Whaddya know, I actually made it back for a return installment! This is a momentous occasion, because I have a tendency become busy with other stuff and not follow through with stuff like this. I'll spend alot of time rehashing some of the points I made last week, and I'll see how I fared. I'll probably also spend alot of time making points that have been made on the boards or by certain college football gurus. If I steal anyone's thunder, it's only because it was a really good point. Anyway, here goes:
...In honor of Chuck "Bitch Tits" Amato, every NC State player I name in this article will have a booby reference incorporated into their name.
...Last week, I started off by saying that there was reason for optimism because there were several areas where improvement should be expected. It's already happened in the turnover column, and it couldn't come too soon. Was I the only one who entertained the thought that the Bucks might actually erase that 7-turnover deficit by the end of that NC State game? NC State did their best to give the ball away on a couple occasions, but the Buckeye players flat out forced a few of those. Mike D'Andrea on defense and Sirjo Welch on special teams surely received Buckeye Leaves for their part in forcing 3 of the 5 turnovers.
...The punting game was another area of improvement I pointed out. I have to give credit to Kyle Turano though. It's tough to step in and fill the shoes of guys like Andy Groom and BJ Sander. While he hasn't been as good as that pair, he is doing a serviceable job back there, and the mistakes he has made have not been the kind that hurt the team really bad.
...And now, the running game. This is probably the hottest topic around here right now, and I probably have nothing new to add to this debate. Like I said before, Tressel loves his seniors, and so that means Ross is going to have a much longer leash than an underclassman would. I also pointed out that there are other seniors available to assume the mantle should Ross not be able to step up his game. I think the time has come for me to reconsider that notion though. First of all, for all of Ross's problems right now, I can't say that Hall would be fit to replace him. Hall has had four years to try to surpass Ross on the depth chart, and he hasn't been able to do it. Plus, his health is a concern. I don't think he's the guy. Also, as enticing as it sounds, this team cannot seem to afford to put Branden Joe at tailback. He is much more valuable as a lead blocker right now. That leads us to Antonio Pittman. Tressel seems reluctant to put him in ahead of his seniors. That decision could be coming out of loyalty, or it could be made out of his concern for the safety of Justin Zwick. The question I have though is this: If this is about Zwick's safety in the pocket, which is more valuable - a back who can pick up blitzes, or one who can keep the defense honest and decrease the number of all-out pass rushes by being effective carrying the ball?
...I probably come off as speaking harshly about Maurice Hall, but I don't mean to come off that way. He is very valuable as a situational back. Despite the fact that he's been stuck behind everyone and his brother during his entire time at OSU, he has managed to score two TDs that belong in the vast pantheon of great Buckeye moments. His game-winning TDs against Illinois and scUM in 2002 will live forever in the hearts of Buckeye fans.
...I managed to catch much of the Buckeye festivities on ESPN Classic this weekend, and I came to realize that Dick Vermeil is as good a commentator as he is a coach. He is not condescending, and he called the game like you're on his team. It was fun to listen to him do the commentary on the 1997 Rose Bowl.
...When did NC State become a prep school?
...For the second week in a row, I had to listen to the guys in the booth talk about a RB from the opposing team who landed at a school because he got booted from his original school. Both times, the commentators deflected all responsibility for that student's actions on their prior institution. If Willie Williams can gain admission to Miami, then Booby Washington should've had no problems getting in. I wish for once, the commentators would just say that Player X is at Low Standards U. now because he's dumber than a sack of hammers.
...I know I'm getting awfully personal here, but has Richard Watermelons ever said anything in his life that he has backed up with his actions? Way to follow through on the hype.
...The commentators made such a big deal about the Killian HS presence on NC State's roster. More amazingly though is the idea that the starting Buckeye secondary in the not-so-distant future could be composed of players all from Glenville and Hamilton. Simply amazing.
...Speaking of the secondary, did anyone else notice that Amato didn't seem to try to rub the corners like he did on Chris Gamble last year to the tune of two TDs? I think the DB experience we are fielding this year is showing through already.
..."Trickeration" is still not a word, and no matter how much it gets used, it never will become a real word.
...I absolutely loved when Amato started using heavy doses of gadget plays and misdirection in the first quarter. Could he have honestly thought he was gonna be able to pull that same crap in the second half? Jim Tressel and staff consistently make halftime adjustments as well as anyone I've ever seen.
...I just set a new record! This is the longest anyone has been able to write about Ohio State football over the past week without mentioning Mike Nugent. What can be said about him though that hasn't already been said?
...I hope that all the young kickers on the team right now are following Nugent anywhere he goes, taking copious notes, and eating all the same things he eats, etc.
...Arizona State's QB Andrew Walter is the real deal, they have emerged as the team with the best chance to knock off Southern Cal.
...Watching the Minnesota game, it broke my heart to realize that all those Ohioans are stuck playing ball in those ugly-ass Minnesota uniforms instead of the Scarlet & Gray.
...But as ugly as Minnesota's unis are, they don't even come close to the garbage that Texas Tech was wearing. Apparently, their affinity for good taste is as strong as their affinity for competent defense.
...Finally, NC State came into the game against Ohio State looking for validation of their program, and they got it. They validated the idea that if your program has to invest as much as they did in to a single non-conference game to prove that they belong, that that program still has quite a way to go. One game does not make a program. If they want to become an elite program, they need to start by taking care of things in conference play. Coming up with something better than a fourth-place finish in conference play would be a nice start. Even the Northwesterns and Stanfords of the world can manage to do that once in a while.
