Game Thread Ohio State 34, Minnesota 21 (Sep. 27)

[alpo]

i noted the stats earlier. those are nice numbers. is he beanie, no. but hes done a very nice job. hes got 3.5 more years to improve. phsyically boom is not there yet. he needs some more strength and i think that should come. boom has improved in nearly every game. hes shown some very nice runs and shown some tendencies of a young back.

beanie has size/speed combo that is lethal. if i had a dollar for every "string of pearls" run id seen id be a happy man.



a fumble is a fumble. many forget how beanies frosh year and even last year he took a lot of crticism for not being patient and just ramming the hole. newsflash, this is major college football, no one is healthy after the first game.... do you really think it was he was so amped up? why wouldnt that excuse be valid for dan herron?


im glad we have more than one back that i have some level of comfort in. it was not long ago when we had no backs (ross/hall) that i had confidence in...

im a big fan of the bruce theory of a pair and a spare. (two running backs of the same style and a change of pace, that can contribute)

Being amped would apply to Dan Herron, when and if applicable. But he doesn't seem to need any excuses for anything, as of yet. I love the guy so far and everything he's done and doing. Thrilled to have him. He's better and looking more comfortable every week.
I wasn't and didn't direct any comment towards Boom, my comments were about comparisons between MoCla and Beanie. If I was making excuses comparing Frosh seasons between the two and maybe trying to apply that, in Beanies case, to his current and potential future, I think what I want to say is that, imo, Beanie may have a tendency to put too much on his shoulders and create too much intensity to be as effective and focused as he possibly can be, which may open him up for certain maladies, including the fumbles and even possibly being suseptible to injuries. If true, I'm not going to fault him for it, I feel his pain and appreciate him that much more.

You are right, a fumble is a fumble, but also, I think that with certain personalities, Beanie being one, imo, there is a relaxation factor that comes w/starting that some super-talents that have supers sonic desire, don't necessarily have, or can control, as subs. Hence, Beanies fumble woes as a Soph disappeared.

I totally agree, btw, w/the 2 backs and a spare theory and look forward to the day, (which may have already arrived), when the Nick Holt's of the world have some nighmares pondering our Buckeyes.

 

[sparcboxbuck]

This is not true for me at all. Picture and audio are both great for me.

Got to agree. Picture and audio during the game were better for BTN than my ABC reception last night.

 

[Telekinesis]

I was talking with an Auburn fan tonight about the difference in how Tressel and Tubberville use second and third string players in the second half of a game that they're dominating. Tressel will start using reserves after the first possession in the third quarter, and use a large number of second and third teamers. Auburn doesn't do this, only throwing in reserves for a few plays here and there.

The end result is that late in the year, we have a deeper team. It's not just building for next year, it's building for the same year. A classic example I'll use is that Hawk and Mangold were able to contribute in the NC game their Freshman year. Certainly, that helped both our OL and LB rotation in that game.

You guys longing for the days of John Cooper hanging 72 point on Rice are welcome to your view, but try on the idea that there's more to be gained in a game like this one than simply impressing some assclown reporters in polyester suits with your "explosive" offense. Preparing your team, coaching, teaching, getting young players on film, showing recruits that your Freshmen and Sophomores PLAY, building your rotation, and yes, building the future are all goals that can be achieved in the second half of a game that's well in hand.

IMO, during most seasons, the Tressel method works. His teams get better top to bottom from late August through January. By the bowl game, guys who started the year on third team have worked their way into the rotation, and Freshmen are playing like upperclassmen. A big part of that growth is putting them on the field for a full half (or close to it) in games like this one.

The cost is having a final score that's less "impressive" than it could have been. When you understand the intent, it's a lot easier to accept what you're seeing on the field.

Personally, I think Telekinesis' comments about the Washington game are over the top, and he's mixing two entirely different situations. Tressel didn't "blame" Saine for scoring. He simply showed class by making it clear that it wasn't a deliberate Spurrier-like play call meant to humiliate Washington at home. In that circumstance, it's about winning with class. Games like this one are about putting in your younger players to get them some experience with a conference opponent.

