SB Nation - Daniel Herron

If College Football Had a Playoff: #9 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ #8 Ohio State Buckeyes

Jeremy Mauss — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:00:19 -0000

Continue the new break out hit of the season "What if College Football had a Playoff' returns for game two of the playoff. Before we get to game two the winner of game one was an expected blowout by Alabama soundly defeating Troy to move on to host the winner of this game.

Now this matchup features two completely different styles with Georgia Tech who runs a triple option and is taking that game to the 'Shoe in Columbus to face the 'we wanna be spread but really a smash mouth football team' Ohio State.

The Ohio State defense is very good but the question has always been the speed of their defense (or lack of speed). Speed and assignment defense is what Ohio State would need to do to try to stop the Georgia Tech option. Last year LSU shut down the Tech option with their speed and Ohio State is a bit behind in their speed then LSU.

Ohio State really wants to pound the ball has the wild card in Terrelle Pryor who is a so-so passer but if the Buckeyes use roll outs and move the pocket that will help use his abilities rather then to just drop back and throw.

Just because of the contrasting styles this should be a very good game. To give some help to those who are not sure who would win I turned to What if Sports to simulate this game.

What if Sports has Ohio State winning a close game 35-31, but Georgia Tech had a 31-20 lead going into the fourth quarter before allowing the Buckeyes to score 15 points to their zero to loss the game. The decision here is for the fans to vote to see who moves on.

Check back daily at 12 PM eastern time to vote for the next matchup, and voting is only for 24 hours. As they say in Chicago vote early and vote often.

Ohio State Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Joe Bauserman	5	30.0	6	19	31.6	124	24.8	6.5	0	0	9	10	2	1.1	0	-	-
Terrelle Pryor	12	93.0	144	258	55.8	1828	152.3	7.1	16	10	142	707	58.9	5	7	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Joe Bauserman	5	9	10	2	1.1	0	0	0	0	0	0
K.C. Christian	2	5	14	7	2.8	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bo DeLande	1	3	5	5	1.7	0	0	0	0	0	0
Joe Gantz	2	4	6	3	1.5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Daniel Herron	9	139	558	62	4	7	8	48	5.3	6	1
Jermil Martin	3	11	84	28	7.6	1	0	0	0	0	0
DeVier Posey	12	2	19	1.6	9.5	0	52	727	60.6	14	7
Terrelle Pryor	12	142	707	58.9	5	7	0	0	0	0	0
Brandon Saine	12	131	694	57.8	5.3	4	15	165	13.8	11	1
Dane Sanzenbacher	11	2	8	.700	4	0	27	506	46	18.7	6
Ray Small	11	4	40	3.6	10	0	15	175	15.9	11.7	0
Lamaar Thomas	9	1	6	.700	6	0	1	10	1.1	10	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Jake Ballard	9	13	126	14	9.7	0
Zach Boren	3	4	23	7.7	5.8	1
Duron Carter	6	13	176	29.3	13.5	1
Daniel Herron	9	8	48	5.3	6	1
DeVier Posey	12	52	727	60.6	14	7
Brandon Saine	12	15	165	13.8	11	1
Dane Sanzenbacher	11	27	506	46	18.7	6
Ray Small	11	15	175	15.9	11.7	0
Jake Stoneburner	2	2	30	15	15	0
Lamaar Thomas	9	1	10	1.1	10	0

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Devin Barclay	4	-	-	-	-	-	4	7	60.0%	12	12	100.0%	24
Aaron Pettrey	9	-	-	-	-	-	13	19	70.0%	28	29	100.0%	67

Georgia Tech Stats

Passing

		Passing									Rushing					Sacks
	G	Rating	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	Y/G	Y/A	TD	INT	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Sack	YdsL
Josh Nesbitt	13	83.0	73	153	47.7	1689	129.9	11	10	4	259	991	76.2	3.8	18	-	-
Jaybo Shaw	4	-50.0	1	2	50	18	4.5	9	0	1	12	51	12.8	4.3	0	-	-
Tevin Washington	1	100.0	1	1	100	21	21	21	0	0	6	40	40	6.7	0	-	-

Rushing

		Rushing					Receiving
	G	Rush	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD	Rec	Yds	Y/G	Avg	TD
Anthony Allen	13	61	597	45.9	9.8	5	5	112	8.6	22.4	1
Lucas Cox	3	9	31	10.3	3.4	0	0	0	0	0	0
Jonathan Dwyer	13	221	1346	103.5	6.1	14	3	25	1.9	8.3	0
Stephen HIll	8	5	84	10.5	16.8	1	6	137	17.1	22.8	1
Roddy Jones	11	53	345	31.4	6.5	3	0	0	0	0	0
Preston Lyons	11	30	139	12.6	4.6	1	0	0	0	0	0
Jonathan Malone	1	1	5	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Josh Nesbitt	13	259	991	76.2	3.8	18	0	0	0	0	0
Embry Peeples	11	28	143	13	5.1	0	8	244	22.2	30.5	1
Jaybo Shaw	4	12	51	12.8	4.3	0	0	0	0	0	0
Quentin Sims	1	2	19	19	9.5	0	0	0	0	0	0
Orwin Smith	11	5	26	2.4	5.2	0	2	26	2.4	13	0
Demaryius Thomas	13	1	3	.200	3	0	46	1154	88.8	25.1	8
Tevin Washington	1	6	40	40	6.7	0	0	0	0	0	0
Richard Watson	4	9	37	9.3	4.1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Marcus Wright	11	32	190	17.3	5.9	3	0	0	0	0	0

Receiving

		Receiving
	G	Rec	Yds	Y/G	AVG	TD
Anthony Allen	13	5	112	8.6	22.4	1
Jonathan Dwyer	13	3	25	1.9	8.3	0
Stephen HIll	8	6	137	17.1	22.8	1
Daniel McKayhan	2	1	18	9	18	0
Tyler Melton	4	5	46	11.5	9.2	0
Embry Peeples	11	8	244	22.2	30.5	1
Orwin Smith	11	2	26	2.4	13	0
Demaryius Thomas	13	46	1154	88.8	25.1	8

Kicking

		Field Goals								PAT
	G	0-19	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	FGM	FGA	PCT	XPM	XPA	PCT	pts
Scott Blair	11	-	-	-	-	-	14	19	70.0%	43	44	100.0%	85
Chris Tanner	3	-	-	-	-	-	0	1	0	14	14	100.0%	14

via l.yimg.com

Poll

Who wins the matchup?

On disappointment and frustration

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:15:14 -0000

More photos » by Jay LaPrete - AP

about 1 month ago: Ohio State's Jim Tressel coaches against New Mexico State during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State beat New Mexico State 45-0. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Browse more photos »

Ha-ha! Listen to this idiot. Boy, this guy must feel like a total jackass:

Thus, with a win in Ann Arbor, this theoretical Ohio State team finishes the season at 8-4. The Outback bowl, and a chance to redeem the season (and in some small ways, the program) with a New Year's Day victory over an SEC squad, both beckon. Keep in mind this is the worst case scenario*, but that even with Pryor injured, I still think Ohio State ends up in a bowl. The Motor City bowl, perhaps? Who knows. I'd rather not think about it.

