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- Thread starter BuckNutty
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Jeffcat
Banned
it is disgraceful but while i hate to admit it a lot of fans in the stands are drunken bandwagoners with no sense of pride for the players or team and they go to whatever extent to drive home their point. there were boos in my section.....needless to say they were quieted in a very swift manner
i wish zwick the best and he is prolly one of the best if not the best backup in the country and if he works on his release he definitely has a chance to run with it at the next level somewhere.
i wish zwick the best and he is prolly one of the best if not the best backup in the country and if he works on his release he definitely has a chance to run with it at the next level somewhere.
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JXC
17-4 since 2001
First off...I didn't boo Zwick and I was disgusted that there were boos in the stands. But I think this is more of the reason that there were boos...
I don't think many fans noticed that Smith was shaken up after his last series in the 1st half and that this was the reason Zwick was in. I think the boos were for the decision to put Zwick in over Smith, not knowing the full reasons and just assuming that Smith's day was done or even if it wasn't, still wanting to see Troy Smith in there. People love watching Troy Smith, and I think people were booing that ANYBODY but Smith was in...more directed to the staff and not Zwick. Again, this does nothing but show the ignorance of a lot of fans. We need Zwick to have as many minutes as we can get him, beccause even though Troy Smith is an amazing player, he isn't the whole team, and if an injury were to occur then every snap that Zwick has had this year would help him.
I don't think many fans noticed that Smith was shaken up after his last series in the 1st half and that this was the reason Zwick was in. I think the boos were for the decision to put Zwick in over Smith, not knowing the full reasons and just assuming that Smith's day was done or even if it wasn't, still wanting to see Troy Smith in there. People love watching Troy Smith, and I think people were booing that ANYBODY but Smith was in...more directed to the staff and not Zwick. Again, this does nothing but show the ignorance of a lot of fans. We need Zwick to have as many minutes as we can get him, beccause even though Troy Smith is an amazing player, he isn't the whole team, and if an injury were to occur then every snap that Zwick has had this year would help him.
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Answering The Call
Senior quarterback Justin Zwick was there when the Buckeyes needed him most - and still is
Oct. 7, 2006 by Tim Stried
It was considered by some to be a bit of a rebuilding year for the Ohio State football team in 2004. A total of 26 seniors had led the 2003 squad to an 11-2 season and another Tostitos Fiesta Bowl win. Fourteen Buckeyes were National Football League draft picks that spring, including quarterback Craig Krenzel, who had totaled 4,493 yards passing, 28 touchdowns and a 24-3 record as a starter.
They were big shoes to fill, but when the Buckeyes needed a new starting quarterback, they turned to Justin Zwick. Long before Troy Smith had evolved into the Heisman Trophy candidate he is today, it was Zwick who was handed the controls of an offense and a team that is one of the most successful in all of college football.
Today, Smith is in the midst of one of the most successful careers of any Buckeye quarterback, but Zwick has been there, too, every step of the way and Ohio State has been better for it.
Zwick's role as the starting quarterback in 2004 came after he watched Krenzel direct the OSU attack for two years.
"Craig was a winner," Zwick said. "No matter what was going on during the game or in a particular situation, he kept the same mindset. He had a knack for making plays. I was fortunate to be able to watch that leadership for my first couple years and learn from both Craig and Scott McMullen."
Like nearly all freshmen, Zwick spent his share of time on the scout team in practice, but always had his eyes and ears open whenever he was near the starting offense on the practice field or in meetings.
"Craig was such a student of the game," Zwick said. "In our meetings after practice, he and Joe Daniels (quarterbacks coach) would just sit and talk about the game and I would try to pick as much as I could up from that."
When 2004 rolled around and it was Zwick's turn to be under center, only five returning starters were in the OSU huddle. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes got off to a good start, topping Cincinnati 27-8, Marshall 24-21 and winning at North Carolina State, 22-14. Against Marshall, Zwick had his career-best day, completing 18 of 30 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns, totals which rank No. 11 on Ohio State's all-time single-game passing list.
