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

[Mac]

Another thing that I was upset about on Saturday that I haven't seen anyone bring up was the last drive we had in the 1st half. You would have thought Tressel had learned/or knew from the USC game, about running down the clock as much as possible instead of throwing the ball (I believe on 1st and 2nd down AGAIN) late in the 2nd quarter. You run the ball, run down the clock, and go in at half with a 7-6 lead. Although not pretty but you aren't playing from behind, and also Purdue gets the ball to start the 2nd half. Just a thought.

 

[Lockup]

I agree, my point was only that the main specific criticism leveled against JT as an OC has been that he's too conservative... and now he's trying to break away from it and it's not working out very well.

IMO there are a couple of things I disagree with on this.

First to the people who say he is to conservative I ask "Did you watch the 2006 season?" Troy Smith's senior year there was nothing conservative about that offense. I think if JT has the palyers on the field he trust he will open it up.

Second the offesne has more problems then just JT calling the plays. The O-line for example on Saturday was horrlible. You have no great RB. You have good RBs but neither has shown to be great at this point but you don't have the power running game you have had in the past. Because of this I think you see JT trying to pass a bit more than he normally would in these case which brings up another problem. You have IMO a QB that is immature right now, which is bringing up another set of problems.

Now I don't think JT is breaking out of his ways because he wants to. I think he has to. I also think he is not quite sure how to handle Pryor. He really does not fit JT's mold of offense and I think it will take time to get it right.

 

[Mac]

IMO there are a couple of things I disagree with on this.

First to the people who say he is to conservative I ask "Did you watch the 2006 season?" Troy Smith's senior year there was nothing conservative about that offense. I think if JT has the palyers on the field he trust he will open it up.

Second the offesne has more problems then just JT calling the plays. The O-line for example on Saturday was horrlible. You have no great RB. You have good RBs but neither has shown to be great at this point but you don't have the power running game you have had in the past. Because of this I think you see JT trying to pass a bit more than he normally would in these case which brings up another problem. You have IMO a QB that is immature right now, which is bringing up another set of problems.

Now I don't think JT is breaking out of his ways because he wants to. I think he has to. I also think he is not quite sure how to handle Pryor. He really does not fit JT's mold of offense and I think it will take time to get it right.

A. We aren't going to have a power run game when our backs are 5'10, 193 and 6'1, 217. Those are speed backs. B. I disagree with you that we are "passing the ball more because of this". Our running stats on the year are pretty good. With averages of 5.4 and 4.3 I disagree that our "run game" isn't there. Saturday, Saine was running hard and had a great start to the game, we just stopped running the ball for some reason.

 

[BuckFan38]

A. We aren't going to have a power run game when our backs are 5'10, 193 and 6'1, 217.

Chris Wells is the same height as Saine and only 11 pounds heavier. Saine has the build to be a power back, its the skill/experience of a power back that he seems to be missing.

 

[daddyphatsacs]

Let's not lose sight of the fact that the 2002 team was 3 plays away from going 9-3 and playing in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

It was an unacceptable offense that was bailed out by great D and special teams. 2002 was also a team where every lucky bounce went its way. I said at the time that a season will come where those bounces all fall the other way, and you'll see the dark underbelly of Tressel ball. I think we're in the middle of that season now.

That's true, but when you average it out over time Tresselball gives you a lot more positives then negatives. Look at his record at YSU. The guy is a winner. Every great coach faces adversity at one point or another in their career. The only problem with Tressel is that he has been so good at OSU that people expect more of him. OSU fans are great (for the most part), but they also [censored] me off quite a bit. We are SPOILED people. Instead of spending all of your time bitching and moaning about what is wrong, how about enjoying the things that are right?

In the end, it's just a game. It sucks horribly when we lose, but without those losses the big victories do not seem as sweet when they come. That being said, the Tressel era has delivered a hell of a lot of great moments. I just wish that some of the "fans" out there would stop and appreciate what he has brought to Ohio State, rather than calling for him to be replaced. Be careful what you wish for. Just ask Michigan.

 

[Wingate1217]

Every great coach faces adversity at one point or another in their career.

Good point! Wasn't Woody close to being run out of town before the Super 'Sophs in '68???

 

[Woody1968]

That's true, but when you average it out over time Tresselball gives you a lot more positives then negatives. Look at his record at YSU. The guy is a winner. Every great coach faces adversity at one point or another in their career. The only problem with Tressel is that he has been so good at OSU that people expect more of him. OSU fans are great (for the most part), but they also [censored] me off quite a bit. We are SPOILED people. Instead of spending all of your time bitching and moaning about what is wrong, how about enjoying the things that are right?

In the end, it's just a game. It sucks horribly when we lose, but without those losses the big victories do not seem as sweet when they come. That being said, the Tressel era has delivered a hell of a lot of great moments. I just wish that some of the "fans" out there would stop and appreciate what he has brought to Ohio State, rather than calling for him to be replaced. Be careful what you wish for. Just ask Michigan.

I would like to see some data on how his offenses at YSU compared to other 1-AA schools during his tenure there. I seem to remember those YSU teams scoring a lot of points.

 

[NightmaresDad]

Good point! Wasn't Woody close to being run out of town before the Super 'Sophs in '68???

And he CHANGED his offensive philosophy!!!! And thus started an incredible 8 year run that has not been equalled at tOSU.

That was the year 3 yards and a cloud of dust pretty much died out and was replace by 8 yards and a rug burn.
Yeah, he still used the fullback a ton, but until Archie got there, his fullbacks were his best players. Used a lot of single-wing-type plays but also started passing the ball some as a complimentary aspect. Even after going more and more to the I formation options and sprint draws, he used the fullbacks a ton.