Of course, the Motor City Bowl is now the even-more-humiliatingly-titled Pizza Bowl, and, after an expected loss to USC and a shocking fall to Purdue, Ohio State stands at 7-2. With games at Penn State and against a top-5 Iowa squad looming, 8-4 is a very real possibility. Having seen the depths this team can reach at Purdue, I also feel very confident in saying that 8-4 is far, far from what could have been a genuine worst-case scenario. Still, that provides little solace to a fanbase that has been clamoring for changes for a few years now, and that's wholly understanble.

I bring this up because, up to this point, I haven't considered 2009 any sort of massive disappointment on the whole. Have you? In my mind, I expected 9-3, 10-2 at the most, but I never for a second convinced myself that I should be OUTRAGED if the Buckeyes somehow fall short of either record. Personally, that's just how I root. My philosophy regarding sports fandom is relatively simple: if at any point, the net gains in happiness your team provides you are outweighed by net losses in happiness, sanity, whatever, then for your own good, you just have to divorce yourself of your passions. I personally believe that the outcome of a game between 18-22 year old kids should only affect your emotions for a few hours, perhaps a day at the most, but no more than that. This has been decried by many as emblematic of a lack of passion. Personally, I'd just rather not consign myself to forcing my mood to reflect the state of my football team. I think most relatively-sane people would agree that this is a reasonable principle to live by.

I suppose I should first delineate between what I mean by "disappointment" and what I mean by "frustration". I think disappointment is inevitable for many Buckeye fans, if only because many of them are conditioned to believe that any year in which Ohio State is not noticeably nationally relevant (i.e. in the BCS top 8) for the entire year is an unmitigated failure. I, like Jim Tressel, feel sorry for these folks, because they just aren't going to be happy very often (though, technically, they should be fine and dandy given the frequency with which we make BCS bowls, but that's another story). These people especially won't be happy watching a team that has spent much of the year with just three starting seniors (all on defense) work out the kinks. I know these people, but I'll never even begin to understand them, so I don't bother with trying to convince them anymore. They're not going away. There will always be, for lack of a better term, idiots.

But "frustration" is an entirely different concept. I think there are very few fans in America who aren't at least a little frustrated with some aspect of their team, in every sport. Some call it "nitpicking"; I'm thankful we're at least given something to discuss. If everything is hunky-dory, I'm out a job. Frustration itself is just a small part of fandom. There's always something that you think needs work, and in the case of this particular Buckeye football team, a whole lot needs work. Yes, we can attempt to restrict our frustration to the offense, but the defense too has had its lapses in giving up key drives and scores (though, if we're honest with ourselves, we realize the offense's ineffectiveness has quite a bit to do with that). But in a strict sense, defensive breakdowns are relatively infrequent compared to those of the offense's, which are laid bare for all to see in basically every game This year has been - and I don't think anyone will argue with this - a frusrating one for Buckeye fans. I can hear Michigan fans screaming at the top at the top of their lungs: "you don't know frustration yet", and they may be right. Fact is, as good as this Ohio State offense looks in fits and starts against bad teams, it looks bad to about the same degree against almost every other team, and far more frequently. There are just a lot of things that aren't clicking, and it seems like most of them should be by this final three game stretch. That's what is frustrating. I hesitate to say the unit is not progressing, as I think the rushing attack has improved, I think Pryor's mechanics are improving in subtle ways, but I'm not sure these particular improvements completely mask the other deficiencies. Personally, it's shocking to me that Ohio freaking State has one 100-yard performance from a running back at this point in the year.

Which goes back to why I made that prediction in the first place: obviously, I based that prediction on a core set of assumptions, and one of those assumptions is that "We're Ohio State; we run the ball well, even if it's all we do well." Sounds pretentious, even arrogant. It was.

There are numerous things on which we may place the blame for this offense: the offensive line, the backs, Jim Bollman's very existence... the list goes on. At times, it seems like Brandon Saine wouldn't see the Red Sea parting before his eyes, and Daniel Herron has been banged up for most of the year. Now, these last few games, the attack seems to have come alive, but these two performances came against the 89th- and 107th-ranked rushing defenses. Against Purdue, the country's 88th best rush D, the Buckeyes came away with mostly nothing. Now, most of that can be explained away by Ohio State inexplicably abandoning the run after Purdue showed signs of life, but holes that should have been there, at least in the early going for Brandon Saine, frequently weren't. That is, for lack of a better term, ridiculous. What use is a "power running" team that can't run the damn ball? Two tights, between the tackles is our bread-and-butter folks, whether we want to admit it or not. It's what we do, and until this year and outside of 2004, we did it unlike almost anyone else in the country. The inability to establish a consistent ground game has shaken the offense as a whole to its core, and has put a lot of unnecessary weight on Terrelle Pryor's shoulders.

Is the year as a whole disappointing? No, not yet, and I don't think it realistically can be considered one if Ohio State wins two out of three down the stretch. But there are undeniably aspects of this team that are wholly frustrating in and of themselves. The running game is not just a part of it, but the biggest part. The most worrisome thing to me is that I can't think of a reason for this attack to struggle. Brandon Saine is not chopped liver, Boom Herron was big-time in limited time last year, and the freshmen are clearly quite talented. This might be the deepest set of backs Jim Tressel has coached. Up front, Justin Boren and Michael Brewster are solid, but not dominant. Browning is a far better guard than he was a tackle. So what the hell's wrong? Is it horses, or is it something endemic in the scheme? Not being a coach, I don't have the answers. I've previously stated that I still have faith in Tressel to put things together by the end of the year, as he always does, and I still do. But it's looking like it'll take one of the bigger miracles of his career to get the ground game up to speed to win both at Penn State and against Iowa.

New Mexico State? Let's complain about the offense some more

Sam @ WWAHT — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:36 -0000

More photos » by Jay LaPrete - AP

about 1 month ago: Ohio State wide receiver DeVier Posey (8) runs untouched into the endzone for a 62-yard touchdown reception against Minnesota during second quarter action in an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete )

Browse more photos »

Tomorrow will be Ohio State's last gimme of the 2009 season. Savor it. This week long sense of apathy? The disconcerting lack of tension? It'll pass soon. You'll be in the full-throated, brawny, broiling rage we're used to as Ohio State fans the moment "Penn State" passes the lips of some shlub BTN announcer sometime in the third quarter. Even as a bad and humdrum as New Mexico State is, the typical coachspeak about "not overlooking/looking ahead" still applies. NMSU, in almost every respect, is a bad, bad football team. Last in the country in total offense, 75th in total D, bottom 30 in turnover margin.... there isn't a single NMSU statistic even the most partisan of Ohio State haters can latch onto as potential vehicle for an upset. It just isn't happening, barring the mother of all disasters; one that makes Purdue look like So, it's not all that demeaning to suggest that NMSU is a glorified scrimmage. We have work to do, especially on offense, and hopefully, NSMU will oblige.

