Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Cicero
Tressel needs to get back to real football. Recruit players that will be able to line up and establish the line of scrimmage. We need to get back to smacking teams in the mouth rather than trying to spread them out and run around them. If we want wasted potential we should have just kept Coop around.
|
I agree with your OL assessment but not in the way you expressed it. Coop left the cupboard bare...that has been established. We have zero depth right now and potential does not cut it in the trenches. I watched Alex Boone miss a block that prevented a nice gain last night...however, I don't question his ability, I question why a road grader like AB is asked to take a lateral zone step instead of burying his facemask in a chest and running the guy into the ground. I want a nasty OL not a passive wall...
The routes were there, the ball was not delivered. Yes, Troy Smith played poorly by not making plays when the opportunity was there, but did he honestly have the time to do anything? Yes and no. I think he was fooled often and I think PSU played a soft zone mostly and slowed down his reads enough to tempt him to run...then they relied on their LBs to make the plays when he took off...which they did.
Is that scheme? Sure, I can see the point some guys are making. However, IMO it comes down to getting it done up front. We got whipped up front all night. If you lose the point of attack, you lose the battle. If you keep losing the battles, you lose the war.
Everyone is screaming about talent, but in all reality, this is D1 football...everyone has talent. We just have the higher rated kids coming in which gives the perception that we are loaded everywhere. Where is Person? Where is Mitchum? Isn't Boone supposed to be starting by now? Rehring's sickness hurts bad.
We can scream all day about the playcalling...but I think that is missing the point. Every play is designed to be successful, but if that play is not executed from the start...things go wrong.
Solution? I'm not sure about the personnel issues, but I do know what is being designed is not being accomplished and that starts up front.