Game Thread tOSU vs. Sparty, Sat 11/21, 3:30pm ET, ABC

[redguard117]

The GRIND won we needed juice to get us over the top . Due to injuries suspensions and circumstances we got nothing from our newcomers .

That's the thing - I don't understand why we need 'juice' and 'The GRIND' and whatever. We have a borderline obscene collection of talent on both sides of the ball.

Coach fundamentals and play hard-hitting, disciplined football. That's what MSU did today. That's what Alabama does every week. Why can't we do the same? We shouldn't have to rely on gimmicks

 

[UpNorth_Buckeye]

I really don't think the defense is that bad. They've stopped us from having 2 or 3 losses with this terrible offense. Something needs to change in playcalling, but other than that the other units have held their own.

What killed the defense the most was the offense being, well, the offense. Never keeping the defense on the sideline will kill your ability to go hard.

 

[Jt4prez]

The weather played a factor in this game, certainly. However, I don't see any way this loss isn't squarely on the shoulders of the coaching staff, if for no other reason than the simple fact that Ezekiel Elliot ran ball a total of 2 times in the 2nd half. Unless EZE was injured, that is unforgivable(even in light of the fact that we couldn't move the ball on the ground). Putting aside the fact that we totally underused EZE, the rest of our offensive gameplan lacked a purpose. Short screen passes to Michael Thomas, rather than to Miller or Marshall; rollouts to the short side of the field and only two deep balls the entire game. The majority of the game we let JT run QB draws and sweeps; sure this allows you an extra blocker, but JT was largely ineffective and is probably our 5th or 6th most dangerous runner.

It's just disappointing that the players were never put into a position to succeed by the coaches. Dantonio, helped by the weather and the ineptitude of our offensive coaching staff, got the exact type of game he wanted, and ultimately got the win.

 

[shiloh]

69 hurt. Since then I've tempered my expectations.

Remember '69 vividly as well and that was much worse. I was a lot younger then.

As mentioned, today was inevitable. And I'm a lot older now ...

 

[Onebuckfan]

You have to sweep
The leg we couldn't .. Those two turnovers do in most teams. Sparty mannedup

 

[alexhortdog95]

Here are the things (and this is all fairly meaningless):

5. Our rule is no bashing. You can absolutely talk reasonably about the play-calling and schematic failures without crossing the line. You can say "I'd like to see Beck fired, I think he's a bad fit" if you're offering that with intelligent(ish) rationale for the reason. The point being that it should be constructive criticism and (more importantly) adding to the discourse here and not just a throw away "fuck this guy"

I always back up my Beck criticism with fact

 

[lowbuck]

So I know if it was up to this forum that Beck would probably have been gone 5 games ago but what does everyone think the odds are he will be replaced when the season ends in reality?

Urban said he was not content with the play calling post game but tried to deflect it from Beck a bit, but I'd give 10 to 1 odds that Beck will not be back. Urban seems to be frustrated also in these postgames about play calling also.

 

[youra6]

On our last drive it was 3rd and 9 on our own 10 or whatever, the best play Tim Beck could draw up was what... a touch pass to Braxton?

Jeeze. Talk about throwing up a prayer.

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

Remember '69 vividly as well and that was much worse. I was a lot younger then.

As mentioned, today was inevitable. And I'm a lot older now ...

Fuck Michigan Man. Their 1969 fantasy ended tonight. They can't derail an undisputed #1 on the way to their second national championship. All these smug fucks can do is win a foosball game.

 

[UpNorth_Buckeye]

All you need to see...

Five first downs by the defending Natty Champs...

Five.

Urban needs to make a change now before everything gets out of hand....

After this entire season, this game should just be the icing on the cake. If this was the first game after putting up 40+ every game, chalk it up to an off game. But every. Goddamned. Week. Then the worst offensive output any team he's else had. Just a joke.

 

[jlb1705]

I didn't see the defense stop a team with 2 backup QBs from running the ball. A lot.

The defense played well enough to (nominally) give Ohio State a chance to win this game. There were situational lapses that made them ineffective late, but much of that can be attributed to being on the field for about 40 minutes of the game.

 

[AuTX Buckeye]

This will be unpopular... but I would be ok with Ed and Timmy moving on this offseason...

 

[jlb1705]

Remember '69 vividly

Nice

 

[lowbuck]

Huge difference this year has been tempo also. I think the only time we ran up tempo was when JT came in and replaced CJ mid game (forget which) but it only last a series or two despite it being pretty successful.

 

[Ryan36_1]

Correct. Nobody wins every game. But how many times should a team lose when they were in the exact situation of this game? That is, at home, against a backup QB, and you're the defending national championship with nearly every key piece returning. The answer is never in case you were wondering.

Yeah, a win over a top 10 team should be automatic. .

What team or coach hasn't lost a game they 'should' have won? We should fire Urban and go hire him.