Jim Tressel (National Champion, ex-President, Youngstown State University, CFB HOF)

[osugrad21]

Would you then agree, osugrad21, that many of the passing plays called in the second half took a bit too long to develop?

I think the QB took too long to make a decision, yes.

 

[jlb1705]

I don't get people. The drive right before the half, instead of running out the clock he tries to get more points, it didn't work and USC got 3. Tress is damned either way it seems.

It was 3rd & 3, not 3rd & 13. You can run the ball in that situation and have a reasonable chance of picking up a first down that keeps a possible scoring drive alive. And of course, a running play keeps the clock running and severely limits USC's chances of scoring by the end of the half like they did.

I'm not "damning" Tressel in any sense. I think it's perfectly valid to question how not running the ball (and the clock) in that situation is in any way consistent with the decision in the 4th quarter to punt instead of attempting FG. Both are opportunities to pin the other team deep - either on the clock or on the field. One time he chose to do it, one time not.

 

[Merih]

I think the QB took too long to make a decision, yes.

Yes, in that essence I think the long pass plays early in the game ended up causing Pryor to look for it all game long. Hence the locking onto a receiver and the like.

I liken it to Lebron James early in his career. His jumper was okay, but it was his driving ability that really set him apart. But, if he would hit his long range jumper early in games he would settle for it all night. TP had success with the deep plays where he read the zone and made great throws. I think that early success set him up to look there all night.

 

[Bleed S & G]

And USC's only first-half points would have been from a drive that averaged less than 1 yard per play.

Don't know if this is lost somewhere in the game thread - here was that 4th down "touchdown" from that series:

 

[morbitzerker]

I hope jwins doesn't see this.

 

[Buckeneye]

Good god, what have I done....

 

[Bleed S & G]

I hope jwins doesn't see this.

Over my head.. already posted? His photo? Wrong play?

 

[jwinslow]

Over my head.. already posted? His photo? Wrong play?

just search for stafon in about eleventy billion threads here and elsewhere.

 

[SSS]

Yowzers.

Deconstructing: The grisly demise of 'Tresselball'- Dr Saturday - Rivals.com

Childish drivel.

For as impressed he was with his own football acumen and research, you would think that:

"But when OSU wanted to go to the bubble screen, boy did you know it. OSU used the most idiotic formation, where they split one running back/slot out wide but kept him back at six yards deep in the backfield, where he was a threat to do nothing but run a bubble screen."

1) He'd do his homework about 08 & the "most idiotic formation." (or just watch the youtube video of every Pryor throw vs SC). Small's shot-ginn bubble screens were one of the few effective plays last year vs USC. Research would also reveal that it was very effective in 05 & 06 with much better talent. Though he'd rather pretend this OSU offense is full of talent, when in reality it lacks it at OT, RB, WR (depth)... and the QB isn't a very good passer.

"And yet, OSU's offense was poorly organized even when going to their base looks, the stuff they should be decent at. Ohio State's abysmal two-minute drill (if it can even be called that) aside, Tressel and Pryor played right into Carroll's hands on defense."

2) He'd notice OSU's WR running wide open on the CB blitz where the "talented" pryor panicked and got a grounding penalty. That's execution, not scheme.

But it wasn't the kind where the quarterback makes a boneheaded play at the end of the game.

3) That making this claim is laughable given that penalty. Instead of a minute with a short field (to get in range for Pettrey's 60 yd leg), he buried OSU in a bad situation. Now they have to get 6-7 yds per play instead of 3.

And while much credit must go to the Buckeye defense for holding the USC offense in check, OSU was lucky to even have 15 points. The Buckeyes' first 10 points were set up by good throws by Pryor that were only possible because of egregious errors by USC's safeties.

4) Or the hypocrisy of saying OSU was lucky to have 15 points, when it was the "talent" of Pryor that gave USC its only touchdown before the final minute. In addition to that, Stafon Johnson scored by literally an inch on their 4th try from 2 yds out, only increasing the luck of that scoring drive.

Tressel's teams have been outclassed, outsmarted, outplayed and outprepared in every big game they've played.

5) That OSU played Texas virtually even two games ago... and the parallels would be obvious for someone not guilty of lumping Texas 09 together with very different contests vs UF & LSU. That Texas team was better than USC 09 & possibly LSU 07.

Indeed, the overrated Senator Sweatervest

6) That at this point, it's laughable to keep pretending Tressel is overrated when everyone has been dumping on him for years. Who exactly is rating him well at this point?

But I wouldn't expect any different from someone who seemed more interested in run-on sentences, exaggerations & witty insults than providing reasoned analysis. It completely ruined the credibility of the rest of the article, which included some valid criticisms.

To be clear, I'm thrilled to have Pryor and think too much was expected of him early on (though he did underperform). I'm just chopping down this strawman about Pryor's talent, which is basically a synonym for potential. Potential doesn't win ball games.

 

[DontHateOState]

I don't know if this is real or not, but someone close to OSU has supposedly responded here:

NFL hits the Oregon Trail | Smart Football

 

[morbitzerker]

Nice find. Response is insightful, and the video is pretty fuckin funny too.

 

[Ohiensis]

It is interesting to me that OSU Insider says TP did not do his fakes after handoffs even though he is instructed to do so on all handoffs. I can understand that he might have trouble making reads, but this sounds like an awfully basic instruction. Am I misunderstanding something?

 

[billmac91]

For those criticizing Tresselball, I'll add myself to the list of those pointing out that offensive aggresiveness in the last 1:50 of the first half allowed USC the drive that tied the game at halftime. A conservative offensive approach would have resulted in a 10-7 tOSU lead at the half. And USC's only first-half points would have been from a drive that averaged less than 1 yard per play.

On the drive before tOSU's last punt, when at the edge of being in FG range, two passes were called (one incomplete to Ballard, one resulting in a sack). A couple of boring running plays would have put the team closer for a potential FG to push the lead to 8 points. Admittedly, that would not have sealed a victory, since that's still a 1-score game.

Personally, I would have liked to have seen some QB sneaks run on at least a couple of occasions. And I would have tried a 53-yard FG in the middle of the 4th quarter, even after the sack. But QB sneaks and FG attempts aren't exactly calls for a sexier offense.

Let's remember that it's not an easy thing to score against exteremely talented defenses. Oklahoma was setting records last year, and only managed 14 in the BCS Title Game.

I mentioned it before, but the 3rd and 3 thrown football with a minute on the clock at the end of the first half was just inexusable game management. You try and pick up the first with an aggresive, running play-call. You pick up the first, and still have an opportunity to attack. You don't pick it up and you take the 10-7 lead at the half.

Tressel's game management has been beyond bad in the first 2 games this year. It's been amateur hour.

 

[ant80]

I'm a regular reader of DL's blogs, and he made a couple of mentions of the coach's press conference yesterday and today.

The coach debate rages on, especially after JTs press conference but I want to stick with recruiting today.

...

I don't know about you but yesterday was all I needed of the coach talk. I am sure we get back to it as I am sure we will see a change but that is going to come later.

...

What does he mean by that?

I read every post on this thread since 9/12, and everywhere I could think of, but nothing has been posted about that here. Thanks.

 

[k2onprimetime]

trust in tressel, im gonna come out and say that i guarantee we will get a NC in either 2010 or 2011. were such a young team with so much talent and im shure tressel will learn from his mistakes.