Game Thread Ohio State 3, Southern Cal 35 (Sept. 13)

[t_BuckeyeScott]

Nebraska doesn't count because they suck. Really suck. Even though I like Lllllloyd better than their new guy, he wasn't exactly the greatest at game planning.

 

[muffler dragon]

Has OSU truely changed their philosophy from last year? It will be fun to see how it all plays out.

I would venture to say that Tressel adds and deletes things from his offensive mechanism every year.

 

[jwinslow]

Slapfight split off. Let's all play nice folks... especially now that we've finally found an SC fan who can talk football, besides 'thomps. Heck, just finding an SC fan here has been rare, for whatever reason.

 

[generaladm]

Well, I'm sure I suffer some perspective, since like you, I don't get to see all that many OSU games. But the two teams are very much alike as far as the defense. SC does the same thing with the big name backs. Adrian Peterson was stuffed in the Orange Bowl, even with that highly touted line anchored by Jamal Brown. Same with the the big Auburn backs, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown twice in '02 and '03, Darrin McFadden twice, the Michigan backs, Marshawn Lynch, Maurice Jones-Drew and so on and so on. The Trojans like the Bucks are geared to stop the run.

As for Bush, he was huge as a rookie all the way to the NFC title game. He was Injured part of last year, and the loss of Duece McAlister hurt. It's just way to early to be calling him a bust. You may be right about injuries. He's one of those guys that you always worry about getting hurt with those radical moves. If he stays healthy he will dazzle.

The problem for OSU is that SC is a lot like LSU. They play a very long and wide field and have speed to burn. If it's not happening inside, they will change gears and go pass crazy. The problem for SC is lack of experience on offense. I agree with the guy who said that it will be won in the trenches.

82Trojan, just to let you know, I am a Reggie Bush hater. That does not mean that I do not respect USC currently and historically. Believe me, I have many friends, OSU fans and not, who thought Bush was the shit. I just don't believe it. He put up great numbers in college, and had innumerable highlight plays, but I remain steadfastly skeptical. For one thing, I don't know if you can say he was huge as a rookie, considering he didn't score until week 10. Not exactly a game breaker. A #2 overall pick is expected to make an immediate impact, and Bush has fallen short. In his second year, his receiving yds went up, and his rushing yds went down a bit. But still, there were less touted players who outperformed him. I will bow down to Bush's greatness when I see it.

As far as Schlichter (not even sure if you're the one who brought that up), that was before my time. For more recent examples, Troy Smith took $500 and Clarett made a false insurance claim for about $1200 plus other infractions worth a few hundred. Both were dealt with quickly and in house, and both suspensions may have had an impact on the respective seasons. Bush, by most accounts, may have taken upwards of $100,000. I find it hard to believe that none of the SC coaches noticed that Bush and his family lived in a fucking mansion when he was in school. Considering the media circus that surrounded the MoC scandal, I find it odd that the Bush story has not garnered more scrutiny.

Those issues aside, this year's game will be a great matchup. The two top programs of the past decade squaring off early in the season. Both ADs deserve praise for having the guts to schedule such a dangerous game. I don't quite agree with your USC/LSU comparison. LSU's offensive strength was their hat on a hat blocking, which they executed to perfection. I see USC as more of a pro style offense, which is actually harder to defend. The Trojans always have tons of talent and great coaching. Anyone who claims that one team is going to have a big advantage is a fool. It should be a great game. The only advantages I see are USC's home field, and OSU's experience. Could go either way. I hope that it is a well played game and the best team prevails.

 

[troy#1]

82Trojan, just to let you know, i am a Reggie Bush hater. That does not mean that I do not respect USC currently and historically. Believe me, I have many friends, OSU fans and not, who thought Bush was the shit. I just don't believe it. He put up great numbers in college, and had innumerable highlight plays, but I remain steadfastly skeptical. For one thing, I don't know if you can say he was huge as a rookie, considering he didn't score until week 10. Not exactly a game breaker. A #2 overall pick is expected to make an immediate impact, and Bush has fallen short. In his second year, his receiving yds went up, and his rushing yds went down a bit. But still, there were less touted players who outperformed him. I will bow down to Bush's greatness when I see it.

As far as Schlichter (not even sure if you're the one who brought that up), that was before my time. For more recent examples, Troy Smith took $500 and Clarett made a false insurance claim for about $1200 plus other infractions worth a few hundred. Both were dealt with quickly and in house, and both suspensions may have had an impact on the respective seasons. Bush, by most accounts, may have taken upwards of $100,000. I find it hard to believe that none of the SC coaches noticed that Bush and his family lived in a fucking mansion when he was in school. Considering the media circus that surrounded the MoC scandal, I find it odd that the Bush story has not garnered more scrutiny.

Those issues aside, this year's game will be a great matchup. The two top programs of the past decade squaring off early in the season. Both ADs deserve praise for having the guts to schedule such a dangerous game. I don't quite agree with your USC/LSU comparison. LSU's offensive strength was their hat on a hat blocking, which they executed to perfection. I see USC as more of a pro style offense, which is actually harder to defend. The Trojans always have tons of talent and great coaching. Anyone who claims that one team is going to have a big advantage is a fool. It should be a great game. The only advantages I see are USC's home field, and OSU's experience. Could go either way. I hope that it is a well played game and the best team prevails.

