success: Those are two of OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel's favorite topics. Tressel hounds his players to do both of those things, seeing them as keys to the proper attitude toward constant improvement. Tressel saw examples of both of those ideas in OSU's win over Iowa.
"It was a tough scenario to play in," said Tressel describing the environment in Iowa City.
"There was a whole lot of gold out there. We're usually pretty spoiled with mostly Scarlet and Gray. Our kids just kept fighting and making plays," he said on the handling adversity side of the coin.
"Can you handle the success of being 5-0? We handled the adversity of a tough environment today and a back and forth ebb and flow. Now can we handle being successful and that 5-0 start and will we get better starting tomorrow at practice, then Tuesday, because we're capable, we've very capable. I've said that from the get-go, we're very capable so long as we do the things we need to do," Tressel said.
According to OSU defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock, that is one Tresselism that his team has bought into.
"If you listen to what he says it really makes sense. You just understand where he's coming from," said Pitcock.
"There is some accomplishment, but we've only played five games of the season. It's one of those things that if we went 0-5 in our next five games we wouldn't be saying the same things. You can't really judge what we are right now. We have too many more games to play," Pitcock said, sounding for all the world like a Jim Tressel clone.
Roy: OSU senior wide receiver Roy Hall has had tough luck this season, suffering an ankle injury in fall camp that caused him to miss several games. Hall is finally back and made an excellent play for a touchdown catch against Iowa. That brought a smile to the face of his quarterback, Troy Smith.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Roy Hall [/FONT]

"Anytime we can get a receiver a catch, a touchdown, it's always a plus," said Smith.
"Seeing Roy Hall get into the endzone was very dearful to me because he's come a long way.
"He had a minor setback early on and he's come back strong.
"He's faced it like a true warrior and that's a testament to him," Smith said.
Dulling the Gold: The Gold Out that Iowa planned for the Buckeyes was successful in as much as the fans turned out in all their gold glory. It didn't do them a whole lot of good though, because the play of the Buckeyes early in the game took the crowd out of the game. OSU's defense forced a punt on a three and out after Iowa received the game opening kickoff, then the Buckeye offense marched to a touchdown to set the tone for the game.
"We really put an emphasis on that going into the game," said OSU offensive lineman Doug Datish.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Doug Datish [/FONT]

"Coach Boles (OSU offensive coordinator Jim Bollman) talked about it all week, we needed to start early because if we didn't this crowd was really going to get into it.
"That was the big factor that we talked about was you need to come out early and take the crowd out of it and we were able to do that," Datish said.
That was half the formula for victory in Iowa City. The other half included simply remaining calm despite the rabid Hawkeye fans.
"First and foremost, coming into a road game as a team and as a unit, both offensively and defensively you have to be calm and cool," said OSU quarterback Troy Smith.
"If you let the opponent or fans know that you're rattled it will be a long day, so keeping your cool and keeping your head through the whole time of adversity, because things are not going to go the way you want them to go all the time, I think that's key.
"The guys up front did just that today. They kept their cool, different things were thrown at the them, and they did a good job of holding up. The defense did a great job also," Smith said.
According to OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel, Smith himself is one of the Buckeyes who did a great job of doing exactly what he needed to do under trying circumstances.
"He's got a great grasp of what we would like to do and also what they're doing. That's what it's all about," said Tressel.
"That's how you get good is understanding your own system then how people try to stop you. He was in command the whole game. I thought he was one of the elite ones before this game, but I think he's getting better and if he'll keep getting better we have a chance," Tressel said.
Emerging Player: Much has been made of the player rotation that the OSU coaching staff has adopted this season on both sides of the ball. Defensively, that has included a lot of players, but a new player has now joined the ranks of those the OSU staff is trying to get onto the field. Cornerback Andre Amos saw considerable action against Iowa, and according to Amos, that was according to plan.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Andre Amos [/FONT]

"The coaches told us last night. They told me I was going in third series and they were going to keep the rotation going. I had to step up tonight," said Amos.
Amos is one of a cadre of young Buckeyes seeing playing time on the defensive side of the ball, a cadre of players that is improving every week. '
"We're young and we're just going to do the best that we can every opportunity that we get to step up and make plays," said Amos.
Amos was in OSU's plans prior to the game, but with the injury to safety Anderson Russell, Amos may see more playing time if the OSU coaching staff decides to shuffle some players to get their best players on the field, particularly in nickel situations.

 

[Zurp]

It bothers me a little that Smith is throwing some of these passes. Maybe it's not really as bad as I'm making it out to be, but the touchdown to Robiskie was a pass where I don't think Smith could see Robiskie. He was covered. Maybe he knew that Robiskie would break free from the coverage, since the defender wasn't watching Smith. But then the touchdown to Hall: Hall's getting pushed before he catches the ball. That doesn't seem very open to me. There were many other plays where it didn't seem like the receivers were open, and Smith was still trying to get the ball through a donut-hole. Many of the passes were caught, others weren't. Maybe it's a case where Smith has tremendous trust in his receivers (probably well-deserved), but I can't help but wonder if it's going to burn him some game.

