OBSERVATIONS FROM C DECK - ILLINOIS

[MD Buckeye]

While sitting a painful amazement last night, I realized that Jim Tressel had created a monster in his sucess!!!

I was reminded of our preseason Big Ten Ranking (Behind Wisconsin and TSUN and some put us behind PSU). I was also reminded - according to the entire sports world in the preseaon - we had no chance to make to even a Rose Bowl this year.

Our boys exceeded all expectations!!!! They exceeded mine. I was expecting a 2 loss team at this point. For crying out loud...we've lost 4 games in 3 years!!!!! (2 of those losses to a NC team). ND has that many losses in that last month!

I know losing sucks, but it happens. We - as buckeyes - are just not used to it! Jim Tressel and his staff have done the impossible (they will be blessed for their actions)! We have set amazing records: Big Ten longest conference win streak; NCAA record for consecutive BCS #1 ranking (beat USCs old record by 5 weeks I think). Tied for BSC apperances and wins. I could go on all day long.

Let's forget about finding fault in 18-23 year old kids or a coaching staff that has made Buckeye nation rise to new heights and get ready for the biggest game of the year.

Look at it this way...when we rebound and beat down TSUN, they will have as many losses this year as we have in 3 years!!!

Haha great stuff. You're getting me fired up for The Game.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

You still gotta go back to coaching for why we had a personnel problem to begin with.

That's a valid point.

I suppose the other coaching faux pas was not calling a TO to review the turn over (Dufrene's.... and I believe Lil Animal's fumble recovery was good too, to be honest... looked like a catch to me....). I watched that when I got home from the game and was simply astonished that the booth didn't look at it and call down to the field. Astonished. So obviously a fumble it was ridiculous. Supposing that gets called right, OSU ball at the 20 (and it doesn't matter if Coleman recovered it (he did) it's still OSU ball at the 20 as the fumble would have otherwise been out of the EZ). If we can assume that OSU's second drive (which also began at the 20 or so) would have also gone for a TD, the entire game has a different feel. I don't know that being down 14 - 0 removes Illinois from the gameplan, but I'd suspect more pressure on Juice would have been a factor.

Anyway.... that play needed to be reviewed, and if it wasn't, Tress and crew should called a TO. I can see where the excuse may have been "we blew the whistle" but we don't know. I know we don't know because the Replay official never called down to even find that much out.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

Great post as always Oh8ch.

IMO, what worries me the most isn't the referees, or the replays, or the poor QB decisions, or the lack of OL play, or a couple of tactical coaching blunders here and there. What's really worrying is that we have a philosophy on how to recruit defensive tackles, and that it hasn't been able to stop anyone after the great DL of Smith, Scott, Anderson and Peterson left.

Going back to last year, NIU, Texas, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, were all able to hurt us by simply running it up the middle. We single-handly made the kid from NIU a heisman candidate. Charles had like 90 yds on 12 carries against us, and both the PSU RB and Hart went over 100 on us. In those games, IMO, the result would have turned out the same as the one this Saturday had it not been for the ability of Smith and co. to put up points fast and forcing the opposition to abandon the run (as Texas and Iowa both did; PSU and Michigan were in the game til the very end). When we had to make stops against Illinois, knew that the QB was going to take a hand-off and run it up our gut, we couldn't stop them. And there's a big problem with that. Sure, we get faster and more explosive DTs if we convert them from DEs. But that's really a moot point when you can't even stop the opposition from running a QB draw up the gut when everyone in the stadium knew it was coming.

We need a new philosophy on recruiting DTs. We need a new philosophy on developing DTs. We need more DTs. We can't watch helplessly as the opponent runs it up our gut again.

 

[LitlBuck]

Great post as always Oh8ch.

We need a new philosophy on recruiting DTs. We need a new philosophy on developing DTs. We need more DTs. We can't watch helplessly as the opponent runs it up our gut again.

You Can't always blame the DT's because numerous times yesterday are LB's just reacted before waiting and reacting and really were out of position to make plays up the middle.

I will grant you the fact that I would love to see us have some big run stuffing DT's next year. One reason I would love to get Thompson out of Georgia.

 

[shetuck]

Great post, as always. Couldn't have been easy to write.

15. BUT IT'S ONLY MICHIGAN

I feel about Michigan the way a lot of folks felt about Illinois coming into this week's game. The holes in their D that Wisky exploited are real holes that have been their all season. The inconsistencies in their O are inconsistencies that you are going to get with a true Frosh at QB and your stud RB on the sideline.

