Offense Optional in Buckeyes Victory
The defense stole the show today. With Ohio State’s offense unable to move the ball consistently, the unit was inordinately taxed with having to shut down a power running attack (led by John Clay and Zach Brown) and Scott Tolzien efficient passing attack. The total yards surrendered by the defense (368) masks how dominant they were in the trenches. Tolzien, covered by what Matt Millen and Mark May were trying to tell me was the best offensive line in college football, was sacked 6 times this game. It got worse for Tolzien and the Wisconsin offensive line as the game rolled on. Ohio State’s lack of possession was thought to be a sore for the Ohio State defense, but it turned out to be as much of a sore for an exhausted Wisconsin offensive line that was unable to withstand the siege. The defense tallied six sacks (Homan x2, Williams, Heyward, Gibson, Wilson), but added what seemed to amount to about 15-20 QB pressures and hits on top of that. That game look like it hurt for Tolzien.
If we want to get picky, we can add that the defense didn’t surrender a TD the entire game1. That’s damned impressive considering how long the defense was on the field. Accordingly, some of the aggregate stats for some players look really exceptional and, given their extended stay on the field, really was. Homan led all players with 15 tackles (9 solo) and 2 TFLs (his two sacks) that added to the team’s 10 for the game. 3 others had 10 tackle efforts, including Kurt Coleman (14/4), Brian Rolle (14/3) and Jermale Hines (11/3). Nathan Williams contributed 5 tackles, but was unblockable in the 4th quarter. He may have contributed as much numbers to the QB hurry/hit departments as he did to actual tackles. Doug Worthington and Cam Heyward were unblockable in the first quarter. Credit Wisconsin here with respect to Heyward and Worthington. Paul Chryst very quickly realized that keeping Tolzien in the pocket amounted to turning him into a sitting duck for Heyward and Worthington. The Badgers adjusted by moving the pocket on designed roll-outs and feeding Gilreath on.. yes… end-arounds to attempt to write those two out of the game.
Then of course, there’s the Ohio State offense. I don’t know what to say about this unit other than that they owe the defense a keg after this game. After all, it’s hard to get a good read on them when they were only on the field for 17 minutes. Terrelle Pryor is erratic at best. He showed great poise and touch on the touchdown pass to Posey. Elsewhere, he telegraphed his throws, made bad decisions, and did not run with authority on his designed runs. One has to wonder how much he’s really improved from last season to this one. Basically, that was the story of the offense. As Pryor goes, so goes the offense as a whole. Unfortunately for Terrelle and the running game, he didn’t get too much help from his tackles. Adams and Shugarts/Hall struggled mightily with JJ Watt and O’Brien Schofield in particular. Schofield was as good as advertised in his 7 tackle, 3.5 TFLs and 2 sacks performance. A lot of questions about the offense were left with unsatisfying and incomplete answers. It’s unfortunate that the Buckeyes don’t have a bye week this season to hammer some of these things out.
Miscellany
- Jim Tressel now has a winning record over every team in the Big Ten. He was tied 3-3 with Alvarez/Bielema’s Badgers entering this game.
- The last time Ohio State had two pick-sixes in this game was against Penn State in 2006. That was the tight game that Malcolm Jenkins and Antonio Smith closed in the 4th quarter.
- I’m not a fan of Zombie Nation Seven Nation Army2 playing before our kickoffs. It may be that I feel Penn State has dibs on it, but it may also be that you need to put your whole ass into that cheer. Half-assing that cheer before a kickoff just makes our fans look uninspired.
- Proper protocol is to be standing every second of the game. I cringed every time the camera caught a glimpse of the front rows of the east/west stands sitting, looking idly at the scoreboard.
- Fans were unhappy with the decision to name Spitler the starter over Sabino, but I thought he played well today.
- Garrett Graham had a great holding day today. I think they flagged him 3, maybe 4, times.
- Ohio State’s offense didn’t touch the ball in the second half until 1:40 left in the third quarter.
- Is it time to retire the fake reverses on kickoffs? I don’t think Wisconsin was fooled, nor does it seem anyone else will be fooled from here on out.
Written by: Vico |
I sure hope the light comes on this year for TP before the season ends. If he continues to default to stupid every time a play breaks down the rest of the year we will lose to a good team in our bowl game. Also, then you go into the off season speculating about how much he will improve for next year. But maybe he doesn’t, and then you got no good #2 guy with significant reps.
It’s got to be frustrating for the staff watching him lose his faculties on every other play. Hey, I questioned Siciliano….and Daniels as QB coaches. TP may need a better tutor and better offensive plan. Not really sure.