But after that 3-0 start, the Buckeyes were handed losses at Northwestern in overtime, at home against Wisconsin and at Iowa in a game that would alter Zwick's career with a serious injury to his throwing shoulder.
"We had to replace a lot of guys," Zwick said. "We weren't able to gel like we needed to. We had a lot of new guys in the huddle trying to find out what we could do. Those three losses were a tough time."
It was tough not just for Ohio State, but for Zwick, who would miss the next four games because of the injury. In the meantime, Smith and the Buckeyes stepped up and rattled off four wins in five weeks, including a 32-21 win over seventh-ranked Michigan.
With the Buckeyes on a roll, it was Zwick who was asked to keep it going in the Mastercard Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State after Smith was held out of the game. He did just that, throwing a touchdown pass to Anthony Gonzalez on Ohio State's first possession against the Cowboys and the Buckeyes were off and running.
Later in the first quarter, however, on a third-down play as Zwick rolled out to his right and cut up field, his hamstring pulled. In severe pain, he limped to the bench after the play.
"My hamstring just popped," Zwick said. "It was very frustrating. Here I finally had my chance to prove to everyone that I was capable and then that happened."
He played the rest of the game in pain, completing 17 of 27 passes for 189 yards as the Buckeyes won, 33-7. On his first pass after the injury the pain was so severe he fell down without contact after he threw the ball, but Zwick did not let that stop him. The back of his leg was bruised for weeks.
"It felt great to win the bowl game," Zwick said. "I wanted to prove that I could play, too, and show everyone that I could do it."
With Smith still out, Zwick proved his worth again in the 2005 season-opener against Miami, leading Ohio State to a 34-14 win. He started the Texas game the following week, which the Longhorns won, 25-22, in Ohio Stadium in a game Zwick, like all Buckeye fans, said there were "a lot of ifs and could-have-beens."
"It was a tough game," Zwick said. "Going in, we (he and Smith) didn't really know who was going to play, but you have to prepare yourself as a starter and I continue to do that. I always have to be ready."
He keeps that attitude every day, thanks in part to the encouragement of his family, including his sister, Stacy, and his brother, Jared, who played quarterback at Youngstown State for Jim Tressel from 1996-00. Zwick went to his older brother's games and worked out with him in the summer, which only helped his budding prep career that included a state title at Orville High School and a state semifinal appearance at Massillon Washington. Zwick earned All-America honors from every publication that named a team.
"Every Friday night when I was in high school he would leave me a note," Zwick said of his brother. "He would just tell me to be a leader and play like I know how. He still does that. He's probably my biggest supporter."
Jared lives in Columbus, having completed four years of dental school at Ohio State in 2004 and now entering a three-year orthodontic residency. Stacy is a doctor, as well, having just entered her first residency in Michigan. Justin is a regular visitor at Jared's house and the two are closer than ever.
Zwick will graduate in December with a degree in business marketing and with it, his career as a Buckeye will be over. Though it might not have unfolded exactly as he would have liked, he is grateful for every opportunity he has been given and has developed his skills to the point that a potential career in the NFL is high on his priority list.
"I'm going to give it a shot and see what happens," Zwick said. "I have started nine games here and I think all of us seniors are going to give it a shot. So I'm going to put my effort into that and if it doesn't work out, I hope to stay in Columbus. My brother is here and I think Columbus is a great place with a lot of opportunities."
On the football field, every player wants opportunities. Every player wants to play or he would not be out there day after day, working hard and making sacrifices that all college student-athletes are required to do. In the end, however, it is the life lessons they all learn that make their effort truly pay off.
Those life lessons are not lost on Zwick.