Michigan is arguably the fourth best team in the Big Ten right now. When ready to play we are the best. (Illinois is very good, but we really are better - when we are ready to play.)

And Michigan plays traditional power football. We still have the best D in the country against power football.

Next week we can get off our heels and attack.

Michigan's athletes won't be able to manhandle us - unless we don't come ready to play an OSU-Michigan game.

And Carr won't have the better game plan - unless, well... there is no unless on this one. He flat won't.

So I am confident.

Provided we aren't still licking our wounds. Provided we can put this one behind us and show up.

I am betting we do.

...

But... the question that's been swirling around my brain and constantly haunting me is this... I watched the scUM/Illinois game and, for the life of me, I can't figure how scUM's D held these guys to 17 points?

Any given Saturday... go BUCKS!

 

[NightmaresDad]

Great post as always.

It was a hard loss, but not like the Gators last year or the Texas, Penn State games in 05. At the same time though I've lost a little faith in Heacock and the defense, as well as JT and the Offense. After watching that game how would that D fair against Oregon, or even Florida again? I'm not sure I would want to watch, though I would.

As far as the O, where's the short, quick passing game they could have used in a game like this. It was stated by many weeks earlier that TB hangs on to the ball too long. Whether it's because he doesn't read quickly, the receivers can't get open quickly or JT doesn't have confidence for TB to make those kinds of throws our offense really missed these kind of plays. But quick hitters haven't been a part of our offense all year.

Had to get that out. Oh well. At least Henne and Mallet run about as fast as I do.

It's scUM week! Beat the Weasels!

Both great points.
1. I can see why you have lost some faith in the D, but I thinnk the real issue is that Heacock apparently doesn't have enough faith in our D to cover one-on-one or play aggressively to stop the read option when everyone in the freaking world (except the OSU sideline) KNOWS that they aren't going to throw the ball on that last drive.
My main complaint about the game (other than the blown fumble call)......
WHY ARE WE IN THE NICKEL THE ENTIRE TIME ON THAT LAST DRIVE?
Didn't Heacock learn anything from the Florida game?

2. You're right, the short passing game was there the whole night, and I think we should have been pounding Beanie in the fourth quarter as well. That may have still been in the gameplan, but because of the mad bomber, we'll never know. That's one thing that Boeckman still apparently has to learn - the value of possession of the football. He cost us a score in the red zone when he threw a careless pick on second down and threw the ball terribly into double coverage on first down.

Great post as always Oh8ch.

IMO, what worries me the most isn't the referees, or the replays, or the poor QB decisions, or the lack of OL play, or a couple of tactical coaching blunders here and there. What's really worrying is that we have a philosophy on how to recruit defensive tackles, and that it hasn't been able to stop anyone after the great DL of Smith, Scott, Anderson and Peterson left.

Going back to last year, NIU, Texas, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Florida, were all able to hurt us by simply running it up the middle. We single-handly made the kid from NIU a heisman candidate. Charles had like 90 yds on 12 carries against us, and both the PSU RB and Hart went over 100 on us. In those games, IMO, the result would have turned out the same as the one this Saturday had it not been for the ability of Smith and co. to put up points fast and forcing the opposition to abandon the run (as Texas and Iowa both did; PSU and Michigan were in the game til the very end). When we had to make stops against Illinois, knew that the QB was going to take a hand-off and run it up our gut, we couldn't stop them. And there's a big problem with that. Sure, we get faster and more explosive DTs if we convert them from DEs. But that's really a moot point when you can't even stop the opposition from running a QB draw up the gut when everyone in the stadium knew it was coming.

We need a new philosophy on recruiting DTs. We need a new philosophy on developing DTs. We need more DTs. We can't watch helplessly as the opponent runs it up our gut again.

Dude, your DTs can't make a play when they are not on the field. If you missed it, we had 3 down linemen (97, 84, 50) with Grant playing the Leo, our other 2 LBs, and 5 FREAKIN' DBs!!!! that whole last drive. Insanity, IMO, from Heacock.
I would have been in a 5 - 2 defense with single coverage on the receivers and a safety in the middle, and make those bastards throw the ball if they want to move the chains.
The whole game - just like the NC game against FL - we made it easy for the opponent to do what they do best. We made Williams and Leak both look like Johnny Unitas with the same scheme against basically the same offense (the main difference being that FL didn't really have a running back threat).
Screw the 3 down linemen zone defense, especially when you're behind and need the ball back!