Pray for no early NFL exits. We could be scarier even on D next year. Nathan Williams, Simon, Gibson, and Heyward are cyborgs. They should remove their names from their jerseys and just put T-1000 on their backs, because they cannot be reasoned with, they don’t feel compassion and they absolutely will…not…stop…until you are dead.
Yep, that’s pretty much how I saw it, too. It’s hard to give the Defense enough praise for their exrtraordinary efforts yesterday. Truly impressive.
I was disappointed with Pryor’s lack of assertiveness with his running; I though he ran much “harder” last week. Telegraphing the short throws doesn’t work. Or any throw for that matter. I’d like to see the Offense stretch it out with some downfield passes, Carter and Posey can make the plays, I beleive. On the other hand, I wasn’t too surprised that the Offense struggled against WI. I think the line was working through some illness issues, and I felt that the Wisky D felt they were getting dissed and had something to prove. The bulk of the pregame press was”Wisky O-line line, Buckeye D-line that”.
I agree, having a bye week to work this out would be nice, but playing Purdue is almost the same thing.
Almost forgot. I guess the downside to this type of win is that it reinforces “old school Tressel-ball”; defense and special teams win games… heh
It’s not Zombie Nation that plays before kickoffs, it’s Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j7huh5Egew
My section (9B) was terrible. Every game I have been the only one within 50 people standing on *third downs*, let alone the rest of the game. I’ve been yelled at to sit down several times, including when we were driving in a two minute drill in the USC game! And it’s been a different set of people around me every time, I don’t what’s wrong with them.
Ahem, final score was 31-13
Our Defense is lights out……….and will bring us another Big 10 Conference title this yr( our defense it that damn good ). Pryor has taken steps backward………not forward. He’s still half arming his throws, thats why thier skippin the turf on out routes. He’s not setting his feet. And when a play breaks down , he runs to the nearest sideline instead of running forward up and out of the pocket. Any more performances like this , and I will be waiting for Bauserman to come in. Time is of the essence, you need to practice what you preach, and act like you want to be out there. And Bauserman will be in if Pryor continues to throw into double and triple coverages. Tressel is consistant in this area……………RB’s and QB’s…….you turnover the ball consitantly your sittin.
There wasn’t a holding call on Whiskey’s O-line until thier first posession and first play of the 2nd half. And then all of a sudden Whiskey was being flagged atleast 2 times a posession for holding. The D-line was having its way all day.
Lastly……….why did we pooch kick with like a minute or so left?? 4th and 1……….and we have a QB who is 6 ‘ 7 240 freaking pounds and we pooch it.
Purdue is next week, Pryor needs to descide if he wants to lead this team or not, he’s been spotty all yr. But right now , its time big man to shit …………..or get off the pot.
…………and on a off topic note. Did anyone happen to see how freaking obnoxious and horrible RichRod was treating his players on the sidelines and on National TV last night??………….good lord, no wonder no one wants to play for him.
Growing pains people!
A few things:
1) I’m tired of the fans and the media being down on TP. Remember Troy Smith’s first season and a half? He progressed into an excellent passer. And TP is easily twice the athlete. If he progresses as much as Troy, he’ll be a phenominal player by the end of this year/beginning of next. The kid’s a true sophomore, give him a break. He shows flashes of being an amazing passer. If you want to question someone, question the coaching. It’s like they are refusing to let him run the ball. When he finally did yesterday, it opened up that excellently thrown pass to Posey.
2) Vico, on the crowd, the AD ruined it by making “student sections” two years ago. With all the students in the North and South ends, there’s no one to force the old farts in the middle to stand. If you ask me, the first 10 rows of EVERY SECTION needs to be undergraduate students. FORCE the old people to stand the whole game. Better yet, tear out all of the damn seats. There is no reason for their existence, I’ve consistently said that.
3) Interesting stat I heard on the radio broadcast yesterday. Before the O came on the field in the third, they had been off of it for OVER AN HOUR (actual time, not game time, going back to the TD drive). That is a testiment to how the game went yesterday.
4) There should have been more holds called on Bucky. The only reason they had time to throw on many plays were obvious holds were holds that weren’t called. I mean, come on, how can you tackle a DE/DT from behind as an OL and not get called?
Ed: Yeah, I noticed that about RichRod too!
Actually, all of European soccer has dibs on Seven Nation Army. Sorry, just didn’t want to give PSU too much credit since we still have to play them this year.