The FIRST coach at a major Div IA school to start and all-black backfield.

Woody is remembered as a stubborn, conservative, old-fashioned coach, but in reality he knew how to use the talent he had. When that talent became more biased toward speed, his offense evolved along with it.
He also knew how to change the blocking schemes to adjust to the defense. Run what looks like the same play over and over again, but the blocking is changing. Same thing GA Tech did the other night against VA Tech.

One thing he never lost, however, was the fullhouse T formation at the goalline - I wish we would bring that back.

 

[BuckFan38]

We are SPOILED people. Instead of spending all of your time bitching and moaning about what is wrong, how about enjoying the things that are right?

I think doctors have diagnosed that virus as BGL (Bigameloseritus) :tongue2:

 

[BUCKYLE]

Let's not lose sight of the fact that the 2002 team was 3 plays away from going 9-3 and playing in the Hall of Fame Bowl.

If we're playing this game, don't lose sight of the fact that the 2005 team was TWO plays away from going undefeated and playing in the NC game.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

... and you'll see the dark underbelly of Tressel ball. I think we're in the middle of that season now....

So, the dark underbelly of Tressel ball is a 2 loss season, where at the time of the second loss, the Buckeyes still control their own destiny for the Big Ten Title?

The remainder of this post is not directed at you specifically, ORD

Folks, losing to Purdue shouldn't have happened... That was not a good football team that beat Ohio State, it was a better team on that day, for those 3 hours. But, jesus fucking shit covered christ.... it's not like Ohio State was ranked in the top 5 and lost to a 41 point dog like USC did... it's not like Ohio State was top 5 and lost to a D-IAA school like Michigan did... it's a fucking loss. Get the fuck over it. They happen. And you move on.

 

[cincibuck]

Folks, losing to Purdue shouldn't have happened... That was not a good football team that beat Ohio State, it was a better team on that day, for those 3 hours. But, jesus fucking shit covered christ.... it's not like Ohio State was ranked in the top 5 and lost to a 41 point dog like USC did... it's not like Ohio State was top 5 and lost to a D-IAA school like Michigan did... it's a fucking loss. Get the fuck over it. They happen. And you move on.

Ok agree and disagree. This loss would have been a bit more appetizing (if a shit sandwich is ever appetizing) had it been to Penn State of Iowa.

BUT, in the years that Tress hasn't had a MoC, Pittmann or Beanie Wells at RB the team hasn't been able to run when needed.

The QB play has also been spotty at best for most of those years and this year it's awful.

NOW: Why? Is it the recruiting, the misreading of an athlete's worth to the program?

Is it the O-line? My God, if Wisconsin, Michigan State and Iowa can run each and every year shouldn't OSU fans have a reasonable expectation for the same?

Is it the coaching? Earl Bruce seemed to think so last year following the PSU game, don't know what he's saying now.

I don't think folks were upset following the loss to USC. It was suspected and expected for most of the off season. A close loss to Purdue, a fluke TD with no time on the clock, would have been disappointing, but probably borne with a grudging, 'shit happens' mentality.

But this was a blowout for 3/4ths of the game and the fluke TD went to the Buckeyes making it seem closer than it actually was. What it pointed out was that it wasn't a superb USC/Navy/Wisconsin defense that was making the Buckeye offense look bad. It was the Buckeye offense and at mid point in the season we should be seeing improvement. We ain't.

 

[BuckeyePride]

So, the dark underbelly of Tressel ball is a 2 loss season, where at the time of the second loss, the Buckeyes still control their own destiny for the Big Ten Title?

it's not a 2 loss season. it's 5-2 and losing to a 1-5 team. The way we have played on Offense (last two games). I am a Coach Tressel supporter...but any way you look at it. Lately, this offense is stinking it up.

 

[zincfinger]

This [analysis of offensive statistics vs. recruiting rankings] presumes that you're bringing in top flight recruiting personnel at all skill positions, doesn't it?

Yes, but I think OSU has recruited good-to-great prospects in sufficient numbers at QB, WR, and RB over the past 8 years. However, the equally important - arguably more important - component to this reasoning is that it assumes OSU has brought in top-flight personnel at OL over the past 8 years. And while OSU has certainly brought in some solid O-linemen in the past 8 years, I think it would be fair to say that from the standpoint of quantity*quality, OL recruiting has been a consistent weak link prior to 2008. In short, mediocrity at OL has been the underpinning of mediocrity on offense. And it would have been great if the excellent 2008 class was capable of filling that gap immediately, but it also shouldn't be surprising that they haven't been. I suspect that over the next couple of years, as the past couple of very good OL recruiting classes reach maturity, we'll see the offensive production climb to the levels that we've all been hoping for. That's been the consistent weak point, and it's in the process of being fixed, but it will take a bit of time.

 

[Bucklion]

So, the dark underbelly of Tressel ball is a 2 loss season, where at the time of the second loss, the Buckeyes still control their own destiny for the Big Ten Title?

The remainder of this post is not directed at you specifically, ORD

Folks, losing to Purdue shouldn't have happened... That was not a good football team that beat Ohio State, it was a better team on that day, for those 3 hours. But, jesus fucking shit covered christ.... it's not like Ohio State was ranked in the top 5 and lost to a 41 point dog like USC did... it's not like Ohio State was top 5 and lost to a D-IAA school like Michigan did... it's a fucking loss. Get the fuck over it. They happen. And you move on.

For me it's not the loss...it's the pattern. I could easily argue that if Wisconsin made 3 tackles they would have beaten us the week before also. And we haven't gotten anywhere near the toughest part of our schedule yet. The offense not only isn't carrying it's weight, it is costing us. That's been the case for more than one game, and it is dangerous going into 2 tough road games and a game against a top 5 team in November.