Back in my regular seats for the first time since the Marshall game - thank goodness! A few thoughts.
1. Don't let the score fool you. This was another anemic performance by the offense (we did not have a single drive of 40 or more yards and our longest drive in plays went 10 plays for 16 yards) against a poor football team. It was old style "Tressel Ball" at its finest - but I will never agree that an ineffective offense belongs as part of any good football team. Before the three game losing streak JT could get away with his "mistake free opportunistic" line. Today we were lucky to be playing an equally ineffective offense lead by a QB that made mistakes and bad throws. We were up 14-0 with 5 yards total Offense. I was fooled once into believing this was how it is done. We need an O.
2. Kudos to the D. In the first 21:16 of the game we ran 6 offensive plays - two three and outs. Twelve yards total Offense. We had the ball for less than 9 minutes of the first half. You simply can't leave the D on the field all day long and expect good things to continue to happen. Despite the forecast it was sunny and hot - which takes its toll. Those guys played great.
3. The Troy Smith fan club meeting has been moved from Nationwide Arenda to the small conference room at the Red Roof Inn off Olentangy . OK, that's unfair. For the most part he did what was asked of him, but the same can be said for Zwick (it wasn't THAT windy today).
My only point is that Zwick was not the problem with this Offense any more than Smith is the solution. JT did made his post game pronouncment that Smith made good decisions, so it sound like he is our QB for the immediate future - and that makes me a Troy Smith fan. (Actually, other than the fumble JT was pretty high on Smith's performance - which in itself is an interesting comment about his expectations from this offense.)
4. All that said, gotta give Troy my vote for play of the game. About half way through the third quarter on 3rd and 8 he couldn't find a receiver, started to run, couldn't find anywhere to go, stepped back and found Ginn for the first down. That was one fine play. (OK - play of the game was really the Ginn punt return, but everybody is picking that one.)
5. Who is second team QB? There was a play during the first half where Smith had an equipment proplem. Zwick isn't ready to go (per JT). OSU called time out to get it fixed rather than put in a sub. What if Troy had gotten his bell rung? Do you burn Boeckman's redshirt for one series or bring in one of the walk-ons to hand the ball off a few times? Starter or not we need Zwick back in playing condition soon.
6. Maurice Hall fan club meeting will be held at my house - outdoors if necessary. Gotta love his performance today. This is a kid playing on chronically bad wheels and giving it all he has. He came up huge today and if it turns out to be the biggest game of his career I am going to savor it.
7. I am anxious to watch Rehring on the replay. I know he got one holding call, but he was in most of the second half (you can't miss him - kid is HUGE) and seemed to be doing a credible job. It only takes one or two players stepping up to turn a really bad OL into a really good OL. We still have three weeks till Novermber 20th.
8. Who IS callling the plays? Three pass plays into the wind on the first series? That's cool. But with the ball at the PSU 27, under 7 minutes left in the game, the wind at your back, and an 11 point lead even the biggest fan of an open O had to be looking for the off tackle play to set up the FG. Instead we run a pass play and get sacked. Just surprised.
9. Speakiing of calls. Your team hasn't moved the ball well all day. (Hell, your team hasn't moved the ball all year.) You are down 14 with 9:30 left and the ball at your opponents five. How do you kick a field goal? I took a PSU fan to the game with me and you trust me - we don't know what pain feels like.
10. 7 of 12 on third down conversions. That is the first time this season OSU has been over 50% on third down conversions.
11. What are the odds that on the day your great-great uncle's number is retired you would suffer a season ending injury. All the best to Rob Harley.
12. Ted Ginn gives me wood. I have watched enough punt returns from C Deck over the years that I can generally sense where the tackle is likely to come from when the ball is caught. I thought PSU had the coverage and was in position to make the tackle. He didn't put any moves on them - he simply blew by them. He is a very special player.
1. Don't let the score fool you. This was another anemic performance by the offense (we did not have a single drive of 40 or more yards and our longest drive in plays went 10 plays for 16 yards) against a poor football team. It was old style "Tressel Ball" at its finest - but I will never agree that an ineffective offense belongs as part of any good football team. Before the three game losing streak JT could get away with his "mistake free opportunistic" line. Today we were lucky to be playing an equally ineffective offense lead by a QB that made mistakes and bad throws. We were up 14-0 with 5 yards total Offense. I was fooled once into believing this was how it is done. We need an O.
2. Kudos to the D. In the first 21:16 of the game we ran 6 offensive plays - two three and outs. Twelve yards total Offense. We had the ball for less than 9 minutes of the first half. You simply can't leave the D on the field all day long and expect good things to continue to happen. Despite the forecast it was sunny and hot - which takes its toll. Those guys played great.
3. The Troy Smith fan club meeting has been moved from Nationwide Arenda to the small conference room at the Red Roof Inn off Olentangy . OK, that's unfair. For the most part he did what was asked of him, but the same can be said for Zwick (it wasn't THAT windy today).
My only point is that Zwick was not the problem with this Offense any more than Smith is the solution. JT did made his post game pronouncment that Smith made good decisions, so it sound like he is our QB for the immediate future - and that makes me a Troy Smith fan. (Actually, other than the fumble JT was pretty high on Smith's performance - which in itself is an interesting comment about his expectations from this offense.)
4. All that said, gotta give Troy my vote for play of the game. About half way through the third quarter on 3rd and 8 he couldn't find a receiver, started to run, couldn't find anywhere to go, stepped back and found Ginn for the first down. That was one fine play. (OK - play of the game was really the Ginn punt return, but everybody is picking that one.)
5. Who is second team QB? There was a play during the first half where Smith had an equipment proplem. Zwick isn't ready to go (per JT). OSU called time out to get it fixed rather than put in a sub. What if Troy had gotten his bell rung? Do you burn Boeckman's redshirt for one series or bring in one of the walk-ons to hand the ball off a few times? Starter or not we need Zwick back in playing condition soon.
6. Maurice Hall fan club meeting will be held at my house - outdoors if necessary. Gotta love his performance today. This is a kid playing on chronically bad wheels and giving it all he has. He came up huge today and if it turns out to be the biggest game of his career I am going to savor it.
7. I am anxious to watch Rehring on the replay. I know he got one holding call, but he was in most of the second half (you can't miss him - kid is HUGE) and seemed to be doing a credible job. It only takes one or two players stepping up to turn a really bad OL into a really good OL. We still have three weeks till Novermber 20th.
8. Who IS callling the plays? Three pass plays into the wind on the first series? That's cool. But with the ball at the PSU 27, under 7 minutes left in the game, the wind at your back, and an 11 point lead even the biggest fan of an open O had to be looking for the off tackle play to set up the FG. Instead we run a pass play and get sacked. Just surprised.
9. Speakiing of calls. Your team hasn't moved the ball well all day. (Hell, your team hasn't moved the ball all year.) You are down 14 with 9:30 left and the ball at your opponents five. How do you kick a field goal? I took a PSU fan to the game with me and you trust me - we don't know what pain feels like.
10. 7 of 12 on third down conversions. That is the first time this season OSU has been over 50% on third down conversions.
11. What are the odds that on the day your great-great uncle's number is retired you would suffer a season ending injury. All the best to Rob Harley.
12. Ted Ginn gives me wood. I have watched enough punt returns from C Deck over the years that I can generally sense where the tackle is likely to come from when the ball is caught. I thought PSU had the coverage and was in position to make the tackle. He didn't put any moves on them - he simply blew by them. He is a very special player.
