Just some pent up ramblings on the NC St game -
When you look at the final score 22-14 is not terribly impressive. But another way to look at it is that with just over 14 minutes left in the game OSU scored for the SIXTH time. NC St had scored only ONCE. When that happens you would expect to be blowing somebody out. Gotta give JT credit for finding a way to take a game like that down to an onside kick with a minute and a half remaining.
On that same theme, we are always screaming about the ‘prevent’ Defense that never seems to prevent anything. But NC State’s last drive – although successful – took 12 snaps and almost three minutes. Each second was important in a game where OSU barely ran out the clock before having to execute the most important play in football – where a block could have changed the outcome of the game.
I have been defending Dustin Fox against his detractor for the past two years and still think he is a very fine CB. But I gotta admit that the secondary wasn’t missing anything on Saturday. He could have a hard time getting his job back when the time comes.
There is a thread on BN talking about how the OL was opening holes on Saturday and that Ross couldn’t find them. This is the first time I have tried to watch a replay of the game this year and I have made it through the running plays from the first half in slow-mo. I just don’t see it. Any holes were short lived and on many plays there was an NC St Defender in the backfield almost as Ross was getting the ball. Granted, a great RB should have dodged those defenders once in a while. A great RB should have bounced it outside now and then. And a great RB would have hit those holes that were there before they closed. Ross is not a great RB and nobody is trying to make that case. But credit for his performance has to be shared with the OL and the coaches who designed and called those plays.
That said, I know TA McLendon. TA McLendon is a friend of mine. And Lydell Ross is no TA McLendon. That guy didn’t need holes. He has speed, he can find holes if they are there and create them if they are not, and if he wants to get one more yard he is going to get it no matter who is hanging on to him. If that was the ‘gimpy’ version I don’t want to play him at full strength. If he wasn’t hurting what was Amato thinking by not playing him every down? Injuries may force him to stay at NC St for a fourth year and if that happens watch for the Wolfpack to finally deliver on their promise next season. They only start 6 seniors.
Kudos to Zwick. He is not the QB we want him to be. He is not the QB he is going to be. But Saturday he was the QB we needed him to be. I was grateful that Davis struggled as much as he did to help keep the heat off Justin. It clearly showed how much of a factor experience can be. I don’t know what he faces in practice, but that was a tough – and experienced – Defense. With all the blitzing going on he did a fine job of not forcing a pass into coverage.
This may also be the best Troy Smith has looked all season (sorry – just had to say that). But he is still one snap from being the starter. Like Justin he needs some reps and some time.
I am hearing a lot of folks saying that we absolutely HAVE to play better than this or the season will go in the toilet when we hit the meat of the Big Ten. Too bad those folks just started following college football. This team looks more like the 2002 team every week.
As for 137 yards total offense – the lowest total in at least the past four years – we should have seen it coming. Under Tressel’s philosophy, every time Nuge kicked a FG the more the O was going to button it up. There is always another gear in JT’s O, but you aren’t going to see it until it is needed (witness that OSU has scored TDs in 6 of 7 OT possessions).
If I were a Rogaine salesman I would plan trips to the home cities of each of our opponents the week after we play. These folks have to be pulling their hair out. Not only do we win, but week after week we leave teams feeling that they were the better team and would have won if only….. Can you imagine the frustration level of the NC St players and fans? They went three OTs last season at our house. Now they hold us to 137 yards and commit all those turnovers and penalties. Clearly they were the superior team, right? Ain’t it great to be a Buckeye?
Anther interesting tidbit about being out-gained 256 to 137. We still managed to hold the ball for at least 8 minutes in every quarter – winning the TOP battle by over 9 minutes. (Compare this to the previous week when Marshall won that same battle by over 11 minutes.)
Kudos to the crowd. The more FGs Nugent kicked the more clearly you could hear “Nuuuuuge” on TV. And late in the game I distinctly heard a “Let’s Go Bucks” chant. Not bad for an environment NC St fans warned us would put the noise level in the shoe to shame.
