Game Thread tOSU at Miami FL, Sept 17, 7:30 pm ET, ESPN

[Sdgobucks]

They should have been doing that since day 1. Yet the coaching staff is on the hot seat and trying to save their jobs. They are interim, know it, and didn't want to put their jobs on the shoulders of a Freshman QB. Yet in the end they just put a huge nail in their coffin. It will take a remarkable turnaround for them to be here at the end of the year, especially since they have messed with Braxton so much to this point.

It's going to be a long season. I hope they turn it around, but so far this looks like the worst Ohio State team in about 11 years.

I could be wrong, but I feel LF was only given the job because no one else (that they want) would take it until the final judgment comes down from the NCAA near the end of the season. LF's future depends more on what the NCAA does to the university than the teams performance this year IMO. If we get hit hard, they will keep him on, because a big name guy isn't going to step into a situation like that, but if the NCAA goes easy on us, my bet is he is out and they bring in a big name that they want. I think LF might end up being a great coach, but I doubt they will give him time to prove himself unless they are forced too.

 

[Wingate1217]

I wish I could be that optimistic. Right now I would take 7-4 and a bowl win (of course it would have to be 8-4 and a bowl win).

The 2004 team really turned it around at the end of the year. Hopefully Braxton can turn into Troy Smith.

Oh, I wasn't saying we would have the same record, just the same growing pains....

 

[TooTall]

Those holes aren't there without at least the threat of a pass. Honestly, I'm surprised the holes were there at all. They were much slower on the uptake in that respect than Toledo was.

Baby steps. Even if it means Braxton Miller's longest pass next week is a screen pass.

 

[Gothmog8]

1. JB was not very good tonight. I think he could have used some more help from his receivers and he might have muddled through it. But, that's that. 1 good game against a bad team, 1 bad game against a good team, and 1 shitty game against a shitty team, and perhaps he is done. I say draw up a plan next week with Miller starting and see where it goes. I am not 100% ready to relegate him to the bench, but, he certainly has not gotten any better.

2. Miller is what he is, a freshman. If you were to put him out there and say, "he will make mistakes and lose us the game, but he will learn from it", how the hell can anyone want that? We all want to win. JB was given the opportunity and didn't come through. So next week flip it and Miller can have a shot to start with JB coming in if things look bad. If that fails... we can always go to a 4 QB rotation

3. The D gets props. They got gashed a few times and let an easy TD happen, but they played well most of the night to keep it close. Too bad the O couldn't come through.

4. My player of the game is Hall. He WAS the offense (and Ben B. on Punting as best supporting player).

5. Coaching was mostly horrible. I think as a new coach he has stuck to his game plan too long or left it too early and that is something that has to be figured out. So this is Luke's wake up call. You are on the big stage now and have lost your first game. Losing more probably won't cost you your job. Losing more like this will.

6. I had this game down as a L before it started because of many factors, but mainly from what I saw last week against Toledo. What annoys me is that it could have been W based on what I saw of Miami. They are somewhere in between Akron and Toledo, but tOSU is right there with them at this point. Time to get a better game plan and learn how to learn from your mistakes and make adjustments.

 

[Mike80]

Well, I take solace that once the NCAA is done with Miami this game will have never happened and our record against Miami will be 2-0

2-1.

1999.

 

[lowkarma]

Well think about it this way:

Braxton will have a MUCH more experienced O-line than Troy did.

Braxton will have a MUCH better and deeper running back tandem than Troy did.

The Defense appears to be better than in 2004.

The young guys aren't all being thrown to the wolves immediately.

This was, as NFBuck said, predictable. OSU will be ok, Fickell may not be the coach after this year, but the talent IS there, if raw in key spots.

But for Braxton to have any of this he has to be in the game first....

