Game Thread Southern Cal 18, at tOSU 15 (Sept 12th, 8 pm, ESPN)

[jwinslow]

Boeckman was your clear-cut starter. Pryor was brought in to offer a different dimension to the game, not (initially) because OSU was trying to figure out what QB to use. Going into the game it was pretty clear.

So OSU dumped Todd Boeckman over one football game after starting him for an entire year?

Once Boeckman got roughed up, that all changed, but there was no lack of confidence in Boeckman going in.

Right. Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, LSU... those didn't put any chinks in his armor as the starting qb.

I did see that game. Pryor didn't get in until late in that game. Boeckman was still the guy

Then you should have noticed lowly Ohio dominating the LOS as well. That was an underachieving line.

 

[kippy1040]

It had nothing to do with either QB. It was the O line.

That was a very weak O line on the field against a very good USC defense. Pryor began playing because he could escape (or try to escape) a fierce pass rush. The O line couldn't do anything against USC.

The offensive line has been under performing for years and the USC game last year was the first time when I thought "These coaches don't know what to do right now."

Nothing against the coaches because I think they truly didn't realize how bad the O line was. When you run up against a more talented team you have to have heart and the O line last year had no heart.

Doesn't happen very often that Coach Tressel gets his pants pulled down. Happened against Iowa in 2004. Happened in 06 against Floride and it happened again last season against USC.

I think YSUbuck makes a very good point in this post. I watched the USC game and thought the same thing. Our offensive line was getting man-handled and there was nothing that could be done. When the score was 3-0 in the 1st quarter, i thought to myself thier defense was looking real hard at what they were going to do the next time Ohio State got the ball. And they really came after us real hard. When i saw that happen i kind of thought that we were in for a long long game.

In the future the offensive line has to show some major changes and much improvement if Ohio State is going to show the rest of the BIG 10 and other opponents that the offensive line is a force once again to be reckoned with.

 

[Mike80]

It had nothing to do with either QB. It was the O line.

That was a very weak O line on the field against a very good USC defense. Pryor began playing because he could escape (or try to escape) a fierce pass rush. The O line couldn't do anything against USC.

The offensive line has been under performing for years and the USC game last year was the first time I ever thought "These coaches don't know what to do right now."

Nothing against the coaches because I think they truly didn't realize how bad the O line was. When you run up against a more talented team you have to have heart and the O line last year had no heart.

Doesn't happen very often that Coach Tressel gets his pants pulled down. Happened against Iowa in 2004. Happened in 06 against Floride and it happened again last season against USC.

If Beanie would have had the O-line MoC or even Michael Wiley/Pepe Pearson had he would have run for over 2000 yards and would have been in the top 3 (obviously) for the Heisman.

I think Beanie took a lot of unnecessarily strong hits behind and at the LOS because of the ineffectiveness of the O-line last year and even the year before (to a certain extent)....

It's been mentioned before, but it wasn't a lack of talent at all. I think (and I'm not alone) that it was a lack of killer instinct and intensity. Those are pretty easy to correct IMO.

 

[ysubuck]

If Beanie would have had the O-line MoC or even Michael Wiley/Pepe Pearson had he would have run for over 2000 yards and would have been in the top 3 (obviously) for the Heisman.

I think Beanie took a lot of unnecessarily strong hits behind and at the LOS because of the ineffectiveness of the O-line last year and even the year before (to a certain extent)....

It's been mentioned before, but it wasn't a lack of talent at all. I think (and I'm not alone) that it was a lack of killer instinct and intensity. Those are pretty easy to correct IMO.

Agreed 100% Mike.
Go and watch the Northwestern game last year. Not to get too off topic (although I think the O line play is what wins or loses games like the USC game) but the O line was getting its ass kicked (again) to start that game. Beanie's long run was ALL Beanie Wells. He got hit well behind the line of scrimmage and kept his feet and broke a long one.

 

[OCNut]

Agreed 100% Mike.
Go and watch the Northwestern game last year. Not to get too off topic (although I think the O line play is what wins or loses games like the USC game) but the O line was getting its ass kicked (again) to start that game. Beanie's long run was ALL Beanie Wells. He got hit well behind the line of scrimmage and kept his feet and broke a long one.