"It's tough to go through, but I believe God has a plan for you and wouldn't test you with something if you couldn't handle it," Zwick said. "If you're a good person and do the right things you have to believe something good will happen. Every day I wake up and just thank God I'm alive and have an opportunity to go out and try to make myself better."
Answering The Call
Senior quarterback Justin Zwick was there when the Buckeyes needed him most - and still is
Oct. 7, 2006 by Tim Stried
It was considered by some to be a bit of a rebuilding year for the Ohio State football team in 2004. A total of 26 seniors had led the 2003 squad to an 11-2 season and another Tostitos Fiesta Bowl win. Fourteen Buckeyes were National Football League draft picks that spring, including quarterback Craig Krenzel, who had totaled 4,493 yards passing, 28 touchdowns and a 24-3 record as a starter.
They were big shoes to fill, but when the Buckeyes needed a new starting quarterback, they turned to Justin Zwick. Long before Troy Smith had evolved into the Heisman Trophy candidate he is today, it was Zwick who was handed the controls of an offense and a team that is one of the most successful in all of college football.
Today, Smith is in the midst of one of the most successful careers of any Buckeye quarterback, but Zwick has been there, too, every step of the way and Ohio State has been better for it.
Zwick's role as the starting quarterback in 2004 came after he watched Krenzel direct the OSU attack for two years.
"Craig was a winner," Zwick said. "No matter what was going on during the game or in a particular situation, he kept the same mindset. He had a knack for making plays. I was fortunate to be able to watch that leadership for my first couple years and learn from both Craig and Scott McMullen."
Like nearly all freshmen, Zwick spent his share of time on the scout team in practice, but always had his eyes and ears open whenever he was near the starting offense on the practice field or in meetings.
"Craig was such a student of the game," Zwick said. "In our meetings after practice, he and Joe Daniels (quarterbacks coach) would just sit and talk about the game and I would try to pick as much as I could up from that."
When 2004 rolled around and it was Zwick's turn to be under center, only five returning starters were in the OSU huddle. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes got off to a good start, topping Cincinnati 27-8, Marshall 24-21 and winning at North Carolina State, 22-14. Against Marshall, Zwick had his career-best day, completing 18 of 30 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns, totals which rank No. 11 on Ohio State's all-time single-game passing list.
But after that 3-0 start, the Buckeyes were handed losses at Northwestern in overtime, at home against Wisconsin and at Iowa in a game that would alter Zwick's career with a serious injury to his throwing shoulder.
"We had to replace a lot of guys," Zwick said. "We weren't able to gel like we needed to. We had a lot of new guys in the huddle trying to find out what we could do. Those three losses were a tough time."
It was tough not just for Ohio State, but for Zwick, who would miss the next four games because of the injury. In the meantime, Smith and the Buckeyes stepped up and rattled off four wins in five weeks, including a 32-21 win over seventh-ranked Michigan.
With the Buckeyes on a roll, it was Zwick who was asked to keep it going in the Mastercard Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State after Smith was held out of the game. He did just that, throwing a touchdown pass to Anthony Gonzalez on Ohio State's first possession against the Cowboys and the Buckeyes were off and running.
Later in the first quarter, however, on a third-down play as Zwick rolled out to his right and cut up field, his hamstring pulled. In severe pain, he limped to the bench after the play.
"My hamstring just popped," Zwick said. "It was very frustrating. Here I finally had my chance to prove to everyone that I was capable and then that happened."
He played the rest of the game in pain, completing 17 of 27 passes for 189 yards as the Buckeyes won, 33-7. On his first pass after the injury the pain was so severe he fell down without contact after he threw the ball, but Zwick did not let that stop him. The back of his leg was bruised for weeks.
"It felt great to win the bowl game," Zwick said. "I wanted to prove that I could play, too, and show everyone that I could do it."
With Smith still out, Zwick proved his worth again in the 2005 season-opener against Miami, leading Ohio State to a 34-14 win. He started the Texas game the following week, which the Longhorns won, 25-22, in Ohio Stadium in a game Zwick, like all Buckeye fans, said there were "a lot of ifs and could-have-beens."