I've never been a big believer in the "Tressel bottles things up before big games" meme, which seeks to explain away offensive inadequacy as subterfuge intended to throw off an upcoming opponent. I believe this for two reasons:

1) Jim Tressel's offense is always vanilla, excepting 2006

2) It out-vanillas itself, nearly causing disruptions in the space-time continuum, in big games

There are no trick plays waiting in the wings, no funky formations, etc. With nothing to really hide, Jim Tressel calls his regular offense in almost every game. The vanilla stuff is not a deception. It just Jim. If the game against Minnesota is any indication, it'll be Jim for about a half this weekend. Hopefully it's the second half this time around.

I expect the offense to look a lot like it will against Penn State. Of course, it's natural for Ohio State to "spread it out" in a game like this, merely to take advantage of its vastly superior size and speed at almost every position. For a half, OSU will go almost-exclusively four- and five-wide, excepting third-and-short situations. Even then, there's a possibility we'll see the spread-formation inside quarterback draw again, as we did against Minnesota. Using this offense in particular - the one supposedly crafted to best suit Pryor's abilities - Ohio State should be able to open up a comfortable halftime lead. At which point we calm down, yawn, check the other games, grab an adult beverage, so on and so forth.

The least interesting game in the world: stay completely satiated, my friends

[RANT] On a side note, I think we need to re-evaluate the "wrap it up" meme surrounding Jim Tressel. To me, Tressel's conservatism after having built what he calls a comfortable (read: 20+ point-) lead is really a more earnest attempt at simply not turning the ball over, rather than "not running the score up", as some have complained. I don't think Tressel likes running the score up (and I think his apparent aversion to it is kinda dumb, as I've said in the past), but I don't think he really starts "playing for the punt" until he has a 28+ point cushion, which should satiate the bloodlust of about 60 percent of the fanbase. In the first half, while the game remains competitive, I think Tressel is willing to take some chances, provided that they're "smart", and especially so when he trusts his team to not turn the ball over, or get a critical fourth down-conversion. Remember: turnovers are to our head coach what salt is to a slug; he sees them, is affected by them, and withers and dies. His offense goes with him. When it doesn't

a) turn the ball over or

b) consistently go three and out (for reasons other than schematic failure (i.e. missed blocking assignments, incomplete passes, etc.)

it can be productive enough and effective enough to salt away almost any game. It's a godsend against good teams who can't pass their way of out of a deficit (Penn State just about any year but this year and last, Michigan in '07, Texas in '06, to name a few) and it's underwhelming against the real patsies. Now, I've lamented this system's razor thin margin of error in the past, and nothing has changed. Fortunately, against New Mexico State, the margin for error is almost as wide as the damn football field, so for a half at least, I don't expect the traditional JT offense to rear its head. When it does, with its endless variations on the off-tackle with a pulling guard, we won't care, because we'll have had our fill. Games like these are the ones after which no one bitches about Tresseball for like a week.[/RANT]

Thus, I expect Tressel to take chances aplenty (for him, anyway) on Saturday - barring any more turnovers - for a half or so. It'll look pretty, it'll brighten your opinion of the offense for about five minutes, and it'll make Terrelle Pryor look like Vince redux. Think of tomorrow as a player showcase; Ohio State should not be challenged athletically in any aspect of the game, and thus, should be free to do what it wants. Should be fun. If all goes well, it'll give the staff plenty of positive impressions as to what the players can actually do in a game, and ideally they'll be able to carry the myriad successes over and adjust as best they can to Penn State's schemes.

Five predictions that will make me look foolish come Monday:

- Pryor throws for three touchdowns, as well as the customary pick, and rushes for 100 again

- He is Ohio State's only 100-yard rusher. Brandon Saine and Daniel Herron are effective in limited time, while Jordan Hall and Jermil Martin share carries for the entire second half. Overall, Ohio State accumulates more than 250 yards on the ground.

- The defense holds the Aggies under 200 yards of offense.

- Ray Small will take one to the house.

- Final Score: Ohio State 41, New Mexico State 6

Is this ground game becoming... functional?

Sam @ WWAHT — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:00:34 -0000

by Jay LaPrete - AP

about 1 month ago: Ohio State running back Jermil Martin (41) breaks a tackle by Minnesota cornerback Kyle Theret (27) on his way to a 29-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete )

View full size photo »

When Jermil Martin tore into the Minnesota secondary this past weekend, Ohio State fans - whether they realized it or not - were in the middle of witnessing three things they had not seen for most of the season:

A gaping hole in an opposing defensive line
Broken tackles
A running back breaking away from at least one group of defenders on his way to a touchdown

This confluence of events inspired one thought at the outset: "OMG JERMIL MARTIN". In the immediate aftermath of his smashing, brawling, incredibly entertaining scoring scamper, cooler heads began to prevail: Young Jermil is only a part of a puzzle that is still being pieced together by the Ohio State coaching staff. It's been a confusing season on the whole for the Ohio State rushing attack, as it has been the first prolonged period since 2004 in which the running game was not a steady rock on which the team can, as Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes might put it, thoroughly rely.

It wasn't until the game against Toledo that the running game became more than just a minor concern. While it did not break any big plays against Navy, it totaled 159 yards (not counting lost sack yardage) on 38 attempts and was just enough to get by the Midshipmen. Nobody expected rip-roaring success against USC, and given the offensive line's noted recent inability to perform against the best of teams, 30 carries for 88 yards wasn't particularly shocking. Nevertheless, consternation first began to arise after this game as a result of starter Dan Herron's numbers (18 totes for 44 yards). He did not impress, and did not look like the player he had been in 2008. USC was brutal, but it's tough to deny that it wasn't at least somewhat expected.

Against the Rockettes, however, the running game was good enough to deceive the eyes, racking up 247 yards overall. Pryor was the reason nearly half of that yardage; Daniel Herron struggled again, while Brandon Saine totaled 45 yards on 9 carries. Seems just fine, until you realize that 31 of those yards came on one play. The attack actually appeared to be most consistent when true freshman Jordan Hall was taking handoffs; the youngster would eventually carry the ball 6 times for 44 yards, still averaging greater than 4 yards a carry when you subtract his longest run (17 yards) of the day. 247 yards total was a tad misleading, as nearly half of it came on each back's longest run of the day. Outside of that, it was surprisingly tough slogging against a MAC team.

Nevertheless, the game marked the first of three straight games in which Ohio State rushed for 200 or more yards. Brandon Saine in particular began to develop a bit of stranglehold on the position, buoyed by a 100-yard day against Indiana and showing a big play ability that no other back had displayed to that point. Then, as frequently happens for young teams, the pendulum swung back the other way. Wisconsin mostly throttled the entire Ohio State attack, and limited the Buckeyes to 97 yards on the ground. Dan Herron was injured and didn't play much; Saine never broke loose. When the game happened, I was willing to ascribe the lack of impressive numbers to Wisconsin's annoying ability to hold onto the ball for ages at a time, moving the ball just past the first down marker seemingly on every crucial third down play.

