Game Thread tOSU at Illinois, Oct 15th, 3:30 ET, ABC/EPSN

[Apache]

A few observations if I may:

There is no such thing as an ugly win. They all show up in the record books as a win.

The Bucks won the surest way.

If you can run the ball successfully and have a stout defense, hmmmm maybe you should not put the defense in bad field position.

If you want glitz and flash, watch the circus or dancing with the stars.

The naysayers would be livid if the Bucks "threw" the game away.

Now when they play Wiscy, they will have to do something more, but that is then and the Illini was now.

And to the disgruntled running back, you have a future here, but if you don't want that, pack your bags. Ok I vented just now.

 

[Taosman]

Historically, playing games at Illinois have all been pretty ugly because of that darn wind. So the key has been running the ball and not making mistakes. It just so happens that the Big Ten winner is usually the best running and defensive team.

 

[Systems_id]

Yeah I'm not sure why people are surprised we didn't go to Illinois and throw it all over the place. We hardly ever throw the ball when we go down to Champaign. We didn't the last couple of years we went down there and we didn't when we had our explosive offense in 2006. There was really no point in slinging it all over the field.

 

[Buckeye86]

There was really no point in slinging it all over the field.

rolling Braxton out of the pocket on a play action boot out of the I and attempting to complete some short passes in the flats a few times a game does not equal slinging it all over the field

the silver lining is that Wisconsin has absolutely no game film to help prepare for whatever passing game we can come up with over the bye week- we will see if Bollman can take advantage of that, I am less than optimistic about at this point based on the last decade, but it could happen

 

[Apache]

I totally agree. Roll out and short passes to get the qb and offense going is a great idea ala TP and pass then run options.

What about the 3 step quick passing game too? The hitch, the outs, the combo outs and quick ins?

Just a thought.

rolling Braxton out of the pocket on a play action boot out of the I and attempting to complete some short passes in the flats a few times a game does not equal slinging it all over the field

the silver lining is that Wisconsin has absolutely no game film to help prepare for whatever passing game we can come up with over the bye week- we will see if Bollman can take advantage of that, I am less than optimistic about at this point based on the last decade, but it could happen

 

[JXC]

A little confused at the disappointment in some about the way we won this game.

There is no more impressive win to me then one where you just smash the other team in the mouth and beat them up front on both sides of the ball. That is Big Ten football.

Ohio State came in, gave Illinois the most physical game they have played all year, and it was too much for them. That is awesome.

People have been on the coaches for getting too cute or out thinking themselves. Here they did the opposite. Simple running plays were working, so they kept going to the same plays until Illinois stopped them, which they didn't.

I'm not worried about the passing game. Everyone always wants to look at the last game as though it is a complete illustration of anything and everything the team can do. The way we beat Illinois has very little to do with how we will play Wisconsin, other than it will give us confidence and illustrate how physical football can win you games.

 

[Buckeye86]

I'm not worried about the passing game. Everyone always wants to look at the last game as though it is a complete illustration of anything and everything the team can do.

Ohio State passing by game:

Akron: 20/28 (71.4%) for 293 yards with 4 TDs and 0 INTs.

Toledo: 16/30 (53.3%) for 189 yards with 1 TD and 0 INTs.

Miami: 4/18 (22.2%) for 35 yards with 0 TDs and 1 INT.

Colorado: 7/15 (46.6%) for 110 yards with 2 TDs and 0 INTs.

Michigan State: 12/25 (48%) for 143 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.

Nebraska: 6/18 (33.3%) for 108 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.

Illinois: 1/4 (25%) for 17 yards with 1 TD and 0 INTs.

Yeah, there is nothing to worry about here. Illinois was just an aberration that everyone is focusing on for no reason.

 

[BB73]

If it's declined. I know it's happened in the NFL with the mandatory 10 second runoff, but I don't believe it can end on an offensive penalty.