Actually, I can't complain about the quarterback after he throws for 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. So, nevermind.

 

[osugrad21]

It bothers me a little that Smith is throwing some of these passes. Maybe it's not really as bad as I'm making it out to be, but the touchdown to Robiskie was a pass where I don't think Smith could see Robiskie. He was covered. Maybe he knew that Robiskie would break free from the coverage, since the defender wasn't watching Smith. But then the touchdown to Hall: Hall's getting pushed before he catches the ball. That doesn't seem very open to me. There were many other plays where it didn't seem like the receivers were open, and Smith was still trying to get the ball through a donut-hole. Many of the passes were caught, others weren't. Maybe it's a case where Smith has tremendous trust in his receivers (probably well-deserved), but I can't help but wonder if it's going to burn him some game.

Actually, I can't complain about the quarterback after he throws for 4 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. So, nevermind.

Some of the best passes are to WRs that are not "wide open"

--a ball is often delivered before the route's break
--a ball is thrown to a position where only the WR can make the play
--a ball is thrown into an obvious mismatch where the WRs talent should win

Anticipation and recognition is the key...Troy made the correct reads and allowed his WRs to make a play.

Every pass is a risk in some fashion. If you ever see a WR running free...it is likely blown coverage. Open = a half step or less of separation. Wide open = a step to step and a half.


Just my take.

 

[Dryden]

To add to grad's post above, it also helps Troy that he throws an 85+ mph fastball. This years PSU game was a microcosm of the two types if INTs Troy throws: passes tipped at the line that are gathered by a linebacker, or completely missing a deep target 40+ yards downfield. I can't remember any particular 'clean' INT that has resulted from Troy throwing across the middle of the field. There have been some delivered so hard that his own receivers couldn't even reel them in, like the ball that went through Teddy's hands at Purdue in 2004, and I recall a few of Troy's passes have bounced off of some DBs shoulder pads, but I don't remember any passes in Troy's entire career that a DB has ever cleanly caught.

If you look at the four TD passes Gonzo has caught in the last two Iowa games, I'd think most people would say Gonzo wasn't even open on three of those catches, but the reality is that the Iowa DB's didn't have a chance on any of those. All of those passes, like the one Robo grabbed, were put to a spot where either the receiver would get it, or nobody would. On most of those passes, the ball was delivered so hard that the DB didn't have time to react to the pass and break on the ball.

That's just Troy being Troy.

 

[Best Buckeye]

So has any one else noticed that none of the games have been as hard as the media talkingheads made them out to be?

 

[Zurp]

So has any one else noticed that none of the games have been as hard as the media talkingheads made them out to be?

Most of that is that the media talking heads want people to watch the games. More people will watch a game that is supposed to be close than a game that everyone predicts to be 70-0.

The rest of it is that is coaching and execution. The Buckeyes have Jim Tressel and Troy Smith. The opponents do not. It's hard to decide how that will work into the point-spread.

Also, some games (Texas and Penn State) were closer than the final scores indicate. Texas was a half a yard away from taking the lead, before Laurinaitis knocked the ball out and the Buckeyes recovered. And even after that, I felt that it was within Texas's abilities to score a couple of quick touchdowns. That final touchdown by Ohio State put them up by 17. Until then, it was only a 10 point game. And Penn State had the ball with a chance to tie the game late. They had just driven down the field to score the field goal, and then stopped Ohio State quickly. There was time left for Penn State to tie that game, until Jenkins got to the ball.

 

[3yardsandacloud]

That 2nd down there when they gave to Pitt for a loss. Did anybody see the tight coverage up top on Ginn. You go deep there, he probably scores.

bailed out...stay agressive

and again JT says....."CHILL BOYS"

conservative shit is that 3 and Out can happen in a hurry.

And give the opponent a chance to get back in it.

Just because Gonzo bails us out 3rd and Long does not make it a sound strategy.

I think Tressel has a track record we can trust...We'll come up with a pick before the game is over.

Just picked some quotes at random to illustrate a point about Tressel and his "conservative" play calling. Let's end this debate. This isn't about giving the other team a chance to win the game by playing a "prevent" style of defense. This is about eliminating mistakes and errors that "give" other teams more than a fair chance at winning games. Playing sound football and winning field position battles. Not only does Tressel put his players in a position to win, he doesn't put them in a position to lose. This is simply sound football strategy. I fear some folks will simply not be happy with this fact, but forcing a team to "beat" you is always better than "giving" them opportunities to do so.

Let's look at the games where we have lost a lead AND lost the game. How many of those do we lose a 2 score lead (9 points or more) AND lose the game?