A week later, Ohio State completely abandoned the run when the going got tough in West Lafayette, giving only seven carries to its 2nd-best offensive weapon Brandon Saine, and forcing Pryor to shoulder the load. It's tough to look at this game as anything but a statistical outlier; the Ohio State offense could not stay on the field, seemingly made no attempt to establish the run when Purdue showed signs of life, and the offense in general had its worst day of the year against one of the Big Ten's worst defenses. While the offense's struggles are noted, I think the rushing numbers are a tad anomalous; they're skewed by sacks counted as rushes, yards lost to sacks, and Ohio State's "holy shit we're down 2-3 scores" offense. Purdue did a good job of limiting Saine after his early 20-yard rush, but 6 carries simply are too small of a sample size to prove that Saine wouldn't be effective throughout the rest of the game. To me, that's just a shockingly bad coaching decision from a staff I usually trust in this department.

This past week, Ohio State was given the opportunity to make up for the sins of its rushing past, and largely did, totaling 270 rushing yards with each back's longest run combining 1/3rd of the total. It was things it had not been since probably the Indiana and Illinois game: consistent, physical, and reminiscent of the Ohio State ground games of yesteryear (and I mean that yesteryear bit literally). But we've seen this already this year, and even I was a bit hesitant to declare the ground attack "saved". If it follows the same pattern, get ready for the comedown games; if not this week than the following three. If it doesn't, the Buckeyes will rip through NMSU like tissue paper and head into Happy Valley with a bevy of momentum and half of the offensive Death Star fully operational (and I'm aware that that makes little-to-no sense).

I have made some excuses in the past for this offense based on its youth; I've done the same for Pryor, and this past week he began to justify my leniency by showing some genuine progression in his game. The ground game is much the same way; it, much like Terrelle himself, looked excellent against Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota, while taking some serious steps back against Wisconsin and Purdue. I know this is not some shocking relevation, but in every game this year but one (Toledo), Pryor's performance has been directly correlated to how much help he gets on the ground. Against NMSU, I expect both to flourish. Against PSU, well... I have long agreed with the general principle that Jim Tressel's teams consistently improve as the year goes on, rarely regressing and typically looking like worldbeaters while closing seasons that began relatively inauspiciously (think 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008). The Purdue debacle made me question the wisdom of the maxim, but it did not entirely refute it. If Ohio State's going to miss Brandon Saine for a week, this is the best week for that to happen. They will need him back for Happy Valley, as two freshmen running backs, even ones as prodigious as Martin and Hall, will not lead Ohio State to victory. Nevertheless, the history of Ohio State football under Jim Tressel tells me that this team will be in far better shape a week from now than it was a week ago, as it almost always is, and by association, the ground game will be a much stronger, more versatile component of the gameplan than it was against Purdue and Wisconsin. Could a similar collapse happen again? Of course, but to believe that will happen is to believe something about the way Jim Tressel develops a team across a season has changed, and I don't think it has. If my crystal ball is correct, that little game in State College just got even more interesting.

Tresselball: With a Vengeance

Sam @ WWAHT — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:53:41 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

2 months ago: Ohio State cornerback Kurt Coleman runs for a touchdown after intercepting the ball during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Browse more photos »

It's baaaaaaaaaaack. But did it ever really go anywhere? The definition of Tressellball has undergone numerous revisions throughout Jim Tressel's tenure in Columbus: first, it was strictly about having a ball-control offense. In 2002, the classic definition of Tresselball emerged: ball-control was still the be-all end-all, but excellent special teams and bend-but-don't break defense became the critical component in a system that prides itself on small margins-of-error. This style of play continued mostly unabated until the latter half of 2005 and all of 2006, when Troy Smith finally came into his own as a passer. While "ball-control" was still important, it was not the end-game of the offense; scoring points was, and that's how it should be with four future first-day WRs on the roster. In 2007 and 2008, things seemed to return to form, but the traditionally excellent special teams seemed to miss a step, and while the defense remained stout through '07 and most of '08, the offense began to fall below even minimum acceptable levels for Jim Tressel. Jim Tressel doesn't set his standards very high for the offense; he talks up the dream "250 through the air, 200 on the ground" scenario but if he doesn't get it, I don't think he minds, as long as he wins.

Since the USC game, I and others have documented a marked change in the offensive philosophy, especially in the latter stages of triplet blowouts against Indiana, Illinois and Toledo. Ohio State was still passing in the fourth quarter, which is a thing absolutely unheard of in the Jim Tressel system. Moreover, Ohio State seemed to be taking the field each time with an intention to score; you may think that seems like a pointless decision, but if you've watched Ohio State while away countless fourth quarters with three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-punt, you'd know that's a rather shocking departure from the norm.

Well, today, that wasn't working. Vintage 2002/2003 Tresseball - anemic offense intact - won the day today. I mean it: outside of precisely one 88-yard drive before the half, the offense didn't click. At all. Most of it, unfortunately, is on the shoulders of one Terrelle Pryor, who at no point looked comfortable. In fact, he frequently looked like Craig Krenzel, before Krazy Legs grew a set and essentially willed his team to a championship. Ladies and gentlemen: I think it's time we start revising down our expectations. Terrelle Pryor is not, and, barring multiple miracles, will never be Troy Smith. Let's proceed from here.

The Good

- First up, hats off to the entire damn defense. I know the numbers aren't the sexiest: 368 yards of offense for Wisconsin, 118 rushing (99 yards below their season average, btw) 250 passing, but they in no way tell the story. With the offense struggling mightily, the entire front seven got no rest, and got quite a workout during twin pick sixes by Hines and Coleman. Nevertheless, they were relentless: they notched six sacks on the day, forced two picks, and bottled up Badger wrecking ball John Clay, who toted the rock 20 times for 59 yards. The Badgers had a long run of 15 yards, and it was on an end around to speedster David Gilreath. Said end around plagued us in the first half, but they adjusted and shut it down the next time it was deployed.

- When you give up 250 yards passing, it's hard to have many laudatory things to say about the secondary. But Kurt Coleman and Jer "Alpha"male Hines (name credit to commenter Big Red Dog) deserve special mention for those critical pick sixes. Coleman's was beautiful, while Hines was majestic - tipping the ball to himself, and then having the fabled "presence of mind" to weave through tacklers for the score. Both players were terrific in run support as well.

- The special teams were, obviously solid; Pettrey got out of his, while The Ghost of Ray Small (HT: 11W) showcased the quicks that made us so excited about him.

The Bad

Uh, where to start?

- Terrelle Pryor. Buddy, I told myself I'd keep you out of this category for my own sanity until you were actively awful, and uh, yeah:

Ohio St.	Comp	Att	Yds	Pct	Y/A	Sack	YdsL	TD	Int
T. Pryor	5	13	87	38.5	6.7	2	16	1	1

Add onto that just 8 yards rushing outside of an admittedly good late 2nd-quarter 27-yd run, and....