"It was a tough game," Zwick said. "Going in, we (he and Smith) didn't really know who was going to play, but you have to prepare yourself as a starter and I continue to do that. I always have to be ready."
He keeps that attitude every day, thanks in part to the encouragement of his family, including his sister, Stacy, and his brother, Jared, who played quarterback at Youngstown State for Jim Tressel from 1996-00. Zwick went to his older brother's games and worked out with him in the summer, which only helped his budding prep career that included a state title at Orville High School and a state semifinal appearance at Massillon Washington. Zwick earned All-America honors from every publication that named a team.
"Every Friday night when I was in high school he would leave me a note," Zwick said of his brother. "He would just tell me to be a leader and play like I know how. He still does that. He's probably my biggest supporter."
Jared lives in Columbus, having completed four years of dental school at Ohio State in 2004 and now entering a three-year orthodontic residency. Stacy is a doctor, as well, having just entered her first residency in Michigan. Justin is a regular visitor at Jared's house and the two are closer than ever.
Zwick will graduate in December with a degree in business marketing and with it, his career as a Buckeye will be over. Though it might not have unfolded exactly as he would have liked, he is grateful for every opportunity he has been given and has developed his skills to the point that a potential career in the NFL is high on his priority list.
"I'm going to give it a shot and see what happens," Zwick said. "I have started nine games here and I think all of us seniors are going to give it a shot. So I'm going to put my effort into that and if it doesn't work out, I hope to stay in Columbus. My brother is here and I think Columbus is a great place with a lot of opportunities."
On the football field, every player wants opportunities. Every player wants to play or he would not be out there day after day, working hard and making sacrifices that all college student-athletes are required to do. In the end, however, it is the life lessons they all learn that make their effort truly pay off.
Those life lessons are not lost on Zwick.
"It's tough to go through, but I believe God has a plan for you and wouldn't test you with something if you couldn't handle it," Zwick said. "If you're a good person and do the right things you have to believe something good will happen. Every day I wake up and just thank God I'm alive and have an opportunity to go out and try to make myself better."
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I hope Justin gets a LOT more playing time... he looked really rusty yesterday... those short one-hoppers... precision is his gig.. he needs to get that edge back
For the record... I am a 100% Justin fan
For the record... I am a 100% Justin fan
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I was about ready to crack the skull of every boobird sitting near me. From my point of view JZ was on target on all but 2-4 of his passes. I don't see Smith getting booed when he misses a throw, or Gonzo getting booed when he drops a pass that hits him square in the hands. Sometimes the people in the Shoe make me sick. If anything happens to Troy this season those fans are going to be happy that JZ is on this team.
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Deety
Head Coach
And to think I was annoyed to be watching where I couldn't hear audio - now I'm glad. What is wrong with people? Justin has given his all to this program and is a darned good QB to boot.
Certainly don't want to even think of anything happening to Troy, but I do hope there's room over the next few games to show just how deep we are at QB. Would be nice to see JZ get enough PT to have his breakout year.
Certainly don't want to even think of anything happening to Troy, but I do hope there's room over the next few games to show just how deep we are at QB. Would be nice to see JZ get enough PT to have his breakout year.
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sandgk
Watson, Crick & A Twist
BB73 - that was exactly the game I recalled when Zwick got the Bronx cheers yesterday. Thankfully the group in the stands near us was largely a boo-free zone. Groans and gasps at the dropped passes (Gonzo's in particular) but boos, not many, and mostly quieted quick.
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Bleed S & G
Taking Crazy Pills
I didnt think oif that way and i hope it was case.. i was one of the few smith fans from the 2004 spring game, but the way jz has handled this had made me a very VERY big fan of zwick.JonathanXC;628266; said:
heres to the classiest and most capable backup in the big 10
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