• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

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

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
kippy1040;1269252; said:
He was thought to be the next head coach at Ohio State after Cooper was let go. He was very dissapointed when Tressel was chosen. Yes he was pretty well thought of in Columbus at the time. Even alot of OSU fans were stunned when Tressel was picked. And Mason was quoated as saying after that - he would never seek another position in coaching again if Minney ever let him go. He recruited alot of good Ohio football players and that was to be his strongpoint. I though he did a great job at Minnesota. Hopes this makes it a better picture for you. You probably know more than i on why he was let go.
Click to expand...
I am not a Mason hater--I appreciate lots of good things he did for our program, but I can understand why it was time to move on.

He brought us back from a doormat program into a national stage. We had some good teams (1999, and 2003) and had arguably the best running game this conference has ever seen producing an NCAA record 2 1000 yard rushers 2 years in a row.

He helped secure funding for a stadium, and brought us to 6 bowls in 10 years. Football fans around the country still remember Maroney and Barber. The win over PSU in 99 was one of the best sporting highlights of my life.

But he had some on field and off field problems. On field was his inability to field even average defenses. Mason is the proud owner of the largest and 3rd largest come from behind bowl losses in NCAA history. Many more in conference play.

Gophers ran for 424 yards against Michigan and lost.

Gophers had a 38-7 lead in the 3rd quarter against Texas Tech and lost.

Gophers had a 24-8 lead in the 3rd against NC State and lost.

etc etc...

He 37-52 against BCS opponents (we were the poster child for cupcake scheduling under him) and he was 11-43 against the top 3 Big Ten Schools (OSU, Michigan, and PSU) and our two biggest Rivals Iowa and Wisky.

He referred to die hard rivalries as "trinket games" and used the word "rebuilding" in his 10th year in charge. Both of these statements really pissed off the fan base.

I think he lost a lot of passion after the tOSU pass over, and never seemed the same.

He couldnt recruit. He hit Ohio pretty good, but Brewsters first class with a 1-11 record is better than Mason's best coming off his 10-3 season.

Mason got the Gophers from total losers to 8-4 and 7-5 year in and year out, however that seemed like the ceiling with him at the helm. We were once a powerhouse (6 national titles) and fans think we deserve better.

Thats my two cents. I saw him this summer and shook his hand and said "thanks" and he seemed friendly about it. A nice guy, and wish him the best. We just want something with more passion and a higher ceiling, esp with the new stadium.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Sporting News
Undefeated Gophers face first test of season

Posted: September 23, 2008


MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Four cream puffs. Four victories. The easy part of the schedule is over for Minnesota.
Now it's time for the rugged Big Ten, and conference play couldn't begin any tougher for the Gophers. They open this portion of the season on Saturday at No. 14 Ohio State, the three-time defending Big Ten champions.

"The preseason is done for this team. We get a big test the first week," tight end Jack Simmons said. "Not only are guys excited about the Big Ten, but then you go and play the preseason favorite to win the conference. I think there's going to be an edge about us and that will be exciting to see in practice." There better be.
The Gophers showed signs of progress from last year's 1-11 season by beating the teams they were supposed to beat in the nonconference schedule this season -- Northern Illinois, Bowling Green, Montana State and Florida Atlantic.
They are coming off a 37-3 victory over the Owls at home that was the most convincing of coach Tim Brewster's brief tenure at Minnesota. But the combined record of those first four opponents is 4-9, and now they go into the Horseshoe against the 3-1 Buckeyes, whose only loss came at No. 1 USC two weeks ago.
"Obviously that's the start we wanted to have," quarterback Adam Weber said. "Now it's about carrying that momentum into the Big Ten and keeping this thing going."
Unlike many teams from the power conferences, the Gophers couldn't afford to take any opponent -- not even Montana State -- lightly coming into this season. They went just 1-3 in nonconference play last season and had plenty to prove even against their weakest competition in Brewster's second season.
The preparation seems to have served them well to this point.