 

[buckeyebri]

I think many of us expected to have some struggles. With regard to the Buckeyes passing game, I don't see how anyone would expect what we just watched. That was embarassing. Difficult times.........? To be expected. Struggles....? To be expected. That suckfest that we just watched....I didn't see that coming. Still, the Defense played well and Hall looked good. Hope what we saw on offense tonight was an aberration.

See NFBuck and Mike80 right above this...same thing I said.....

 

[hdcolumbus]

This. People really short change just how good Craig really was. Craig wasn't as good as Troy or Pryor by any means, but he was better than anything not named those 2 in the past 20 years

Think you're forgetting about Joe

 

[Miller4heisman]

I would say that im more so disappointing than angry about this game than anything. I mean..i can accept a loss tonight because this team is rebuilding and has a lot of young players and a new coach..but you have to give the kid a chance. You cant run a Qb draw almost every down with Braxton in there. Let him air it out, if he throws another pick, so What? at least hes getting experience at a night time nationally televised atmosphere. Its not even the loss that's disappointing..it seems the coaches are holding these kids back, and for what reason? what do we have to lose?

 

[Bucklion]

I understand the offense should have some issues, but there is talent at all positions. I don't think experience ever excuses 20% completions and about 30 yards passing all night (and with a garbage 15 yards on the last play), especially when you are on scholarship at The Ohio State University. It should never get to that level. I could see if we were facing Alabama or LSU's defense, but Miami? I think fans are allowed to expect better.

Losses are expected, sure, but I think the way it happened is incredibly frustrating. We're better man for man than that team.

The WRs don't appear to stand out at all to me. At RB, TE, and OL we have good talent. Unfortunately, it's a passing game now, and we're worst off at QB and WR right now.

 

[Basebuck]

Who says they don't have the ability to play Tresselball? Is it a question of ability, or is it a question of agenda from the coach? The one bright part of the offense was the lines ability to create holes for J. Hall and Carlos Hyde. If anything, I don't want the Buckeyes to pass the ball a single down on the first drive of the next game. Even if it is a three and out.

Sorry, I meant the coaches dont have the same skill set that JT practiced for 30 years

 

[sandgk]

I could be wrong, but I feel LF was only given the job because no one else (that they want) would take it until the final judgment comes down from the NCAA near the end of the season. LF's future depends more on what the NCAA does to the university than the teams performance this year IMO. If we get hit hard, they will keep him on, because a big name guy isn't going to step into a situation like that, but if the NCAA goes easy on us, my bet is he is out and they bring in a big name that they want. I think LF might end up being a great coach, but I doubt they will give him time to prove himself unless they are forced too.

Precisely, in bold font.

And, that is very unfair to him.

 

[BuckeyeMafia]

Does anyone mind summarizing what happened tonight? I missed the game due to work related problems...

I looked at the stats and occasionally checked my ESPN Score Tracker App.. I saw the rushing stats, and with 37 carries for 165 yards I can't understand why we didn't win... Then I saw the QB play and was immediately reminded that you need a balanced attack... Yet, defensively, despite the first couple drives where we gave up the points it seemed as though we played well. We even forced two turnovers.

So can somebody explain to me what went wrong? Were we unable to get off the field defensively? Unable to move the ball, despite the big rushing numbers?

 

[Rookie]

Post game presser is on: mms://stream.wifi7.com/wbtc

link doesn't work.

 

[SloopyHangOn]

This is a leaderless program. Not just a leaderless team.

I think the pro and anti Tressel folks alike can agree that at least with him around we had some leadership. From Braxton looking totally clueless to Baus having a grand ol' time on the sidelines down 2 scores late in the game, this feels like the normal teacher took a job in a new district and the substitute doesn't know how to do anything but the basics (and not even all that well).

Luke looked lost, managed this game very poorly (in my IMO), and managed to spend ANOTHER game looking very much like an assistant coach on the sidelines whenever the cameras caught him. Even when the team wasn't cohesive over the past decade, the at least looked focused. This team looks very very lost and that is very very disheartening as a fan.