I dont know about how much the house they were living in cost, but I can tell you this much, what would be a mansion in most other states, is just a 3 bedroom in california. I sold my 2800 sq. ft. house , 4 bdrm 2.5 bath for 589,000. In south carolina, a house that size is about 250,000 to 270,000. Not arguing, just saying probably not a mansion.:)

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

...The problem for OSU is that SC is a lot like LSU. They play a very long and wide field and have speed to burn. If it's not happening inside, they will change gears and go pass crazy. The problem for SC is lack of experience on offense. I agree with the guy who said that it will be won in the trenches.

I agree with jwins. Many of our respected posters who are fans of opposing teams had a rocky start; but early on you could see that they would be a good addition to the board. I think that applies here.

As for the analysis that I quoted though, I think you've allowed your memory of the game to be tainted by the faux analysis that the media has employed to dismiss the game and the Buckeyes.

Even before the game I was saying that, if OSU lost, it would be because of LSU's superior power, not because of speed. And I correctly predicted that the media would mistakenly talk about SEC speed.

LSU's interior defensive line was too much for us to handle. Conversely, their offensive line pushed our DTs around and got bodies on our linebackers with regularity.

As many of us have stated in other threads, our linebackers and DBs play in space very well. The key to this season on the defense is improved play from the defensive tackles.

 

[zincfinger]

I don't quite agree with your USC/LSU comparison. LSU's offensive strength was their hat on a hat blocking, which they executed to perfection. I see USC as more of a pro style offense, which is actually harder to defend.

I'm not promoting the LSU/USC comparison, as I'm not sure what it was based on, other than the fact that both teams have been extremely talented lately. But I don't understand the contrast you're drawing here between hat-on-hat blocking and a pro-style offense.

 

[generaladm]

I'm not promoting the LSU/USC comparison, as I'm not sure what it was based on, other than the fact that both teams have been extremely talented lately. But I don't understand the contrast you're drawing here between hat-on-hat blocking and a pro-style offense.

From what I've seen of LSU and USC, admittedly only 2-3 games per season, USC is a more pass oriented team, compared to last year's LSU squad. LSU's team blocking was very well executed. Everyone took their assignment and held the blocks well. It allowed a good, but not outstanding, RB like Hester to look unstoppable. It reminded me of old school college football. USC is a slicker, more modern offense; more outside running and more complex in the passing game. I'm far from an expert, but that's my impression.

 

[troy#1]

From what I've seen of LSU and USC, admittedly only 2-3 games per season, USC is a more pass oriented team, compared to last year's LSU squad. LSU's team blocking was very well executed. Everyone took their assignment and held the blocks well. It allowed a good, but not outstanding, RB like Hester to look unstoppable. It reminded me of old school college football. USC is a slicker, more modern offense; more outside running and more complex in the passing game. I'm far from an expert, but that's my impression.

I agree.:)

 

[BB73]

As far as Schlichter (not even sure if you're the one who brought that up), that was before my time. For more recent examples, Troy Smith took $500 and Clarett made a false insurance claim for about $1200 plus other infractions worth a few hundred. Both were dealt with quickly and in house, and both suspensions may have had an impact on the respective seasons.

Just to be accurate, MoC did not make "a false insurance claim". The exaggerated amount was in a police report.

But let's leave the discussion of player infractions for the 'NCAA investigating Reggie Bush ..' thread in the college football forum. Talking about that stuff in here will only deteriorate the football discussion.

 

[zincfinger]

From what I've seen of LSU and USC, admittedly only 2-3 games per season, USC is a more pass oriented team, compared to last year's LSU squad. LSU's team blocking was very well executed. Everyone took their assignment and held the blocks well. It allowed a good, but not outstanding, RB like Hester to look unstoppable. It reminded me of old school college football. USC is a slicker, more modern offense; more outside running and more complex in the passing game. I'm far from an expert, but that's my impression.

Okay, I think I understand your point: LSU has been more reliant on the between-the-tackles rushing game in recent years than USC has been. Personally, I'd attribute that more to the difference in quarterback personnel (USC has had superior pure pocket passers, particularly in Palmer and Leinart) than to O-line play or to fundamentally different philosophies on offense. But you could argue it either way.

 

[generaladm]

Just to be accurate, MoC did not make "a false insurance claim". The exaggerated amount was in a police report.

But let's leave the discussion of player infractions for the 'NCAA investigating Reggie Bush ..' thread in the college football forum. Talking about that stuff in here will only deteriorate the football discussion.

My bad. I was just responding to a comment about Schlichter, it looks like it has since been removed (#803 possibly). I wasn't aware of the Bush scandal thread until after the post. Consider it a dead issue.

 

[generaladm]

Okay, I think I understand your point: LSU has been more reliant on the between-the-tackles rushing game in recent years than USC has been. Personally, I'd attribute that more to the difference in quarterback personnel (USC has had superior pure pocket passers, particularly in Palmer and Leinart) than to O-line play or to fundamentally different philosophies on offense. But you could argue it either way.

My analysis of USC is based more on the Palmer/Leinart years than last year. From what I've heard, the passing game wasn't as spectacular last year, aside from Fred Davis. By the same token, LSU 07 was different than the Russell years. Flynn and Hester were solid football players, but not very dynamic. Just goes to show how many varied styles can be successful in college football.

 

[BuckeyeGanoosh]

It is comforting that our secondary is experienced and the USC qb is not.

 

[generaladm]

It is comforting that our secondary is experienced and the USC qb is not.

Throw in an inexperienced USC O-line vs. our veteran front 7.