Pryor, your game! WOOF!

I have no idea what to make of this. Yes, we saw some progress after USC. Yes, he's "only a sophomore" (though that excuse should have been in its death throes weeks ago). Yes, Wisconsin's defense is okay, I guess, but let's be honest here: he pulls this against Iowa, Penn State, or even Michigan? We won't stand a chance. Because of this, I feel it is my personal responsiblity to say this: start revising down your expectations. He's never going to be Troy Smith. Right now, he's not even Tyrod Taylor. If he ever gets to the point where we can count on him for 200 yards passing, and about 50 rushing (assuming the RBs are competent and also producing), I think we should be very, very thankful.

- The offensive line. Weeks of progress dissipated against a Wisconsin front that - and let's be honest here - is at the very most above-average. They had given up 100+ yards to two opponents, 200+ yards to one (though, to be fair, that was on 55 carries, but it was against Wofford), and hadn't really started coming together until games against MSU and Minnesota - two of the league's worst rushing offenses. There really isn't any excuse for Ohio State to fail to get at least one back over 100 yards, especially after all the improvements that had been made in the weeks prior. But they didn't even come close.

- But that isn't all on the line. Daniel Herron and Brandon Saine weren't seeing the few holes that there were, and thus, couldn't pace the offense like we need them to.

- If it's true that Jim Tressel exclusively calls plays in the red zone, as the announcers alleged, I think we've found (or perhaps rediscovered) our problem. There were a few brilliant calls today - the Pryor TD pass and the ridiculous misdirection that Saine nearly took the house - and both occured outside the red zone. I don't think it's particularly controversial to assume Hazell had some hand in both, if he didn't outright call the plays in the first place. Another offensive outing like this, especially in one of our critical last three games, and the calls for Tressel to cede playcalling duties will be nothing short a deafening roar.

The Downright Confusing

Not much to speak of here, outside of some officiating mistakes:

What was with the game clock management? No time was burned away for two kickoff returns plus a field goal, and with the game still vaguely in doubt, these sorts of mistakes can lead to, well, awkard situations like that two-minute draining of the clock while everyone just sorta stood around. It helped the Ohio State defense catch its breath, so I can't complain too much, but I've never seen something as elementary as the game clock get butchered like that.
This is some slight nitpicking, but that late intentional grounding call on Pryor was rather ticky-tack. It still resulted in a field goal, but if it were in a much more critical situation, the outrage emanating from Columbus would have scorched the sky (and probably the earth as well)
Where was Duron Carter? I know there isn't a lot of wealth to be spread around when you complete 5 passes, but I was hoping for a bit more from him.

In closing, I'd like to reiterate something about "youth". This is, to be sure, a "young" team, with five seniors starting (Cordle, who hasn't even played for the past few weeks, Coleman, Worthington, Amos, and Ballard). There are a couple older guys sprinkled in as backups - Denlinger, Russell, come to mind - but overall, we're watching juniors, sophomores, and a few freshmen. So what does that all mean, Basil? Well, let's thing about what youth connotates. "Young" does not necessarily mean "bad", what it really usually means is "prone to inconsistency, volatility and massive swings in production". That's what we're getting with this offense, and a lot of it's on Pryor, but putting it all on him is cheating the rest of the unit of its own responsibilities. The running backs have to recapture the consistency they provided against Illinois and Indiana, while the wide receivers have to learn to adjust to their QB's numerous deficiencies - they've got to break off routes and keep the passes simpler for him, because right now, he's not going to diagnose coverages. He's going to look for the open man, and when he doesn't feel like doing that, he's going to stare a guy (usually DeVier Posey) down until he comes open. That's just his style right now. If that means we have a moral obligation to beat Nick Siciliano with a tire iron, then so be it, and since the staff clearly can't change how Pryor is playing as easily as we'd hoped, they've got to adjust. The offense itself has a lot to learn, and they don't have that much time to do it before things start getting real. It's looking like these next few games will be almost as crucial as that final stretch.

Ohio State by the numbers: the offense.

John M (The Crimson Quarry) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:51:01 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Browse more photos »

I linked the OSU defensive stats yesterday, and the offensive stats, while satisfactory, are not overwhelming.

Total offense: 367 (#63)

Passing offense: 186 (#82)

Passing efficiency: 130.25 (#58)

Rushing offense: 181 (#42)

Scoring offense: 28.5 (#55)

Sacks allowed: 3 (#13)

Terrelle Pryor, after a promising freshman year, has been roughly flat compared to last year, statistically. Pryor has completed only 57 percent of his passes compared to 60 percent last year. Pryor, in 87 passing attempts, has matched last season's total of 4 interceptions. He has run for 58 yards a game and 6 yards per carry. To some degree, Pryor's stats skew downward because of an 11-25 performance against USC. On the other hand, 3 of his 5 touchdown passes were against Toledo.

Pryor leads the Buckeyes in rushing with 235 yards. Close behind are Daniel Herron (233 yards and 5 TDs, but only 3.6 YPC) and Brandon Saine (181 yards, 5.7 yards per carry). Unlike in most seasons, no dominant running back has emerged for the Buckeyes. In the receiving corps, Dane Sanzenbacher leads the Buckeyes with 277 yards and 4 TDs on only 12 catches. DeVier Posey leads the Buckeyes with 15 catches, and caught the only OSU passing TD not caught by Sanzenbacher.

As when the tables are turned, OSU's protection of Pryor and IU's pass rush will match strength against strength. IU is among the nation's sack leaders, and the Buckeyes give up very few sacks.

Pryor, however ordinary his numbers to this point, is always a threat, a 6-6 quarterback who leads his team in rushing.

On the Trials and Tribulations of Terrelle

Sam @ WWAHT — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:00:39 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

2 months ago: Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) is finally brought down after a 25-yard run by Toledo cornerback Jermaine Robinson at his feet during the second half of their NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Cleveland, Ohio. Also chasing Pryor is Toledo safety Drey'Lon Pree (44). Ohio State won the game 38-0. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Browse more photos »

I think most of us assume Terrelle Pryor is destined for some form of greatness. But the guy's "just a sophomore", and so for now, it's prudent to set your sights on mere very-goodness and hope for the best. But through four games this year, how much more do we know about our signal caller as, you know, an actual quarterback?

First, let's take a look at what we knew about him prior to the season. Law Buckeye over on The Rivalry, Esq opined on his skills thusly:

Snap (A-):

Security/Ball Placement (A): Pryor keeps his non-throwing hand flush with the football up until the time of the release, and tucks the ball down on roll outs.

Retreat Speed (A-): Terrelle is quick on the drop, although (not surprisingly) most of his fallbacks are short, quick slants.

Footwork (B-): Pryor's steps are dicey. He chops at the turf rather than pushing off of it.

The Fake (B+): Pryor puts his hands out and leans into the back, appropriately selling the handoff. Pulls back a little too quick, so the effect is short lived.

Adaptation (A): Pryor's mobility helps him to gracefully evade the pass rush, although he sometimes collapses when his primary and secondary receivers get jammed on call backs.

