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Bitching about the 2004 Season

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Yeah I agree Mark Snyder might wanna think about the press box for real. The only thing they failed to do on 3rd down is use their common sense. I'm saying this because if you blitz, the ball comes out quicker, if we are in zone we are playing off? anyone get the concept here? I've said it time in and time out just alittle bump and run would help us alot.
 
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Is it time...

...to change our offensive style? I have heard several people complain about the offensive performance of our team. I also have heard several people defend this style of play. So what do you think?

My opinion is we do need to make a change. I have defended the JT offense durring the last 3 seasons and in my heart I still think that running the ball, play action pass, and a deep ball once a quarter is the best offense out available, but at some point I believe you need to adjust to your personel. Zwick seems to be more capable than CK of winning a game with his arm. The defense is noticibly weaker, so time of posession and scoring when we have the ball become more important. Our WR depth is impressive, while our offensive line can't create a push, or hole, and our back lacks vision, and explosiveness for reasons beyond my comprehension.

In my opinion it's time to go back to Joe Germaine type football, or passing to set up the run. We need to scare teams off of the line so that running the ball becomes easier. Spread them out get the LB's thinking more about coverage than run support. Our WRs and Hamby are the only players on the team who have shown they are capable of making some big plays, our WRs have made plays when they were covered but the ball was placed nice. It is time to be a gun slinging offense something 60% pass 40% run offense vs the 65% run 35% pass offense we have attempted to be in the past.

For whatever reason the run is the weakest part of our offense, and the defense is incapable of winning games for us like they have in the past. I thought it was a mirage against Marshall, then against NC State, but Northwestern proved that the defense isn't that good. The offense has got to be more aggressive, if turnovers happen so be it we will just have to score more.

If the defense is the strongest part of your team, then you try to put them in the situation to win the game. Right now I am leaning more toward the offense being the strongest part of our team for the first time in a long time. I think it is time to reverse the roles.
 
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Whether people agree it's time or not, does anyone believe JT is going to totally overhaul his career philosophies now?

I think we'll see moves to better execute what's there, and to get our full playbook into the game. I think they're going to focus on the fundamentals, and try to do the little things right.

So I guess it all depends on what you're looking for. We aren't going to be a drastically different offense next week, or next year in my opinion. Hopefully we can just run it more effectively.

--edit--

Let me add that I'd love to see the shift you describe, at least to some degree.
 
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It all starts up front. Our O-line collapses more than every one of our opponents so far in pass pro., and on rushing plays they get absolutely no push. What I would give to see some serious drive blocking in front of Branden Joe and Tony Pittman...

If Zwick had as much time in the pocket as Basanez, he would've had his choice of open receivers to hit.

One thing I think needs to be changed on offense is our goalline philosophy. In previous years we'd smash it up the middle on 1st and goal from the 3 yard line and eventually score a TD. Against NW we run Pittman on a drawn out sweep, let Zwick drop back for a 13 yard loss, and miss a FG. Hello..... Branden Joe up the middle x 3 = 3 yds. and a cloud of points. Tressel must have absolutely zero confidence in the O-line's ability to drive the defense back in that situation. It speaks volumes, imo.
 
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Do I think we will look like a Steve Spurier offense? No, but I do think without overhauling the offense we can make some adjustments that would benefit us. One way is simply by calling more passing plays. Another thing is building on plays. Like the five wide out button hook play we ran over and over, giving two players stop and go could open things up. Small adjustments. If we do the smart thing and start pitman draws could become more effective in that style of offense.

Will he change? I think so, I believe he changed a little bit when McM was in the game. I think he changed a little bit when T. Smith was in the game. You have to be able to adjust to what you have, and the need for an adjustment has been made clear by losing to a now 2-3 Northwestern team. I feel he made an adjustment heading into the Fiesta Bowl the last two season, which this season he regressed back to ultra conservative, rush limgaugh type conservative offense.

If he doesn't make a switch now, I will be surprised. Someone has a Woody Hayes quote as there sig that says something like "nothing clenses you quite like getting your ass kicked" Well we got our ass kicked, it is time to clean house and try again.

If it ain't broke don't fix it, but if it is broke, then fix it.
 
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One can only hope that some of the highly touted OL recruits we've brought in recently signal promise towards a future improvement on the OL. Certainly guys like Pace and Bentley spoiled us, but we've had to talk poorly of OL play for way too long now.

I also miss a guy like Jamar Martin. I know we've had injury issues at FB, but we haven't had a punishing lead blocker in some time. With all due respect to Hamby, who has come a long way in his blocking responsibilities, even the loss of Hartsock hurts from both a pass protection and a run blocking front.