As has been pointed out in numerous posts, polls and beauty contests no longer matter this season, so there's no reason to get back to the same old Bucknuts 2002 season arguments about Tressel being opposed to scoring or offense out of some kind of religious beliefs. Win the games, win the conference, win the Rose Bowl and it's a successful season.

I don't agree that we shouldn't deliberately score when our rb has the football. Personally, I think that's absurd. Even with that final td it was only 33-14. How is that embarrassing? This is college football we're still talking about, right? Not a little league tee ball game? Also, Minnesota is not Rice. They came in 4-0. If I'm wrong for thinking we shouldn't cut off the jets against a 4-0 team, I don't want to be right.

I really don't know what hanging 72 points on a team has to do with it. I'm not saying we have to slaughter a team 74-0, I'm just saying when we get up by 10-30 points we shouldn't be letting the foot off of the gas and that's usually what happens. Especially against good/ranked opponents. I'm not exactly arguing that we should destroy Youngstown State here. It just disappoints me that we have a tendency to slack or hold back after we take the lead against good football teams.

 

[buckeyes_rock]

I don't agree that we shouldn't deliberately score when our rb has the football. Personally, I think that's absurd. Even with that final td it was only 33-14. How is that embarrassing? This is college football we're still talking about, right? Not a little league tee ball game? Also, Minnesota is not Rice. They came in 4-0. If I'm wrong for thinking we shouldn't cut off the jets against a 4-0 team, I don't want to be right.

I really don't know what hanging 72 points on a team has to do with it. I'm not saying we have to slaughter a team 74-0, I'm just saying when we get up by 10-30 points we shouldn't be letting the foot off of the gas and that's usually what happens. Especially against good/ranked opponents. I'm not exactly arguing that we should destroy Youngstown State here. It just disappoints me that we have a tendency to slack or hold back after we take the lead against good football teams.

I think what's disappointing about pulling up in this game is that I'd really have liked to see us dominate and fire on all cylinders before the big night game at Wisky. I know JT is still trying to find some players and wants to take some looks at some young guys, but in game 5 going into that big game next week...I was really hoping to go in there on a VERY high note.

Oh well, maybe this score looking close will actually help keep our guys grounded. They see that you can't let up against anyone or else. I have to say though, all the false starts and substitution penalties...that stuff can't happen in game 5. We have to clean that up and not blow opportunities up at Camp Randall.

 

[BrutusBobcat]

I don't agree that we shouldn't deliberately score when our rb has the football. Personally, I think that's absurd. Even with that final td it was only 33-14. How is that embarrassing? This is college football we're still talking about, right? Not a little league tee ball game? Also, Minnesota is not Rice. They came in 4-0. If I'm wrong for thinking we shouldn't cut off the jets against a 4-0 team, I don't want to be right.

I really don't know what hanging 72 points on a team has to do with it. I'm not saying we have to slaughter a team 74-0, I'm just saying when we get up by 10-30 points we shouldn't be letting the foot off of the gas and that's usually what happens. Especially against good/ranked opponents. I'm not exactly arguing that we should destroy Youngstown State here. It just disappoints me that we have a tendency to slack or hold back after we take the lead against good football teams.

Spoken like a gambler who's lost money when OSU doesn't cover. 'Fess up. How much real money did you lose when Minny scored that last TD?

 

[osugrad21]

BN$--Photo Album: Ohio State Vs. Minnesota 2008

 

[osugrad21]

Dispatch

September 30, 2008

Tale of the tape, Minnesota

In a hurry here, but wanted to dash off some thoughts after reviewing the film:
-- Terrelle Pryor is worth more to OSU than the sum of his yards gained. He saves the Buckeyes yards that other, less mobile QBs might lose, which is just as important. Two examples: Pryor avoids a sure sack and scrambles out of bounds. It's still a sack, but a 2-yard loss instead of 11. That's 9 yards "gained," on a drive that ends in a field goal. Second: Pryor again avoids pressure, throwing incomplete. On the next play, he converts a third-and-11 with a 13-yard completion. Had he been sacked, OSU may not have been able to convert a longer third down. That drive ends in a field goal, as well.
That's six points. So I maintain his mobility helps in numerous ways, even on plays that look like a zero gain or loss on the stat sheet.
Cont...