Release (B):

Survey (A-): Pryor benefits from his height in this category. He keeps his head up and out, although, he doesn't appear to scan much after the snap.

Stance (B-): Pryor's stance is too narrow. His leading foot is barely in front of his back foot, making him vulnerable to a tackle, and limiting his power.

Step (C+): This is one of Terrelle's greatest challenges. He only steps on deliberate long-balls. Otherwise, he shifts his foot -- relying on his upper and not his lower body to contribute momentum to the pass.

Wrist/Throw (B-/B+): In 2008, Pryor lifted the ball up in a U shape motion before flicking his wrist, an "extra" step that appeared to decrease the forward energy that was transferred to the ball. Spring game footage shows a more fluid transition and better release. Hence, the range of scores.

Overall Score: B+

With my limited scouting ability, I agree with most of what he said. Pryor's biggest recurring problem is his footwork, which makes it difficult for him to set properly and throw the ball with accuracy. Pryor came to Ohio State with the intention of leaving as an NFL quarterback, and if he's still clinging onto that dream, he's going to have to learn the basic footwork, among numerous other things.

I find it interesting that Todd Boeckman had similar mechanical problems in 2007, and it frequently lead to the infamous "punterception", which debuted in full force against Purdue in West Lafayette. Boeckman threw three touchdown passes in the 23-7 win, but he also threw three picks, a few of which came off of lobbed deep balls. It would not be the last time we saw the phenomenon that year, and Pryor's deep passing looks like it needs the same amount of work. Of course, we're comparing 5th-year junior Boeckman to 2nd-year Pryor, and it's not entirely fair to the young QB. However, this still could signal the start of a worrying trend, as both Boeckman and Pryor struggled greatly with core mechanics despite general continuity in coaching ranks; Boeckman spent 2007 under the tutelage of Joe Daniels, who has abandoned his coaching duties in an ongoing fight with cancer. Daniels' protégé, Nick Siciliano, was Pryor's de facto coach for most of 2008, and assumed the duty formally prior to the 2009 season. Fortunately, there is still plenty of time to make up for mistakes; Ohio State doesn't face a passing defense currently ranked in the top-35 until the trip to Happy Valley. Now is the time to work out any and all kinks before they really start costing us.

Being a Buckeye quarterback is a demanding task and not good for various aspects of your personal well-being, chiefly your sanity; you're either the most hated or the most loved guy in the state depending on how you play. Just ask Steve Bellisari and Justin Zwick. There's an inordinate amount of pressure on Pryor, but you know he expected it coming in. I, for one, don't think the pressure is getting too him. I really don't. I think the issue here is, at least partially, the mentality JT cultivates in his quarterbacks, which sometimes leads to overprotection of the ball and the hesitancy we've seen in two straight Buckeye signal callers. However, I'm also beginning to think that JT is doing what he can to get away from that mentality in his signal callers - against Toledo, in good weather and with mostly good protection, Pryor attempted 32 passes - the most in a game since Troy Smith's masterful 41-attempt, 29-completion effort against Michigan in 2006. Even if it's only for a brief moment, I think Tressel is making the changes he feels he needs to, "in order for our offense to be successful", as he would put it, because really, turning Terrelle Pryor into Craig Krenzel just isn't going to fly for too long. .

Against both The Midshipmen and Toledo, Pryor looked like the quarterback we'd thought he'd be for all but a few fleeting instances; instances which resulted in picks. The frustrating inconsistency should go away with age, but as Pryor enters the midway point of his sophomore year, the "age" argument is beginning to wear thin. Against USC, the main thing Pryor seemed to be afraid of doing after that first pick was turning the ball over; and you know that's a product of Tressel's emphasis on ball control. I'll let you decide whether Tressel wanted to reign Pryor in after that first pick, but from what I could tell, Terrelle did plenty of that all by himself. He frequently looked hesitant, indecisive and overly-cautious against the Trojans. Off the top of my head, I can recall only a single play where Pryor looked both comfortable and determined, and that one play showed us all that he is capable of: facing a hopeless 3rd and long, Pryor took the snap, and without hesitation found a sizable hole and picked up a first down, dragging USC defenders along with him. It was a fleeting glimpse of the greatness that could be Terrelle Pryor. Unfortunately, the rest of the game was a long gaze into the abyss of how far he has to go.

That one, true breakout game is still eluding "Lebron-in-Cleats", and as a fanbase, I think we need to remember that it's going to take baby steps. I think Toledo was a pretty large leap forward for him, and that Illinois was too, in its own special, rain-soaked way. The second of his three touchdowns versus the Rockettes was particularly striking; for the first time in his career, Pryor "threw a guy open", meaning that he placed the ball in an open area of the field near his man rather than directly on top of the open receiver - in this case Dane Sanzenbacher - and he placed it in such a way that Rocket DBs had no chance of thwarting the attempt. That's some notable progress and considerable mental fortitude from a guy coming off the worst game of his career. A week later against the Illini, Pryor showcased some good decision-making, both while running the option with Daniel Herron and while making a few key passes to keep the chains moving. He still followed that up with an awkward across-the-body quacker that was nearly intercepted, but again, baby steps. The fact that Pryor saw limited time under center shows us that Tressel is in fact opening up the offense schematically to better fit his quarterback; far more than he did at any point last year. I think that TP just suffers from a classic case of "trying to do too much": see the aforementioned Illinois quacker and the forced pass while taking a sack against Navy. Right now, his decisions are very high-risk, high-reward, and there just doesn't seem to be much of a grey area. Either he's doing fine or he's lobbing up a pass against Toledo that just might have touched the sun. He's just a sophomore, so inconsistency is par for the course. But this stretch of games coming up is key; if he doesn't look like an actual quarterback against at least two of this Charmin Soft set of defenses, then we may have to face up to the fact that he probably won't this year, setting up a 2010 season that will make or break his future as a QB.

Orange Blush

Sam @ WWAHT — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 23:55:14 -0000

More photos » by Terry Gilliam - AP

2 months ago: Ohio State's Lawrence Wilson, left, celebrates his interception against lllinois with teammate Kurt Coleman during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

Browse more photos »

It wasn't always pretty, but you're just a fickle person if you weren't pleased with Ohio State's 30-0 win over the Illinois Fighting Illini today. In the pouring rain, Ohio State brutalized (sometimes literally) an Illini attack that was still lead by the guy who absolutely gashed the legendary '07 defense. The Buckeye ground attack finally came alive, with both Buckeye backs looking worlds better than they had in previous weeks, and that was really all that was necessary to turn this game into another laugher. Clearly, Ohio State still has things it needs to work on. The passing game has gotta start clicking soon. We still can't be sure how well Chekwa and Co. will hold up if Ohio State fails to pressure the QB. But let's not dwell on that for now. This is our second feel-good win a row, and our second shutout in a row. We haven't had two shutouts in a row since 1996, people, and I'll wager that both the Illini and the Toledo Rockets will finish the season as top-30 statistical offenses.

