Maryland at tOSU, Sat. 10/7, 12pm ET, FOX

[BuckeyeNation27]

You can't be 1-dimensional. If they couldn't throw the ball I'd be saying the same damn thing. But at Ohio State, we run the ball. Are you even debating this?

I am. Because at Nebraska, you run the option. It's what we do, because we've always won that way. Who cares that the game has passed the option by......it's what we did 40 years ago and it worked.

I'm not arguing with the fact that we can't be 1 dimensional....I'm arguing with the "logic" that we have to run because Woody Hayes said so in 1960whatever. And I'm doing some assuming here, but it sounds like you want us to be a run first team......which we're just not. We could make the run more effective if we'd just embrace the pass. Conventional wisdom says you pass to set up the run, but conventional wisdom isn't working with Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, JSN, Marvin Harrison, Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Flemming either. Be a passing team. It's allowed.......even if we used to only pass 12 times a year 80 years ago.

 

[Jaxbuck]

I am. Because at Nebraska, you run the option. It's what we do, because we've always won that way. Who cares that the game has passed the option by......it's what we did 40 years ago and it worked.

I'm not arguing with the fact that we can't be 1 dimensional....I'm arguing with the "logic" that we have to run because Woody Hayes said so in 1960whatever. And I'm doing some assuming here, but it sounds like you want us to be a run first team......which we're just not. We could make the run more effective if we'd just embrace the pass. Conventional wisdom says you pass to set up the run, but conventional wisdom isn't working with Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, JSN, Marvin Harrison, Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Flemming either. Be a passing team. It's allowed.......even if we used to only pass 12 times a year 80 years ago.

I agree with you, mostly, here but the reason the run has always been the go-to identity isn't because Woody said so but because it was always the surest path to victory.

It all stems from the basic premise of fewer moving parts, fewer things to go wrong. 40 years later, players and teams are so much more skilled at passing and that premise is less and less relevant. One part that isn't though is weather. If you make your identity around passing and weather can come along and take that away from you, it's a legit risk.

I can see dome teams or warm weather teams being heavy pass first teams but it's dicey for a open stadium, midwestern team to do that.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

One part that isn't though is weather.

That I do agree with 100000%. I've always complained that Ohio State (and apparently Michigan now) is in the almost impossible situation of having to build a team that can handle Minnesota in 12 degrees.....but also Bama in a dome at the end of the year. No SEC team has to deal with that, they can just build their team for ideal conditions.

 

[Onebuckfan]

I agree with you, mostly, here but the reason the run has always been the go-to identity isn't because Woody said so but because it was always the surest path to victory.

It all stems from the basic premise of fewer moving parts, fewer things to go wrong. 40 years later, players and teams are so much more skilled at passing and that premise is less and less relevant. One part that isn't though is weather. If you make your identity around passing and weather can come along and take that away from you, it's a legit risk.

I can see dome teams or warm weather teams being heavy pass first teams but it's dicey for an open stadium, midwestern team to do that.

It’s also the rule changes favor the passing game, yes more so in the NFL. But with NiL those paying players won’t want receivers and QBs injured. Who wants Caleb or Penix hurt, The rules will be all in favor of the offense.

 

[JCOSU86]

I am. Because at Nebraska, you run the option. It's what we do, because we've always won that way. Who cares that the game has passed the option by......it's what we did 40 years ago and it worked.

I'm not arguing with the fact that we can't be 1 dimensional....I'm arguing with the "logic" that we have to run because Woody Hayes said so in 1960whatever. And I'm doing some assuming here, but it sounds like you want us to be a run first team......which we're just not. We could make the run more effective if we'd just embrace the pass. Conventional wisdom says you pass to set up the run, but conventional wisdom isn't working with Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, JSN, Marvin Harrison, Emeka Egbuka, and Julian Flemming either. Be a passing team. It's allowed.......even if we used to only pass 12 times a year 80 years ago.

I'm certainly not saying to go back to 3 yards and a cloud of dust (that leaves you with 4th and 1, but I digress). I simply do not understand how Ohio State, a traditionally strong running team, all of a sudden has to throw on 3rd and 2 because our offensive line can't block for shit. Its infuriating.

 

[JCOSU86]

And let me say this: weather affects a passing team way more than a running team. Not saying that OSU should be a running team, just be able to do it when necessary.