Cont...
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
CPD
Ohio State football: Wells and Pryor, together at last

by Doug Lesmerises Tuesday September 23, 2008, 3:14 PM


medium_TP%20and%20BW.jpg
Marvin Fong/ The Plain DealerIt sounds like Beanie Wells, right, and Terrelle Pryor, left, will be sharing the field Saturday.
After missing three games with an injury to his right foot, Ohio State running back Beanie Wells is probable for Saturday's Big Ten opener against Minnesota, OSU coach Jim Tressel said today.
Left guard Jim Cordle said Wells ran hard and ran well in practice on Monday.
"We didn't have full pads on yesterday, we were going about 75 percent, and he was going 100 percent," Cordle said. "He ran up my back a couple times. It's exciting and it's painful, but we're definitely excited to have him back."
Tressel had previously listed Wells as doubtful or questionable for games, so probable is an improvement.
"I feel like he'll play this week," Cordle said. "He probably won't play as much as he wants to play but he's definitely going to get carries."
It will be the first chance Wells has to get major time in the backfield with Terrelle Pryor at quarterback, but while the pairing could be dangerous for defenses, the presence of Wells could curtail Pryor's running.
"You can't be giving everyone our secrets now," Tressel said when asked if that would happen. "Maybe."
Cont..
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Anyone here are planning on tailgating this Saturday?

I bought two tickets in Deck 8 B 17th row off StubHub.com. It will be my first OSU game, along with my fiancee of 3 years (been working on her to turn her into a Buckeye faithful). We will be driving up from South Carolina on Friday.

The problem is that I do not know the area very well or know anyone who lives there. I want to know if anyone here are planning on tailgating this Saturday and would not mind to let us join in and show us around like a tour or so.

Yes, I am deaf (born deaf), but I wear hearing aids so I can talk pretty well. Mariangela (my fiancee) is a normal hearing Italian chick. She can take a cell number to get in touch when we get in the area so we can meet up.

I cannot wait. I've been waiting for this moment for around 4 years. I'll be glad if anyone here can help us out to show us some fun and great experience.

Shoot me up some PMs if anyone here can hook us up.
 
Upvote 0
Dispatch

Spitler, Rehring out

While OSU expects to regain the services of backup nickel back and special teams performer Tyler Moeller this week, Tressel said backup middle linebacker Austin Spitler (unspecified leg injury) and left guard Steve Rehring (foot sprain) likely are out.
Freshman Etienne Sabino is listed as the backup to middle linebacker James Laurinaitis this week. Sabino had the Jack Tatum big hit of the week on a kickoff coverage tackle against Troy.
Click to expand...
 
Upvote 0
Beanie and Pryor?

How do you all think this will play out?

I know tOSU fans are dying to see the great RB and great QB in the same backfield, but I am not totally sold on it being light years better, and here is why:

Individually both players are awesome (esp Beanie), and but they are both suited for completely opposite offensive schemes.

Beanie is not a spread back, or an ideal back from the pistol. He is easily most effective running from 7 yards deep in the power I. When he is healthy and lined up this way he is the best RB in the country IMHO,

Pryor is most effective in the spread or pistol, not under center. The run/pass option is killer with him and his biggest asset (he is a competent passer but not the best pure passer in HS last year).

So while they are both great players, an offensive scheme that tilts towards one guys talent (Power I or Spread) doesnt fully take advantage of the others abilities.

Or in other words--its hard to imagine an offensive scheme that exploits both their talents fully.

Welcome your thoughts--I am a Gopher fan so obviously not well versed in tOSU football but this is what I see.
 
Upvote 0
stpaulgoph;1270171; said:
How do you all think this will play out?

I know tOSU fans are dying to see the great RB and great QB in the same backfield, but I am not totally sold on it being light years better, and here is why:

Individually both players are awesome (esp Beanie), and but they are both suited for completely opposite offensive schemes.

Beanie is not a spread back, or an ideal back from the pistol. He is easily most effective running from 7 yards deep in the power I. When he is healthy and lined up this way he is the best RB in the country IMHO,

Pryor is most effective in the spread or pistol, not under center. The run/pass option is killer with him and his biggest asset (he is a competent passer but not the best pure passer in HS last year).

So while they are both great players, an offensive scheme that tilts towards one guys talent (Power I or Spread) doesnt fully take advantage of the others abilities.

Or in other words--its hard to imagine an offensive scheme that exploits both their talents fully.

Welcome your thoughts--I am a Gopher fan so obviously not well versed in tOSU football but this is what I see.
Click to expand...

I would assume that Pryor can hand off to Beanie out of I-Form easily. The biggest threat is the play-action, which can leave the sidelines vulnerable after blitzing in the box. This is where Pryor can excel at getting out of the pocket for the sidelines.

Beanie can still run from 7 yards deep out of Pistol formation while giving Pryor the extra space from the center. Since Pryor showed that he will look to pass first, the defense cannot exactly expect to win by making him pass the ball so they'll have to sit in zone coverage.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top