Reasons for the slump... and is it over now?

[jmorbitz]

Originally Posted by Showtime

I also heard that Troy Smith did a lot of partying the week leading up to the game, which was why he wasn't as mobile and got sacked more frequently. As to if this is true and has been verified, I have no clue.

Check out any article involving Troy Smith + In-N-Out Burger.

But also the O-Line did not play well. That is all.

[RB07OSU]

I think the #1 reason I am optimistic about the guys coming up is talent and our mentality. We have that competitive swagger to match the talent in the '08 and '09 classes. We are going to have some good players from the '07 class as well. They won't have any pshycological left overs to deal with and they will be ready to win champiionships

[Showtime]

Originally Posted by jmorbitz

Check out any article involving Troy Smith + In-N-Out Burger.

But also the O-Line did not play well. That is all.

Thanks. I will read that as soon as I get the chance.

I think you have to give a lot of credit to Florida's coaching staff for the game preparation. They really exploited the OSU weak point, and were in the backfield seemingly when the football was snapped.

From what I read, though, I heard that UF got some assistance from an Iowa player? Not for sure, but he told them your weakness.

I don't know if it's true or the exact details, but I remember reading that.

[JimsSweaterVest]

Originally Posted by jmorbitz

Check out any article involving Troy Smith + In-N-Out Burger.

But also the O-Line did not play well. That is all.

I bet this quote has been haunting Troy Smith and giving him nightmares these past two years:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/sp...snotebook.html

? The In-N-Out Factor
Nothing brought more smiles to reporters? faces on the first full media day than Troy Smith?s detailed description of just what makes the local delicacy, the In-N-Out Burger, so tasty. He offered this explanation: ?For the folks back in Ohio, they need to understand first and foremost, it is a fresh burger. The lettuce and tomatoes are extremely fresh. And they toast the buns. That?s huge. That?s key. They toast the buns. They use a special kind of sauce, too. It is an extremely ? the sandwich is incredible after a long night.?

[Oh8ch]

While I agree with most of the individual points made in the original post - I too disagree with the categorization as a "slump".

What is described are simply the vicissitudes of college football. [censored] happens. It is what makes CFB so fascinating and unpredictable.

USC is a prime example. Arguably the best team in CFB the past three seasons - but not even an NC game appearance in that span. Two losses in two years that are simply inexplicable. One might ask, would we rather have gotten "destroyed" by LSU and Florida, or have lost games to Northwestern and Indiana and missed those match-ups entirely?

Is USC's "slump" over?

Any idea that it is "over" or even could be "over" misses the point.

Don't question the football gods - it might anger them. Just keep wearing Buckeyes around your neck and never leave an O-H hanging.

Any Buckeye fan who understands what CFB is really all about should say a thank you prayer every night that "Holy Buckeye" didn't fall incomplete.

[JimsSweaterVest]

Originally Posted by Oh8ch

While I agree with most of the individual points made in the original post - I too disagree with the categorization as a "slump".

What is described are simply the vicissitudes of college football. [censored] happens. It is what makes CFB so fascinating and unpredictable.

USC is a prime example. Arguably the best team in CFB the past three seasons - but not even an NC game appearance in that span. Two losses in two years that are simply inexplicable. One might ask, would we rather have gotten "destroyed" by LSU and Florida, or have lost games to Northwestern and Indiana and missed those match-ups entirely?

Is USC's "slump" over?

Any idea that it is "over" or even could be "over" misses the point.

Don't question the football gods - it might anger them. Just keep wearing Buckeyes around your neck and never leave an O-H hanging.

Any Buckeye fan who understands what CFB is really all about should say a thank you prayer every night that "Holy Buckeye" didn't fall incomplete.

Holy Mary, Mother of God! For the 69th time (that's my lucky number!), "slump" here means "the three big-game ass-whippings we took in the spotlight live on national TV between January 2007 and September 2008."

Perhaps if I had started this thread on September 14, 2008, we wouldn't be going back on forth on semantics. I am usually against quote-mining, but try and put yourself in the mindset you were after our last butt-whipping. Here are some things you were thinking:

Originally Posted by Oh8ch

Just got my paper copy of BSB and there are two quotes that have my blood boiling:

Maualuga on OSU's Offense: "They did everything we saw on film - nothing changed."