The Good

- The offensive line, which was excellent - against a fairly stout Illini front - and answered most of the questions its play had engendered from the first three games. Crushing play from the interior allowed Daniel Herron to get loose late, Brandon Saine to get loose early, and generally keep the entire offense in sync for most of the day. It had felt like ages since we'd seen a Buckeye line blow a team off the LOS, and we got that in bunches today.

- Not that it's news anymore, but this defensive line is nothing short of fucking spectacular. Ohio State played nine freaking guys in the first half and never lost a step after the first Illini drive (was I imagining things or were the Illini holding just a bit early?) Buckeye leaves for Thaddeus Gibson, Lawrence Wilson, Doug Worthington and even Rob Rose, who's excelling as just a reserve DT. Ed Cunningham said they were the country's best, and that's getting harder and harder to dispute. It may also be the deepest, which is a total 180 from just a couple years ago, where just one injury would have decimated the unit.

- Further mention of Gibby is warranted: the dude stopped Illinois' first second half drive by himself.

- The secondary, outside of a boneheaded Chekwa PI penalty and Coleman's senseless, brutal helmet-to-helmet hit (more on that later) in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, was very good. When Williams actually had time, there just wasn't an open man to throw it to. Perhaps Benn isn't all the way back, but he isn't getting called the nation's best receiver without reason. That's twice in three weeks Ohio State has done a good job limiting a future first rounder - first Damian Williams, now Benn.

- Lawrence Wilson's fro-hawk. Somebody get that man a medal.

- Brian Rolle. Is it a stretch to say he's better than AJ Hawk was as a junior?

- Let's give credit where it is due with respect to play-calling. If the rumors are true, and Darrell Hazell is calling more than 50 percent of the plays, Jim Tressel deserves a pat on the back for acknowledging his faults and Hazell deserves a raise for the partial revitalization of the offense's game with read-option, misdirection and well-timed play-action.

- Posey and Sanzenbacher deserve some credit too for hauling in a few mystifying Pryorballs. The WRs in general caught most everything that came their way.

The Just Okay

- I'm creating this category just for Terrelle Pryor, who didn't have anything to do in the first half. He was better in the second half, but he still doesn't look very confident. One pass in particular, in which he rolled out to his right and attempted a pass all the way across his body to Ray Small breaking off a route, was just dumbfounding. That being said, he looked good running the ball, and his passing did improve - slightly - as the game wore on. That deft avoidance of an Illini blitz and subsequent run for a first down was positively Troy Smithian. Still needs work overall.

The Bad (aka, the nitpicking)

- Some of the defensive playcalling was worrisome. Why one would ever give a 5-yard cushion to Arrelious Benn is just beyond me. In the second half, the Illini began to find ways to circumvent OSU's contain schemes and we didn't appear to have an answer, until LW nullified it all with an awesome tip and pick.

- Tressel punting with the other team reeling in the first half. Again. He would, of course, make up for this later with the "eff you" touchdown of the year on OSU's final possession.

- Ron Franklin, who was positively Pam Wardian today. Todd "Durlinger"? Like five times? Seriously?

- Kurt Coleman was fine, but that helmet-to-helmet hit on a defenseless Illini running back? Stupid, careless, and incredibly dangerous. Kurt: you're better than that. I hope. You could have seriously injured that guy, pointlessly, in the late stages of a total blowout nonetheless. I'm not holding it against the conference if they suspend him for Indiana. That was sheer idiocy and that sort of thuggishness has no place in Ohio State football.

The Downright Confusing

- Not that it didn't end up working out, but why was Saine replaced with Herron? Tressel always prides himself on things like rhythm and pace, and Saine had looked very good. I hope a similar move doesn't disrupt the offense at some point later this season.

- In a similar vein, are we ever going to see Saine, Boom and Pryor on the field at the same time again? Perhaps in the fabled two-back shotgun set?

- Jermale Hines is probably one of our top-5 tacklers, so him getting shrugged by Williams was a little shocking.

All in all, the "bad" and the "confusing" are mostly nitpicking. Units that had previously underperformed - the running backs, the offensive interior chief among them - brought their A-games today and we finally saw (against relatively legit opposition) what this team is capable of.

I still don't think we have seen this team at its best. Honestly, we haven't even seen this team as a fully functional, cohesive unit yet. But things are improving. The defensive line has gone from "here we go again..." against Navy to lights out against SC, Toledo and Illinois. The offensive line is finally starting to get some push, and they really put the Illini line - the supposed strength of their defense - on roller skates today. The receivers are no longer running around seemingly aimlessly, and drops post-Taurian Washington's benching are almost non-existent. Lastly, tthe secondary is either the Big Ten's best, or it just looks that way thanks to the play of the line.

Prior to the season, I stated that one thing I like about Tressel teams is that they always get better throughout the regular season, and I think this one is clearly doing it with each passing week. There is now only one thing that I can absolutely say still needs work, and it is, of course, the passing game. The numbers today were low with good reason - the terrible, cold, rainy weather - but Ohio State just won't beat Penn State if Terrelle Pryor isn't worlds better. He's staring down his guys, still forcing it far too often, and doesn't always see the wide-open running lanes. I think the receivers are holding up their end of the bargain, and Dane Sanzenbacher might be the Big Ten's best wideout outside of Eric Decker. Right now, it's all on Terrelle to use these next five weeks to develop into merely a good, game-managing quarterback. Save the legendary VYesque highlights for next year; because this guy has gotta start taking baby steps. His play the rest of the season will be the difference between just another January bowl and a return to the BCS.

"That puke, inside of a pumpkin orange"

Sam @ WWAHT — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:25 -0000

They low down, they dirty, they some snitches...*

I guess technically it's hate week. Illinois is, after all, one of our two main rivals (sorry Penn State) and we even have a dorky trophy to commemorate this "rivalry", in which Ohio State's all time record stands at 61-30-3, and in which the Buckeyes actually have more losses in the Shoe (18) than they do in Champaign (12). Yeah, it's a weird rivalry, characterized lately by weird games. Last year, Illinois outgained Ohio State by over 100 yards and still lost by ten. Ohio State won the game with just 49 yards through the air, 36 of which came on just three of OSU's ten attempted passes. The year before, Illinois capitalized on a blown fumble call, three picks from the previously unblemished Todd Boeckman and an agonizing final drive that took 8 minutes off the game clock and roughly ten years off my life.

Even in 2006, when Ohio State was rolling anyone and everyone in its path, the Fighting Illini sacked Troy Smith 3 times, held him without a passing touchdown for the first time all year, and forced him to throw just his third pick of the season in an uneven effort from the Buckeye squad, which ended up winning only 17-10. It was the closest anyone outside of Michigan would play them throughout the entire regular season.

2005 was largely unremarkable, save the final score: 40-2, the only Illini points coming off a blocked XP that was returned for a safety. So we know these games have a definite recent trend of overall weirdness, and many of them would serve as good fodder for Dr. Saturday's intriguing Life on the Margins series. Will this weekend be any different?