KillerNut said:
One way is simply by calling more passing plays. Another thing is building on plays. Like the five wide out button hook play we ran over and over, giving two players stop and go could open things up. Small adjustments. If we do the smart thing and start pitman draws could become more effective in that style of offense.
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I don't think you're asking for more than you can expect here. Hell, we've already seen more variety in the passing game this season than we did the two before. I hope we continue to see more variety. More importantly, hopefully we'll see improved efficacy when our QB is more focused on the game than he is retaining his starting position. If Troy Smith's attitude is half of what it sounds from some who were in the stadium early, I suspect JZ can start to relax a bit.
 
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I said it before but we will not see drastic changes under Coach Tressel with the offense. Just more concentration on fundementals and maturity, and making the right decisions. When the maturity of the O-line and especially with Justin Zwick comes around we will see alot more progress, but only Justin can dictate that. He has to be able to mature and overcome the fact that every single team will try to make him win the games for OSU, and try to take away our offensive run game by stacking the line. Every team will do that until Justin makes them pay for that consistently. THEN watch out !!! All that being said though, Coach Tressel will never abandon trying to solve this problem with the run game and keep trying run plays. So go to the store and buy lots of pepto bismol and Tums. I have hahaha
I do however wish your statement would come true and we'd see that kind of passing game. God I miss the days of Bobby Hoying and an open passing game. Who knows a guy can dream, ya never know.
 
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StoRMinBrutus said:
Just more concentration on fundementals and maturity and making the right decisions. When the maturity of the O-line and especially with Justin Zwick comes around we will see alot more progress,
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Even WITH a veteran offensive line the offense was sad!!!! I just think Tressel needs to start running a few more plays out of the formations he uses and doesnt keep the offense as simple to read and to gameplan for. Fundamentally I think the Offensive line is what needs the most work. They are always the "high man" thats why the consistently get beat.They need to be taught how to fire off the ball low and drive into someone , instead of standing up and letting the defender make first contact and then try to pussy foot with them.
 
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osubartender23,
I agree with you very much in that our O-line needs work, especially on sustaining blocks, but even the best of O-lines would have a tough time against an opposing team that stacks at least 7 guys in the box. That doesn't alleviate the fact that they are not sustaining blocks though. Unfortunately the few ways to beat a team stacking the line is by either:

A) Successfully running it down their throats with a superior O-line and RB. Neither of which is mature enough or doing that yet as it seems. Only two
O-linemen are returning with alot of gameplay. I don't think that's a veteran line but I may be forgetting some of the players (if so I apologize for that error).

B) By making them pay by efficient, and calm, fast passing by a mature QB. We can all agree that Justin Zwick is going through some major growing pains and is still learning but very green. He is still trying to force it. He will be a great one though. Who knows how long it will take. No new QB situation for any college team that i can recall had great success right off the bat with a new green QB. Even Art Schlichter had 5 Interceptions the first game he played. Look how he turned out ... ummm wait .. i mean ONLY in college hahahaha
I do agree with you in that some of the playcalling was questionable but then again I am not a coach. Like on first downs. I could tell you every time the offense was going to run to the right, off tackle. If I can tell the plays, imagine what the opposing defense was reading on the feild. I also agree totally on the O-line not driving through towards the D-line. It's going to take time for the O-line though, especially with the added pressure of other teams stacking the line.
Which method will come along and have success first ... nobody knows. I think plan B will have to come in the short run for now before Plan A comes along.
 
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Clarity said:
One can only hope that some of the highly touted OL recruits we've brought in recently signal promise towards a future improvement on the OL. Certainly guys like Pace and Bentley spoiled us, but we've had to talk poorly of OL play for way too long now.
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I think the offense as a whole played pretty well in this game. We have to remember that we were handicapped as to what plays we could call and when we could call them because we were playing from behind, and the defense was ineffective. However the lack of even an average offensive line is again very disturbing. I know these guys are young this year, but does anyone remember last year??? Our O-line was just as bad or worse, and most of them were seniors. If we look back to 2002 the O-line play wasn't stellar that year either, Moc just had what it took to break the tackles in the backfield. This has been a recurring problem for several years. I really don't mind Bollman as an offensive coordinator, but I think that if we continue to have a piss pore offensive line over the next couple years Bollman may need to relinquish that part of his job and just stick to being the offensive coordinator. Im not calling for his head!! Not yet ... after next year he will have had 5 years to bring in the guys he needs, if the O-line is still below average, I think we will need a new O-line coach or an additional O-line coach.
 
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gregorylee said:
For another beer?????
Certainly!!!
sorry, I just finished unloading about 1/2 of 30 sheets of drywall and dragging it down to the basement. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
Besides, most of the people here take one loss entirely too seriously!
The team is young, mistakes will be corrected.
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Entirely the best quote yet hahahaha !!! it will be fixed and get me a beer please!!!!
 
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