Sanchez on OSU's Defense: "We ran those exact plays against that exact coverage with the exact blitzes in practice. You know, it was like we had played the game 10 times already.

How the hell are these kids supposed to win when we don't even game plan for USC?

Originally Posted by Oh8ch

I finally got rid of the blanket and crawled out of the corner. But if you are looking for sunshine - look elsewhere. My only goal this week is to get some things off my chest without incurring a two week ban.


...
On both sides of the ball USC started a total of ELEVEN.

We started eight players rated 3 stars or less. USC started one.

From 2004-2007 - the years that are most relevant for this game - USC has landed 31 five start recruits. OSU has landed 8 (four of whom are no longer with the team). 31-8 isn't far off the final score.

...USC has not lost by more than 7 points since 2001.

...
Well, maybe. Maybe if we had a masterful game plan and our coaches were ready with needed adjustments at every turn. (Hang on a second - gotta grab a drink and stop this coughing.) Maybe if they were taking us lightly (maybe they were) and we were totally fired up. Maybe if we made no mistakes. Maybe then we could have covered the spread.
...

The loss isn't the problem. 35-3 is the problem.

And USC isn't the problem. USC plus LSU plus Florida - that is the problem.

114-41 in three games (114 - 24 after our opening salvos) - that is the problem.

The media abuse. The taunting from opposing fans with fewer and fewer handy retorts on our side. That is the problem.


...
Along with writing "observations" I have been busy deleting all my posts defending Todd and arguing he would transition into an AA candidate this season. It doesn't look like that is going to happen. Even after six years he stares down receivers, throws into coverage, and struggles under pressure. Just like Mili said he would.

...
And any problems we had on Offense started the same way. As often as not Boeckman had company with the snap. And that one five star players who started for OSU? He was called for two penalties (one for "flinching"?) and opened the door to a sack and fumble by vacating his hole and biting on a fake blitz.
...
I can rationalize away each of these games - but not all of them. And no matter how hard I try I come back to one thing. Three straight times on the big stage and we failed to show up. It happens. But three straight times is tough to take.

...
Our almost unprecedented success the past 5 plus years and our disastrous performances in these three games are an anomaly that begs for explanation or remedy.

I have been the boss. I have fired people. It ain't easy.

Or, to put it another way - three and a half million is a lot of money.

...
But in three years we have been called on three times to face one of the other top five programs in the nation - and we didn't show up. That is fact.

It is not time for wholesale changes. But it is time for change. (Or at least it will be come seasons end.) Subtle changes can have big results. Assistant coaches and coordinators can have enormous impact. I won't pretend to know the specifics - although I obviously have an opinion. It is Tressel's job to fix it. Unfortunately by all appearances it is a problem that should have been fixed during the past off season. For all my bluster I really don't know. Neither do you.

Seems to me like you thought there was more to it than "What is described are simply the vicissitudes of college football. [censored] happens." You wanted an "explanation or remedy" for 114 - 41. This thread is a belated answer

[Jake]

I wish we could've had a "slump" like this when I was at OSU in the late 80s. Obviously, losing 3 straight BCS bowls is frustrating, but a little perspective is in order.

[matcar]

Originally Posted by Jake

I wish we could've had a "slump" like this when I was at OSU in the late 80s. Obviously, losing 3 straight BCS bowls is frustrating, but a little perspective is in order.

I think the perspective is fine. There is nothing wrong with expecting bowl game victories.

I'll add by saying this. EVERY time there is a debate on this board about Top 5 [fill in the blank] about 80-90% of the folks thing tOSU has been jobbed if it's not on that list.

Tradition
Recruiting
Stadium
Fan Base
Ohio talent
Head coach
Band

So, if people think we're typically top 5 in all or almost all of those categories, then it would seem that proper perspective would expect big game/bowl victories more often than not.

[Oh8ch]

Seems to me like you thought there was more to it than "What is described are simply the vicissitudes of college football. [censored] happens." You wanted an "explanation or remedy" for 114 - 41. This thread is a belated answer

What the hell - you mean there is a record on here of what I have said in the past?

I am so screwed.