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Buck Kid 66;1306605; said:What games are u watching.
Buck Kid 66;1306605; said:If u don't think that unit is getting better your crazy. They are young and some guys were learning new positions and getting flop around. From DE to DT and from DT to DE.
Buck Kid 66;1306605; said:Get off the cliff. U were living in the preseason hype. Truth is we had problems coming in to this year.
sepia5;1306641; said:Did you watch the Ohio game? Did you watch the USC game? Did you watch the Troy game? Did you watch the Minnesota game? How about the Wisconsin game? The Purdue game? You don't think the DL has not only been a disappointment, overall this season, but likely regressed? I'm not specifically going to name names here, and I realize Vern Gholston is gone, but the DL unit has consistently been pushed around by subpar OL talent this year.
Well, certainly over the past two weeks we've seen improvement along the DL. The point, unfortunately, is that they're just now getting back to the level of play we saw from them LAST season. That isn't considered improvement, that, at best, should be considered finally returning to the status quo.
Maybe you're using a bit of hyperbole here, but I'm not "on a cliff." I'm being realistic. And realistically we returned most of a team that played for a NC game last year, including two guys (and maybe three) that would have been first round NFL draft picks, as well as possibly the leading pre-season Heisman contender. Realistically, almost all of us expected a Big Ten championship at the very least. Realistically, we thought we had an OL that could hold it's own against anyone in the country, let alone anyone in the Big Ten (or the MAC, for that matter). Realistically, I hope, given all I've just recounted, we continue to have similar expectations in similar off-seasons, b/c if we don't, we're not really one of the top 5 programs in the country. I don't think those expectations were misplaced, and that is why I feel this team has drastically underperformed this season.
Now, I don't want to be seen as the hopelessly negative guy, so let me offer a few positives I'm seeing right now:
1) Thad Gibson is becoming a star before our eyes. He has been the lone, truly bright spot along the DL this season. He was consistently in the backfield causing problems last night. Despite the loss, from here on out, I think we'll all be able to point to this game as the game in which the tides of improvement and potential we've seen in Thad this year finally broke the flood walls.
2) This season has been a GREAT experience for our young talent, particularly our freshman class. I remember watching the post-game coverage of the 1997 loss to Penn State, during which an announcer recounted a conversation he'd had with Curtis Enis. Enis told him that during the previous year's blowout loss to OSU, OSU players had been telling him he should have gone to OSU, and that it was a mistake to have signed on with a Big Ten rival. I hope that TP has a similar experience, and uses this loss as motivation for the next 2-3 years. But the experience this freshman class has gained from this season does not stop with TP; Posey, Thomas, Williams, Brewster, Shuggarts, Adams, and others have all gotten real time experience that will likely serve them--and the program--well in the future.
3) Cam Heyward is beginning to look like what we'd expected of him after his great freshman campaign last season. That is very uplifting, because I was starting to have my doubts a few weeks ago.
4) Thomas looks like he's going to be the the solution to our kick and punt returning woes. Thank god.
5) Ross Homan is going to be a stud in a year's time. I'm feeling confident about this.
dre22era;1306600; said:i know its hard to swallow but in my opinion this game will be nothing but a celebration. celebrating the fact that we Owned Michigan this decade and that this is the 1st time in a long time that this will be Michigan's last game of the season. No Bowl Game. More like gala. Michigan don't stand a chance. and lets not even think about losing this game.
dre22era;1306600; said:i know its hard to swallow but in my opinion this game will be nothing but a celebration. celebrating the fact that we Owned Michigan this decade and that this is the 1st time in a long time that this will be Michigan's last game of the season. No Bowl Game. More like gala. Michigan don't stand a chance. and lets not even think about losing this game.
OregonBuckeye;1306476; said:Tom Dienhart continues his douchebag ways. Prick.
Rivals.com College Football - Penn State assumes undeserved role as contender
sepia5;1306641; said:5) Ross Homan is going to be a stud in a year's time. I'm feeling confident about this.
dre22era;1306477; said:And in response to previous comments of people responding to me.
yes when you return 22 starters and lose again prime time on the national stage The Season is indeed over.
I also question Tressel's play calling. He is an original old school type coach and I respect that but unfortunately with the flawed BCS system you gotta play to run up the score and not settle and be happy with the lead you have. Look at the scores the past 2 weeks. Florida putting up 50+ USC = nuff said. I dont like the BCS but that what you gotta do today.
MaxBuck;1306527; said:The only thing I'm confused about is how the O-line can look so good on pass pro (Pryor really did have lots of time to throw, unlike Clark) and yet so ineffectual in run blocking.
Otherwise, I'm disappointed but not embarrassed or upset. We lost to a better team overall.
jlb1705;1306632; said:I was not pleased that we weren't able to run the ball with Chris Wells. I'm no expert on O-line play, so I'll leave it to those people to discuss how they did. I think that the presence of Pryor hurts the ability of Wells to be effective because it is leading to predictable "safe" play calls and giving the opponent almost no reason to respect the threat of the pass. Against lesser teams, Beanie is so good that he can overcome those disadvantages. Against a team like Penn State that's a different story though. It's frustrating at times, but if this arrangement is what the coaches have determined is best for the program into the coming years, then so be it.
dre22era;1306477; said:yes when you return 22 starters and lose again prime time on the national stage The Season is indeed over. I am a big loyal Ohio State fan but you can't be blind to the obvious. Again I look forward to next season. I think we have a great chance to make a run at the NC.
Dryden;1306707; said:2) Complaints about the opening JoePa montage - I thought it was a poignant tribute to a living legend. They'll be doing the same tributes to Tressel in 15 years.