Rant over. :(

 

[freeblues]

I think people feel painful about Sat's loss is not because we were disappointed by the kids on the field. They did their best. But rather we lost an opportunity to prove ourselves, especially for class 2005, and 2006. Just think about AJ, Bobby, Troy, Teddy....

 

[lvbuckeye]

Both great points.
1. I can see why you have lost some faith in the D, but I thinnk the real issue is that Heacock apparently doesn't have enough faith in our D to cover one-on-one or play aggressively to stop the read option when everyone in the freaking world (except the OSU sideline) KNOWS that they aren't going to throw the ball on that last drive.
My main complaint about the game (other than the blown fumble call)......
WHY ARE WE IN THE NICKEL THE ENTIRE TIME ON THAT LAST DRIVE?
Didn't Heacock learn anything from the Florida game?

2. You're right, the short passing game was there the whole night, and I think we should have been pounding Beanie in the fourth quarter as well. That may have still been in the gameplan, but because of the mad bomber, we'll never know. That's one thing that Boeckman still apparently has to learn - the value of possession of the football. He cost us a score in the red zone when he threw a careless pick on second down and threw the ball terribly into double coverage on first down.



Dude, your DTs can't make a play when they are not on the field. If you missed it, we had 3 down linemen (97, 84, 50) with Grant playing the Leo, our other 2 LBs, and 5 FREAKIN' DBs!!!! that whole last drive. Insanity, IMO, from Heacock.
I would have been in a 5 - 2 defense with single coverage on the receivers and a safety in the middle, and make those bastards throw the ball if they want to move the chains.
The whole game - just like the NC game against FL - we made it easy for the opponent to do what they do best. We made Williams and Leak both look like Johnny Unitas with the same scheme against basically the same offense (the main difference being that FL didn't really have a running back threat).
Screw the 3 down linemen zone defense, especially when you're behind and need the ball back!

Rant over. :(

all valid points. however, i think too many people have glossed over the fact that Robert Rose has been hurt. Lawrence Wilson has basically missed the entire season. Todd Denlinger has been hurt. Dex Larrimore has been hurt. Nader Abdallah is a work in progress. Can Heyward has been pressed into duty at DE, and Doug Worthington has been pressed into duty at DT... the attrition on the DL cannot be overstated.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

all valid points. however, i think too many people have glossed over the fact that Robert Rose has been hurt. Lawrence Wilson has basically missed the entire season. Todd Denlinger has been hurt. Dex Larrimore has been hurt. Nader Abdallah is a work in progress. Can Heyward has been pressed into duty at DE, and Doug Worthington has been pressed into duty at DT... the attrition on the DL cannot be overstated.

That's why the job of the defensive line coach is to make sure that we have enough numbers and enough available talent at any given time. DT recruiting has been poor in the past few years, and it is really showing in games like these. Michigan is going to run Hart up our gut again and again and again, and we better be ready for that.

 

[lvbuckeye]

i'm sure anyone who has followed recruiting over the last three years is well aware of how we had verbal commits from several recruits who ended up going to other schools. because they had verbal commitments, they stopped going after some other kids... it's complicated...

oh, and since this is the weekly observations thread, here's an observation i made from my couch:

too bad the replay official encountered 'technical difficulty.' there was no review, and not because the play was whistled dead. there was no review because the replay official never saw it.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Hate to do this to an "Observations" thread -

But da boss has made it clear dat he's not gonna put up wid no more o' dis here bizness...

Translation: grad has made it clear that threads that continue to dwell on the negative will be locked
​

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Williams wasn't supposed to be able to throw the ball well. But he did. His second TD pass was as pretty as it gets. And two of the others were as open as it gets (evidence perhaps of how little emphasis we put on their passing game and how much we respected Benn).

On Saturday Williams threw to 8 different receivers. He had thrown 8 TD passes all season - and threw for four Saturday. He had thrown for more interceptions than TDs this season - prior to Saturday. But unfortunately we didn't play him earlier this season - we played him Saturday.

Juice Williams vs. Ohio State in 2007 = Troy Smith vs. Michigan in 2004? It will be interesting to see whether that was Williams' breakout game, or a mere aberration.