Blue = Loss
Purple = Loss, blown lead of 9 points or more

2001-02
W - Akron
L - UCLA (trailed the whole game)
W - Indiana
W - Northwestern
L - Wisconsin (1st 10-0, 2nd 17-7, 3rd 17-14, 4th 17-20)
W - San Diego State
L - Penn State (1st 7-6, 2nd 13-9, 3rd 27-9 lead at one point, but closes to 27-22 at end of 3rd, 4th 27-29)
W - Minnesota
W - Purdue
L - Illinois (1st 10-7, 2nd 10-21, 3rd 22-21, 4th 22-34)
W - Michigan
L - South Carolina (1st 0-0, 2nd 0-14, 3rd 7-28, 4th 28-31)

We lose 2 games this season when leading by 9 or more points at halftime. (7-5-0)


2002-03
W - Texas Tech
W - Kent State
W - Washington State
W - Cincinnati
W - Indiana
W - Northwestern
W - San Jose State
W - Wisconsin
W - Penn State
W - Minnesota
W - Purdue
W - Illinois
W - Michigan
W - Miami (Fla)

Undefeated. (14-0-0) (21-5-0)


2003-04
W - Washington
W - San Diego State
W - NC State
W - Bowling Green
W - Northwestern
L - Wisconsin (1st 0-0, 2nd 3-7, 3rd 3-10, 4th 10-17)
W - Iowa
W - Indiana
W - Penn State
W - Michigan State
W - Purdue
L - Michigan (1st 0-7, 2nd 7-21, 3rd 14-28, 4th 21-35)
W - Kansas State

We lose 2 games, but never lead. (11-2-0) (32-7-0)


2004-05
W - Cincinnati
W - Marshall
W - NC State
L (OT) - Northwestern (1st 3-3, 2nd 10-13, 3rd 17-20, 4th 27-27, OT 27-33)
L - Wisconsin (1st 7-0, 2nd 13-14, 3rd 13-17, 4th 13-24)
L - Iowa (1st 0-7, 2nd 0-10, 3rd 0-24, 4th 7-33)
W - Indiana
W - Penn State
W - Michigan State
L - Purdue (1st 3-3, 2nd 3-14, 3rd 10-17, 4th 17-24)
W - Michigan
W - Oklahoma State

We lose 4 games, but only lead briefly by 10 vs Wisky and 3 vs Purdue. (8-4-0) (40-11-0)



2005-06
W - Miami (OH)
L - Texas (1st 0-10, 2nd 16-13, 3rd 22-16, 4th 22-25)
W - San Diego State
W - Iowa
L - Penn State (1st 3-0, 2nd 10-14, 3rd 10-17, 4th 10-17)
W - Michigan State
W - Indiana
W - Minnesota
W - Illinois
W - Northwestern
W - Michigan
W - Notre Dame

Again we lose 2, but never lead vs PSU and only have a 6 point lead vs Texas in the 3rd qtr. (10-2-0) (50-13-0)


2006-07
W - Northern Illinois
W - Texas
W - Cincinnati
W - Penn State
W - Iowa

(5-0-0) (55-13-0)
68 games and a .809 win percentage

Games to be played:
Bowling Green
Michigan State
Indiana
Minnesota
Illinois
Northwestern
Michigan
Bowl Game


Summary:

Lost with a 9 point (or more) lead at any point in the game:
1 - Wisconsin 2001-02 (17-0 in the 2nd, 17-7 at half)
2 - Penn State 2001-02 (27-9 in the 3rd qtr)
3 - Wisconsin 2004-05 (10-0 in the 2nd)
3 games out of 68 or 4.4%.

Lost with any lead:
1 - Wisconsin 2001-02 (17-0 in the 2nd, 17-7 at half)
2 - Penn State 2001-02 (27-9 in the 3rd qtr)
3 - Illinois 2001-02 (10-7 in the 1st, 22-21 in the 3rd)
4 - Wisconsin 2004-05 (10-0 in the 2nd)
5 - Purdue 2004-05 (3-0 in the 1st and tied at 17-17 in the 4th)
6 - Texas 2005-06 (22-16 in the 3rd)
7 - Penn State 2005-06 (3-0 in the 1st)

Lost but never lead:
1 - UCLA 2001-02
2 - South Carolina 2001-02 (tied at one point 28-28 in 4th)
3 - Wisconsin 2003-04 (tied at one point 10-10 in 4th)
4 - Michigan 2003-04
5 - Northwestern 2004-05 (tied 3-3 1st, 10-10 2nd, and 27-27 4th)
6 - Iowa 2004-05

In other words, if we hold a 9 point lead ... paint the end zones. Tressel wins those games 95% of the time, and 97% of the time when that lead extends into the second half. Don't mess with success. Further, Tressel teams only lose 10% of the time when they have any size lead, at any point in the game. Get a lead (any lead) and the Buck are going to win 90% of the time!

 

[osugrad21]

Great work

PS2 has killed the appreciation of common sense football...

 

[gregorylee]

Great work

PS2 has killed the appreciation of common sense football...

Are you sugesting that BKB doesn't know football?!?

HE HAS MAD PS2 SKILLZ!!!!

...and a very high post count!!

 

[t_BuckeyeScott]

Very Nice 3Yards but in the future could we avoid Red-Green for comparison's sake. Colorblind people suck I know but Red-Green is the most most common.