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The Buckeyes' Big Plays Under Tressel

LordJeffBuck

Illuminatus Emeritus
Staff member
BP Recruiting Team
By now, everyone knows that a team can win a game when it scores only field goals, and the other teams scores at least one touchdown. However, you might not know that a team can also win when it scores only field goals, safeties, and touchdowns on defense or special teams. How many times during Jim Tressel's tenure at Ohio State have the Buckeyes won a game without the benefit of an offensive touchdown, and which games were they?

During Jim Tressel's tenure at Ohio State, how many touchdowns have the Buckeyes scored on defense and special teams?

Everyone knows that Jim Tressel's offenses stall out in the red zone, but no one seems to complain about the Buckeyes' big play capability. During Jim Tressel's tenure at Ohio State, how many offensive touchdowns of 20+ yards have the Buckeyes scored?

Now I don't really expect anyone (except BB73) to have this info readily at hand, but the answers should prove interesting.

I'll post the answers some time this evening; in the mean time, feel free to guess (or do some research).

EDIT: Answers posted below....
 
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Also, in the 2002 Penn State game, Gamble scored on an INT return, combined with two FGs for the 13-7 final score.

EDIT: Just looked up the 03 Iowa game. It was indeed a Jenkins punt ret. (54 yds), plus a punt block recovered by Whitner for a TD. Only 185yds in total offense that game. Yeesh.
 
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Buckeyeskickbuttocks;1291349; said:
In 2003 OSU beat Iowa 19-10 and San Diego State 16-13 without scoring an offensive TD

If memory serves Will Allen returned and INT v. San Diego State for the OSU TD and in the Iowa game I think it was a Jenkins TD punt return.
Correct on both counts.

In the Iowa game, Ohio State scored on a safety, a Mike Nugent 53-yard field goal, a Michael Jenkins 54-yard punt return, and a blocked punt which Donte Whitner recovered in the end zone.

Against San Diego State, the Buckeyes scored on three Mike Nugent field goals and a 100-yard interception return by Will Allen.

generaladm;1291357; said:
Also, in the 2002 Penn State game, Gamble scored on an INT return, combined with two FGs for the 13-7 final score.
Correct.

Those three games are not the only ones....
 
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Buckeyeskickbuttocks;1291391; said:
2003 Purdue - Kudla recovered fumble in EZ, the remaining points were Nugent FGs 16-13

Any others?

generaladm;1291405; said:
Purdue 08, obviously.
Those are the other two.

The Buckeyes almost accomplished the feat vs. Penn State in 2004 - they got a Ted Ginn punt return and a Tyler Everett interception return in the first quarter, but then "piled on" with a Branden Joe touchdown run in the second quarter en route to an 21-10 win.... :sleep1:

In addition, during the Tressel regime, the Buckeyes have lost three games in which they failed to score an offensive touchdown:

2001 vs. UCLA (Ricky Bryant recovered a blocked punt in a 6-13 loss)
2004 vs. Wisconsin (two field goals and a Ted Ginn punt return in a 13-24 loss)
2008 vs. Southern Cal (one field goal in a 3-35 loss)

Any takers for the other two trivia questions?
 
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During Jim Tressel's tenure at Ohio State, how many touchdowns have the Buckeyes scored on defense and special teams?

Answer: 33

5 Blocked Punts (Bryant v. UCLA 01, Whitner v. Iowa 03, Sabino v. Purdue 08, Hawk v. Northwestern 06, Hollins v. Kansas St. 04)
1 Blocked FG (Youboty v. MSU 05)
3 Fumble Returns (Doss v. Northwestern 01, Kudla v. Purdue 03, Gholston v. Northwestern 07)
12 Interceptions (Malcom Jenkins leads with 2; v PSU 06, v. PSU 07)
10 Punt returns (Ginn has 6, Hartline 1, Michael Jenkins 1, Santonio Holmes 1 and Ray Small 1)
2 Kick Retuns (Ginn has both)

In 2001 Defense or Special Teams scored 6 times (1 Blk Punt, 1 Fumb, 3 Safety (Purdue x2, Michigan) 1 INT)
In 2002 Defense or Special Teams scored 4 times (3 INTs and a Safety)
In 2003 Defense or Special Teams scored 5 Times (1 INT, 1 PR, 1 Blck Punt, 1 Fumble Rec., 1 Safety)
In 2004 Defense or Special Teams scored 7 times (5 Punt Returns, 1 Blk P, 1 INT)
In 2005 Defense or Special Teams scored 5 Times (2 INT, 1 PR, 1 Blck FG, 1 Kick ret)
In 2006 Defense or Special Teams scored 6 Times (3 INT, 1 PR, 1 Kick Ret, 1 Blk P)
In 2007 Defense or Special Teams scored 4 Times (2 INT, 1 PR, 1 Fumble Rec.)
In 2008 Defense or Special Teams have scored 2 Times (1 PR, 1 Blck Punt)

Most victimized (not including safeties)
7 Penn State (6 INTs 1 PR)
5 Northwestern (2 Fumble Rec., 1 PR, 1 INT, 1 Blk P)
4 Kent State (3 INT, 1 PR)
3 Michigan State (2 PR, 1 Bck FG)
2 Iowa (1 PR, 1 Blk P)
2 Purdue (1 Fum Rec. 1 Blck P)
2 Indiana (1 KR, INT)
1 UCLA (1 Blck P)
1 Michigan (1 PR)
1 San Diego State (1 INT)
1 Wisconsin (1 PR)
1 Miami Oh (1 INT)
1 Minnesota (1 KR)
1 Florida (1 KR)
1 Ohio (1 PR)
1 Kansas State (1 Blk K)

Most Def or ST scores:
8 Ted Ginn, Jr. (6 PR, 2KR)
2 Mike Doss (FR, INT)
2 Donte Whitner (Blk P, INT)
2 Malcom Jenkins (2 INTs)
2 AJ Hawk (INT, Blk P)
2 Brandon Mitchell (2 INT)
1 Rickey Bryant (1 Blk P)
1 Chris Gamble (INT)
1 Will Allen (INT)
1 Michael Jenkins (PR)
1 Mike Kudla (Fumb Rec)
1 Santonio Holes (PR)
1 Ashton Youboty (Blk FG)
1 Antonio Smith (INT)
1 Vernon Gholston (Fumb Rec)
1 Donald Washington (INT)
1 Ray Small (PR)
1 Brian Hartline (PR)
1 Etienne Sabino (Blk P)
1 John Hollins (Blk P)
1 Tyler Everett (INT)
1 Derek Ross (INT)

A special look at the far and away leader in Def/ST scores, Ted Ginn:

2 Punt returns for TD v. Michigan State
Scored ST scores against 7 different teams
Is the lone Def or ST score as against 4 Teams (Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida)


eh... that's enough for now... hope I didn't miss any....
 
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I missed AJ Hawks Blk P return v. Northwestern in 2006. thus, it should be added to my numbers up there

Edit: Added the Hollins score and Fixed Ginn's numbers
Edit: Added Tyler Everett INT v. PSU 2004
Edit: Added Derek Ross' INT from PSU '01
Edit: Added Mitchell's Indiana INT
 
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