*(full disclosure: I don't hate Illinois. I don't think I could be more indifferent to a team. Ron Zook provides me with lulz when they're bad, and Juice Williams puts on a show when they're good. I almost like them.)

Well, there's no real reason to think so. As ridiculous as the Ohio State defense might be, this might be the best offense - when healthy and feeling like it - that it will play all year. The problem is, of course, that the Illini have yet to actually look like it

Date	Opponent	Surface	Result	Rush Yards	Pass Yards	Plays	Total Yards	Yards/Play
09/05/09	+ Missouri	Turf	L 9-37	110	215	72	325	4.5
09/12/09	Illinois St.	Turf	W 45-17	384	164	63	548	8.7
	Totals			494	379	135	873	6.5

And after putting up such relatively lackluster stats against a) a rebuilding outfit and b) an FCS school, there isn't really cause to believe the Illini are going to explode against an Ohio State defense that is giving up an average of 15 ppg. But in this series, it's difficult to rule much of anything out. In 2007, Juice Williams was coming off three straight games in which he had thrown at least one pick. He responded with four touchdowns and zero interceptions against a dumbfounded Ohio State secondary that would finish first in the nation in yards allowed. If there's one Buckeye defense that should have stopped the Illini, it was that one, and it just couldn't.

As much success as Williams has had against Ohio State, the Illini running game has done its part, totaling 474 yards in the last two games combined. It could be said that Illinois runs the one offense that Jim Heacock just can't figure out. Ohio State was fortunate enough to intercept Williams at a key point in the 2008 game, and with the running game exploding for 305 yards, the Buckeyes never felt threatened in the second half. This is the one thing that worries me about tomorrow's game; if Juice finally gets it going, like he always seems to against the Buckeyes, does Ohio State have a running attack that can slow the game's pace down a crawl?

Illinois runs the type of offense Jim Tressel just absolutely has to hate, because it's not a ball-control affair, and like Florida and LSU, can put points up in bunches against almost any defense that doesn't adjust immediately. It's Toledo with talent and speed, and a quarterback who can run against teams not named Colorado. I'd hate playing against it too.

So why, if the 2007 and 2008 units couldn't stop Illinois, should this one in 2009 be any different? Simple answer: speed. This might not be a particularly popular opinion, but I'm willing to place good money on Ross Homan, Brian Rolle and Austin Spitler being faster as a unit than James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman and Larry Grant. Brian Rolle especially is a speed demon who should have no serious problems tracking down Williams and the Illini running backs in the open field. Just watching the game against Toledo; it was rare that guys weren't at least in place to make the needed tackle, which is huge against teams that run this offense. A defensive clinic of similar proficiency will result in the Illini netting 14 points at the most.

Offensively, this game will be a good way to gauge Terrelle Pryor's progress purely as a passer. Illinois has one of the softest secondaries one could hope for in the early part of the season, and the fact that both of the Illini's interceptions have come against Illinois State makes me giddy. An arm punt here or there will be picked, sure, but I think Pryor will get a bit more leeway with his throws against the Illini than against other Big Ten secondaries, which will give the coaching staff a bit better of an idea of what he needs to work on.

I'm still waiting for Daniel Herron or Brandon Saine to have a breakout game. Really, if neither can get it together at this point, I can't help but conclude that they won't under these circumstances , and that the staff seriously needs to re-evaluate some schemes or get Jordan Hall some more reps. Illinois' rush defense has been decent, holding Mizzou and State to 2.8 yards a carry on the ground, but Mizzou is Mizzou and Illinois State is coached by Brock Spack, who brought basketball-on-grass to the quite little burg of Normal, Illinois. Neither will ever place the emphasis Ohio State does on pounding the rock, so the Buckeyes need to get something going early and often.

Five predictions that will make me look foolish come Monday :

- Juice throws at least one pick, and is held under 50 yards rushing

- Ohio State actively exploits the hole left by Martez Wilson's departure

- The running game continues to struggle, but Pryor's improvisational skills make it look a bit more respectable.

- Pryor throws at least one arm punt pick, to go with 3 or more touchdowns

- Final score: Ohio State 31, Illinois 13

Bucknotes is enjoying the brief reprieve

Sam @ WWAHT — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:00:24 -0000

First up, game recaps

Toledo just what Buckeyes needed - San Jose Mercury News
Soothed the soul.

The Columbus Dispatch : North coast
Official Dispatch recap. Was it me, or was the crowd in Brownstown morgue-like?

(Very) quick thoughts on Toledo game (Blogging the Buckeyes)
Ken Gordon looks at this team and sees depth, unusual amounts of aggression. not very much potential in Daniel Herron, and something in Brandon Saine. To me, Herron and Saine looked like the same dude out there, outside of one brilliant run from the latter. Both have to read their blocks better and start breaking a tackle or two; otherwise, this running game won't go anywhere.

Ohio State bounces back big, routs Toledo, 38-0 | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com
Recap from the CPD

A hard week ends with an easy afternoon for Terrelle Pryor and the Buckeyes: Bill Livingston
Fluffier take on Saturday's game.

Defense never rests as Ohio State bounces back with 38-0 romp over Toledo | Ohio State Buckeyes - cleveland.com - - cleveland.com
Toledo had 122 yards through three quarters, and 10 punts. Just in case you needed to see the dominance statistically.

And now for your usual news and notes

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Bob Hunter commentary: Pryor's game, words reduce grumblings
Win and all the BS stops. Until, of course, you don't win again, or don't win prettily enough.

2009 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 4 - ESPN
Polls punish the Buckeyes, because Oklahoma running up the score on Tulsa was more impressive than Ohio State wrapping things up after building a 24-point cushion against Toledo. Thanks for confirming my worst scoreboard-watching suspicions of the AP, reality.

Brian Kelly's Got Wanderlust, But Nowhere To Go - Brian Cook - The Sporting Blog - Sporting News
Brian Kelly is gone gone gone after this season, as Cincy might not be able to keep up with his facility demands. I can't help but wonder, though, if he's really destined for Colorado or Virginia? Both Hawk and Groh will leave relatively bare cupboards; if the Notre Dame job opens up (which it probably will), are they really going to mail in the coaching search and hire some pro retread like Gruden? Don't they want to be good again?

Tale of the tape: USC (Blogging the Buckeyes)
One last look at the USC game, with obvious bad marks for the offensive line and Pryor, and high praise for the defensive line and secondary.

Big Ten helmet stickers: Week 3 - Big Ten - ESPN
Sanzenbacher gets one for his breakout performance.

Buckeye Leaves: Freshman Jordan Hall helps give OSU's offense some ground strength
As dangerous as Herron/Saine might be in our dreams, Berry/Hall will probably be end up being much more productive. Hall looked like the best back on the field on Saturday, and might have earned himself quite a bit of playing time with his performance Saturday.

Illini football notes: Pass defense a big problem for Illini - Galesburg, IL - The Register-Mail
A quick look at this week's opponent; could be another big day through the air for Pryor.