Go Bucks! Beat the Wildcats next week!
...In honor of Chuck "Bitch Tits" Amato, every NC State player I name in this article will have a booby reference incorporated into their name.
...Last week, I started off by saying that there was reason for optimism because there were several areas where improvement should be expected. It's already happened in the turnover column, and it couldn't come too soon. Was I the only one who entertained the thought that the Bucks might actually erase that 7-turnover deficit by the end of that NC State game? NC State did their best to give the ball away on a couple occasions, but the Buckeye players flat out forced a few of those. Mike D'Andrea on defense and Sirjo Welch on special teams surely received Buckeye Leaves for their part in forcing 3 of the 5 turnovers.
...The punting game was another area of improvement I pointed out. I have to give credit to Kyle Turano though. It's tough to step in and fill the shoes of guys like Andy Groom and BJ Sander. While he hasn't been as good as that pair, he is doing a serviceable job back there, and the mistakes he has made have not been the kind that hurt the team really bad.
...And now, the running game. This is probably the hottest topic around here right now, and I probably have nothing new to add to this debate. Like I said before, Tressel loves his seniors, and so that means Ross is going to have a much longer leash than an underclassman would. I also pointed out that there are other seniors available to assume the mantle should Ross not be able to step up his game. I think the time has come for me to reconsider that notion though. First of all, for all of Ross's problems right now, I can't say that Hall would be fit to replace him. Hall has had four years to try to surpass Ross on the depth chart, and he hasn't been able to do it. Plus, his health is a concern. I don't think he's the guy. Also, as enticing as it sounds, this team cannot seem to afford to put Branden Joe at tailback. He is much more valuable as a lead blocker right now. That leads us to Antonio Pittman. Tressel seems reluctant to put him in ahead of his seniors. That decision could be coming out of loyalty, or it could be made out of his concern for the safety of Justin Zwick. The question I have though is this: If this is about Zwick's safety in the pocket, which is more valuable - a back who can pick up blitzes, or one who can keep the defense honest and decrease the number of all-out pass rushes by being effective carrying the ball?
...I probably come off as speaking harshly about Maurice Hall, but I don't mean to come off that way. He is very valuable as a situational back. Despite the fact that he's been stuck behind everyone and his brother during his entire time at OSU, he has managed to score two TDs that belong in the vast pantheon of great Buckeye moments. His game-winning TDs against Illinois and scUM in 2002 will live forever in the hearts of Buckeye fans.
...I managed to catch much of the Buckeye festivities on ESPN Classic this weekend, and I came to realize that Dick Vermeil is as good a commentator as he is a coach. He is not condescending, and he called the game like you're on his team. It was fun to listen to him do the commentary on the 1997 Rose Bowl.
...When did NC State become a prep school?
...For the second week in a row, I had to listen to the guys in the booth talk about a RB from the opposing team who landed at a school because he got booted from his original school. Both times, the commentators deflected all responsibility for that student's actions on their prior institution. If Willie Williams can gain admission to Miami, then Booby Washington should've had no problems getting in. I wish for once, the commentators would just say that Player X is at Low Standards U. now because he's dumber than a sack of hammers.
...I know I'm getting awfully personal here, but has Richard Watermelons ever said anything in his life that he has backed up with his actions? Way to follow through on the hype.
...The commentators made such a big deal about the Killian HS presence on NC State's roster. More amazingly though is the idea that the starting Buckeye secondary in the not-so-distant future could be composed of players all from Glenville and Hamilton. Simply amazing.
...Speaking of the secondary, did anyone else notice that Amato didn't seem to try to rub the corners like he did on Chris Gamble last year to the tune of two TDs? I think the DB experience we are fielding this year is showing through already.
..."Trickeration" is still not a word, and no matter how much it gets used, it never will become a real word.
...I absolutely loved when Amato started using heavy doses of gadget plays and misdirection in the first quarter. Could he have honestly thought he was gonna be able to pull that same crap in the second half? Jim Tressel and staff consistently make halftime adjustments as well as anyone I've ever seen.
...I just set a new record! This is the longest anyone has been able to write about Ohio State football over the past week without mentioning Mike Nugent. What can be said about him though that hasn't already been said?
...I hope that all the young kickers on the team right now are following Nugent anywhere he goes, taking copious notes, and eating all the same things he eats, etc.
...Arizona State's QB Andrew Walter is the real deal, they have emerged as the team with the best chance to knock off Southern Cal.
...Watching the Minnesota game, it broke my heart to realize that all those Ohioans are stuck playing ball in those ugly-ass Minnesota uniforms instead of the Scarlet & Gray.
...But as ugly as Minnesota's unis are, they don't even come close to the garbage that Texas Tech was wearing. Apparently, their affinity for good taste is as strong as their affinity for competent defense.
...Finally, NC State came into the game against Ohio State looking for validation of their program, and they got it. They validated the idea that if your program has to invest as much as they did in to a single non-conference game to prove that they belong, that that program still has quite a way to go. One game does not make a program. If they want to become an elite program, they need to start by taking care of things in conference play. Coming up with something better than a fourth-place finish in conference play would be a nice start. Even the Northwesterns and Stanfords of the world can manage to do that once in a while.
Go Bucks! Beat the Wildcats next week!
antheon"...very Simmons-esque