I can't wait to watch Justin Boren. I hope Mike Adams finally 'turns the page'.

 

[morbitzerker]

Agreed 100% Mike.
Go and watch the Northwestern game last year. Not to get too off topic (although I think the O line play is what wins or loses games like the USC game) but the O line was getting its ass kicked (again) to start that game. Beanie's long run was ALL Beanie Wells. He got hit well behind the line of scrimmage and kept his feet and broke a long one.

The only help he got from the O-line was someone hitting him and keeping him upright to keep running.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Boeckman was your clear-cut starter. Pryor was brought in to offer a different dimension to the game, not (initially) because OSU was trying to figure out what QB to use. Going into the game it was pretty clear. Once Boeckman got roughed up, that all changed, but there was no lack of confidence in Boeckman going in. Whatever Pryor added was supposed to be frosting.



Ok, SJSU and Notre Dame.

Pryor took the 2nd snap of the second drive (might have gotten in sooner....I didn't get to my seat in time for some reason) and rotated pretty much every other snap. Clear cut QBs don't sit on the second drive. The fans probably thought Boeckman was the clear cut guy, but after the kickoff of SC it was pretty clear he wasn't.


edit: eh...overkill. ignore me.

 

[WaitingforKickoff]

The yardage differential wasn't that great in the first half, something like 200 vs. 178. The only difference was that we couldn't put up six on the board and missed a short field goal while SC cashed in on all its opportunities. I would imagine plays designed for Stoneburner in the endzone. Heck, they might even have Pryor lined up at WR again just to present some match-up problems.

SC never had a shutdown defense, and won't likely to do so this year either.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

it would have helped to throw to a wide open Brian Hartline twice in the 2nd drive that ended in a FG. easy TDs both times....on back to back plays I think.

 

[troy#1]

The yardage differential wasn't that great in the first half, something like 200 vs. 178. The only difference was that we couldn't put up six on the board and missed a short field goal while SC cashed in on all its opportunities. I would imagine plays designed for Stoneburner in the endzone. Heck, they might even have Pryor lined up at WR again just to present some match-up problems.

SC never had a shutdown defense, and won't likely to do so this year either.

I dont know what you think qualifies as a shutdown defense, but I will take SC's "D" all day long when they are in the top 5 in the country in most defensive catagories. Last year of course. We dont know how they will do this year, but I for one am pretty excited!

 

[Buckeneye]

SC never had a shutdown defense, and won't likely to do so this year either.

They had a helluva defense last year; so I'm not sure where your going with this.

 

[GoodLifeSean]

This game all comes down to two things, one our ability to take out Taylor Mays from the equation. I know USC has a very good D traditionally, but Mays can take a slot completely out of the game, and I mean that quite literally, you need a slot to beat USC (Unfortunately Dane isn't afriad of contact). Secondly, it comes down to Corp's play in week one... If they come in questioning whether Barkley can start it's going to be a lot easier sledding.

Personally, I'm praying for a freak snow storm in September.

 

[MD Buckeye]

You all are forgetting stopping Joe McKnight.....12 for 105 (8.8 avg). If we cant slow him down, we may be in for another long night.

 

[DontHateOState]

e. Going into the game it was pretty clear. Once Boeckman got roughed up, that all changed, but there was no lack of confidence in Boeckman going in. .

I would posit that calling Boeckman to run an option play on third down is proof positive of that lack of confidence. They did not trust him enough to not turn the ball over so they took a safe play and took the points.

Combine that with a turnstyle interior, and it's quite obvious that there were some serious issues with Boeckman at quarterback. Those issues should not be there on September 12th.

 

[DontHateOState]

This game all comes down to two things, one our ability to take out Taylor Mays from the equation. I know USC has a very good D traditionally, but Mays can take a slot completely out of the game, and I mean that quite literally, you need a slot to beat USC r.

Disagree with this completely. If USC is foolish enough to play man coverage enough where Mays matched on a slot is a big matchup, then Ohio State has already won a key battle.

They want to play Cover 1? Ok, let's call 4 verticals and let TP run past their linebackers all night.