chuck_jax
Senior
This week, my fingernails grew back a little bit. At halftime, I sat back in my bar stool, sipping my beer, contemplating a comfortable 16-0 lead. I figured the fat lady, if not warming up, had been summoned. Tresselball would prove victorious again, and everything was right with the world. To boot, I had also bet the 46-point "under" and figured that was safe as well.
From my perch, I decided to relax and scanned the the room to catch a few lesser games. I usually don't have time for such luxury because I'm too busy chewing my nails to the cuticle. As I watched, it hit me - almost every other school in the country has a better rushing attack than my beloved Buckeyes.
Defenses brought seven or eight guys. Those teams on TV could muster a 5-yard run, maybe break one around the corner, or even break a tackle. Not every play, mind you, but occassionally. Enough to keep the defense honest. Enough to honor a play action fake.
I saw Offensive Linemen pushing upfield. I saw linemen pull, holes opened, chains moved. I saw teams running the ball on 3rd and 2. "Boy," I exclaimed, "I haven't seen this from Ohio State in years." Yeah, I remember Eddie doing that kind of thing.
I don't tape games, and I don't get a chance to replay and grade. Other posters have said the line graded out pretty well except when there were too many guys to block. To me, it is all relative. If you can run the ball, you can count on 90-130 yards from your main back on 25-35 carries per game. Yet again, I saw the same thing in the first half that I have seen for a couple of years now. A running back who gets the ball and has very few options. Not that it would matter because he hasn't broken a tackle anyway.
It isn't like every single team OSU plays has a top 10 defense, either. I'll bet NCSt gives up more rushing yards to every team they play the rest of the way.
I'm not advocating we whack the line coach or O-coord, however, there seems to be a lot of debate regarding offensive production. Some indicate Tressel is putting the reigns on the attack. Garbage. JT would love to be able to run the ball down other team's throats. He can't do it and he has to rely on a redshirt-Sophomore QB to hurl it downfield.
We have a bumper crop of O-line kids coming up. I want to see some results. The '05 and '06 teams have a shot at running the table if we can just run the friggin' ball.
1.5 yards and a cloud of dust isn't enough. I want 3.
From my perch, I decided to relax and scanned the the room to catch a few lesser games. I usually don't have time for such luxury because I'm too busy chewing my nails to the cuticle. As I watched, it hit me - almost every other school in the country has a better rushing attack than my beloved Buckeyes.
Defenses brought seven or eight guys. Those teams on TV could muster a 5-yard run, maybe break one around the corner, or even break a tackle. Not every play, mind you, but occassionally. Enough to keep the defense honest. Enough to honor a play action fake.
I saw Offensive Linemen pushing upfield. I saw linemen pull, holes opened, chains moved. I saw teams running the ball on 3rd and 2. "Boy," I exclaimed, "I haven't seen this from Ohio State in years." Yeah, I remember Eddie doing that kind of thing.
I don't tape games, and I don't get a chance to replay and grade. Other posters have said the line graded out pretty well except when there were too many guys to block. To me, it is all relative. If you can run the ball, you can count on 90-130 yards from your main back on 25-35 carries per game. Yet again, I saw the same thing in the first half that I have seen for a couple of years now. A running back who gets the ball and has very few options. Not that it would matter because he hasn't broken a tackle anyway.
It isn't like every single team OSU plays has a top 10 defense, either. I'll bet NCSt gives up more rushing yards to every team they play the rest of the way.
I'm not advocating we whack the line coach or O-coord, however, there seems to be a lot of debate regarding offensive production. Some indicate Tressel is putting the reigns on the attack. Garbage. JT would love to be able to run the ball down other team's throats. He can't do it and he has to rely on a redshirt-Sophomore QB to hurl it downfield.
We have a bumper crop of O-line kids coming up. I want to see some results. The '05 and '06 teams have a shot at running the table if we can just run the friggin' ball.
1.5 yards and a cloud of dust isn't enough. I want 3.