Somebody call BB73 at the game.

tOSU got an untimed down at the end of the 3rd quarter in the Sugar Bowl last year, after an offensive holding penalty was accepted. I haven't looked at the end of the 3rd quarter on the DVR lately, but I remember the feeling that the third quarter just wouldn't end, like it was more than just 1 untimed down after a penalty that expended that period.

EXTENSION OF PERIODS 3-2-3

• Period is NOT Extended if Penalty Statement Includes Loss of Down

Extension of Periods ARTICLE 3. a. A period shall be extended for an untimed down (other than a try) if during a down in which time expires one or more of the following occurs (A.R. 3-2-3-I-VIII): 1. A penalty is accepted for a live-ball foul(s) not treated as a dead-ball foul (Exception: Rule 10-2-5-a). The period is not extended if the statement of the penalty includes loss of down (A.R. 3-2-3-IX). 2. There are offsetting fouls. 3. An official sounds his whistle inadvertently or otherwise incorrectly signals the ball dead. b. Additional untimed downs (other than a try) will be played until a down is free of the circumstances in statements 1, 2 and 3 of Rule 3-2-3-a (above).

 

[buckeyes_rock]

rolling Braxton out of the pocket on a play action boot out of the I and attempting to complete some short passes in the flats a few times a game does not equal slinging it all over the field

the silver lining is that Wisconsin has absolutely no game film to help prepare for whatever passing game we can come up with over the bye week- we will see if Bollman can take advantage of that, I am less than optimistic about at this point based on the last decade, but it could happen

Absolutely...I'm tired of hearing that because Brax is inexperienced, there is no pass that is safe. There are a lot of creative ways Bollman can work the passing game into the scheme. If they line up and expect to run all over Wisky with no threat of the pass, its going to be a very very long night for the Bucks.

With two weeks to prepare, this is Bollman's chance to prove that he can actually come up with a decent game plan. Quick throws, slants, screens, 3 step drops, and lots of rollouts. That's what you do with a young guy. I hate to bring up his name...but Tater Tot had a lot of success early on his frosh year doing just that for the skunkbears. I'd like to see some creativity with Brax mixing up the pass and run and giving Wisky all kinds of different looks offensively besides the doggone I formation.

 

[OSUK]

I didn't mind 1/4 passing at all given the wind and the final score. If Braxton threw it 20 times, several of those ducks would have been over/under thrown and there would have been interceptions. Ask Scheelhause.

That approach was fine because we could run the ball and the D was stout. But we aren't always going to be able to do that. Wisky, for example on some drives, will only give us 3 yards on 1st and 2nd down. We will have to be able to throw for 7 or more yards to sustain a drive. Also, UW will score some points on us, and we'll have to keep up. Get that passing game going boys.

 

[Bucknut24]

I don't mind it because I can't remember one time this decade we passed well @ Illinois

even in 2006 when our offense was our best under Tressel that was our worst offensive output (there was no bowl game that year)

 

[Best Buckeye]

What I liked best was 1. we beat them soundly and 2. it was payback for 2007. I bet all those suckeres were looking to romp and stomp us with their UNdefeated team. And looking to lord it over the "once Mighty Bucks".

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[Coqui]

Could we have passed? Sure.

But why should we when they couldn't stop the run?

 

[mattynokes]

Could we have passed? Sure.

But why should we when they couldn't stop the run?

It was utterly amazing at how they were fooled by the draw when we ran, what, like 7 or 8 called passing plays. And when they beat us in '07 it seemed Zook made all of the right calls and clock management. This year was the complete opposite.

 

[kinch]

Could we have passed? Sure.

But why should we when they couldn't stop the run?

I don't have the stats handy, but while it looked like they couldn't stop the run, didn't we get two touchdowns on extremely short fields? That isn't them not stopping the run as much as it was the defense setting up "easy" scores. If they really couldn't stop the run and we didn't pass because the run was so effective, we would have had a touchdown on an average to long drive. We are pumping up the effectiveness of the run here too much, methinks.

I do agree with sticking with the run. I just don't think it was as dominating as people seem to be making it out to be.