When you look at the final score 22-14 is not terribly impressive. But another way to look at it is that with just over 14 minutes left in the game OSU scored for the SIXTH time. NC St had scored only ONCE. When that happens you would expect to be blowing somebody out. Gotta give JT credit for finding a way to take a game like that down to an onside kick with a minute and a half remaining.
On that same theme, we are always screaming about the ‘prevent’ Defense that never seems to prevent anything. But NC State’s last drive – although successful – took 12 snaps and almost three minutes. Each second was important in a game where OSU barely ran out the clock before having to execute the most important play in football – where a block could have changed the outcome of the game.
I have been defending Dustin Fox against his detractor for the past two years and still think he is a very fine CB. But I gotta admit that the secondary wasn’t missing anything on Saturday. He could have a hard time getting his job back when the time comes.
There is a thread on BN talking about how the OL was opening holes on Saturday and that Ross couldn’t find them. This is the first time I have tried to watch a replay of the game this year and I have made it through the running plays from the first half in slow-mo. I just don’t see it. Any holes were short lived and on many plays there was an NC St Defender in the backfield almost as Ross was getting the ball. Granted, a great RB should have dodged those defenders once in a while. A great RB should have bounced it outside now and then. And a great RB would have hit those holes that were there before they closed. Ross is not a great RB and nobody is trying to make that case. But credit for his performance has to be shared with the OL and the coaches who designed and called those plays.
That said, I know TA McLendon. TA McLendon is a friend of mine. And Lydell Ross is no TA McLendon. That guy didn’t need holes. He has speed, he can find holes if they are there and create them if they are not, and if he wants to get one more yard he is going to get it no matter who is hanging on to him. If that was the ‘gimpy’ version I don’t want to play him at full strength. If he wasn’t hurting what was Amato thinking by not playing him every down? Injuries may force him to stay at NC St for a fourth year and if that happens watch for the Wolfpack to finally deliver on their promise next season. They only start 6 seniors.
Kudos to Zwick. He is not the QB we want him to be. He is not the QB he is going to be. But Saturday he was the QB we needed him to be. I was grateful that Davis struggled as much as he did to help keep the heat off Justin. It clearly showed how much of a factor experience can be. I don’t know what he faces in practice, but that was a tough – and experienced – Defense. With all the blitzing going on he did a fine job of not forcing a pass into coverage.
This may also be the best Troy Smith has looked all season (sorry – just had to say that). But he is still one snap from being the starter. Like Justin he needs some reps and some time.
I am hearing a lot of folks saying that we absolutely HAVE to play better than this or the season will go in the toilet when we hit the meat of the Big Ten. Too bad those folks just started following college football. This team looks more like the 2002 team every week.
As for 137 yards total offense – the lowest total in at least the past four years – we should have seen it coming. Under Tressel’s philosophy, every time Nuge kicked a FG the more the O was going to button it up. There is always another gear in JT’s O, but you aren’t going to see it until it is needed (witness that OSU has scored TDs in 6 of 7 OT possessions).
If I were a Rogaine salesman I would plan trips to the home cities of each of our opponents the week after we play. These folks have to be pulling their hair out. Not only do we win, but week after week we leave teams feeling that they were the better team and would have won if only….. Can you imagine the frustration level of the NC St players and fans? They went three OTs last season at our house. Now they hold us to 137 yards and commit all those turnovers and penalties. Clearly they were the superior team, right? Ain’t it great to be a Buckeye?
Anther interesting tidbit about being out-gained 256 to 137. We still managed to hold the ball for at least 8 minutes in every quarter – winning the TOP battle by over 9 minutes. (Compare this to the previous week when Marshall won that same battle by over 11 minutes.)
Kudos to the crowd. The more FGs Nugent kicked the more clearly you could hear “Nuuuuuge” on TV. And late in the game I distinctly heard a “Let’s Go Bucks” chant. Not bad for an environment NC St fans warned us would put the noise level in the shoe to shame.