This isn't a National Championship caliber team. And it will take A LOT of soul searching for this team to go to Los Angeles and come out with a victory. I love my team just as much if not more than anyone else, but I'm just giving you my educated opinion. I'm not going to draw this out, I will give you offensively and defensively why this team won't win a national championship. OFFENSE 1) I've been screaming this since the beginning of LAST YEAR, and everyone told me I don't know what I'm talking about...These wide receivers (Robiskie & Hartline), are the weakest starting combo of wide recievers that OSU has had since I can remember and I have been around this program for over 20 years. Not fast enough, don't run tight, crisp, disiplined routes, aren't physical enough to create separation...I could go on but I won't. Ohio State needs to start repping DeVier Posey and seeing if Ray Small can ever be what he was thought to be out of high school, because AT LEAST they are a threat to make defenses respect their home run ability. 2) I love Jim Tressel for the good man that he is, and the leadership and example he is. Jim is a testimony to the thought that there are still good men in this business, and he IS the BEST COACH IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL TODAY. However, Jim MUST give up his play-calling duties. He needs to bring in an offensive coordinator who can give this team some fresh air on the offensive side of the football. There is too much talent in this offense that is not being utilized to its full potential. I truly believe that this would not only help the team offensively by bringing in a good young coaching mind to the staff along with new ideas, but it would allow Jim to redouble his efforts on every other front. Gameplan prep, recruiting, fund raising, and overall team management. I have just found it extremely disappointing that a team with as many weapons as this team has offensively has struggled as much as the Buckeyes have through his tenure. 3) Todd Boeckman isn't the answer. Its hard to say this because of the ineffective play of the wide receivers but Todd just hasn't showed me he'd capable of being able to make plays when there isn't anything there. I think Todd Boeckman has more talent than Craig Krenzel. But Todd doesn't have the football IQ Craig Krenzel had. Krenzel knew his limitations and stayed within them. Krenzel knew he couldn't win a game by himself, so he maximized what he had around him. Spread the ball around to his positions (INCLUDING THE TIGHT END), threw the ball away when there wasn't anything there, scrambled when the opportunity was there, took what was given to him, and MOVED THE CHAINS. If Todd would realize those things that Krenzel was gifted with the knowledge of, this offense would be a whole lot more effective. But Todd hasn't to this point learned to let the game come to him, and continuously tries to force the issue, which is where the turnovers come into play. And you can't win a National Championship by turning the football over. DEFENSE 1) Coach Heacock in my opinion has worn out his welcome. Its not that this defense has been poor under his watch. Because I wouldn't be accurate making a statement like that. This defense does good job of NOT LOSING the football game most of the time. The problem is the philosophy. I'm sick of the following phrase...BEND BUT DON'T BREAK. Bend but don't break defenses are for teams that don't have the talent that this defense has/had in the past. I would pretty much take Mark Dantonio back in a heart beat. Dantonio knew he had the speed, athleticism, size, and every other intangible that you look to describe a dominant defense at his disposal...and he used it! He blitzed from every angle imaginable, he pressured, he attacked. Dantonio's defense took the fight to you, beat your a**, picked you back up and beat you again. There is a difference between Coack Heacock's defenses and the Dantonio defenses and the LSU's, Florida's, and USC's defenses...Heacock's defenses are fast, and the latter defenses PLAY FAST...and there is a difference. I think it is Luke Fickell's time to see if he's willing to bring back the "Bullets" portion back to the Silver. Because defense is about dictating a tempo and imposing YOUR will upon your opponent. 2) The Defensive Line play has to improve. And I'm going to single out the defensive tackles. Part of this goes to Heacock's "philosophy" of having more "mobile, athletic" tackles. But the problem is that they are getting pushed around by those big uglies inside. No pass rush up the middle, they aren't containing their hole responsibilities, and consistently get stood up and pushed back at the POA. How does this improve? It's starts with better coaching on the d-line, and extends more importantly into once again a change in philosophy and better recruiting of the position. They have to find a way to hit Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida...etc...some of these states that are known for producing those massive, athletic, disruptive forces at the tackle position. Because the proof is in the championships, the south, whether you like it or not, are where those big athletic tackles are being found. The Buckeyes have to go into hostile territory and recruit the hell out of that position. They have to find a way to beat those SEC schools for their fair share of talent in the front seven. I don't want this to be negative. I don't want to make anyone angry. I'm simply trying to point out some major deficiancies with our team. I fully expect this team to go out and compete for another Big Ten championship. They have the talent to do so. But I simply feel this team doesn't have what it takes to get it done. And unfortunately not all of that is entirely on their shoulders for blame. Take my opinion for what it is...an opinion. But instead of being disgusted at a very good Ohio State for not reaching a singular goal of a National Championship...enjoy a very good team full of good kids, who will graduate, play hard, and make you proud not just on the field every Saturday on the field, but the other 6 days of it off the field. Enjoy the season, the stadium atmosphere, the fall weather, and all of the other goals that THE Ohio State University will achieve this season. Go Bucks!
Thanks Zuke, have been keeping an eye out for your thoughts, which I agree 100% with. Funny, how some of the coaches have been with Tressel forever, some since YSU I believe. It should be the goal of assistant coaches to move on and take a head coaching job. It's that aspiration that makes them better and not complacent. Seem Tressel stays loyal to guys he considers family, some of which are family. Frustrating. -Jim
I agree with the need for a dedicated offensive coordinator. Jim Tressel has been handling the playcalling for 7 years now. The game has become more complex in the at time. College football is different now than what was around in 2001. I think he needs to find an O-coordinator that meshes with his style and put a guy up in the booth.
You're not alone Jim. I could get in a lot of trouble for posting something like this, but I needed to clear the air. I was so angry following the OU game that I wanted to explode but knew I had to keep my composure so I laid low for a few days and settled down a little. However, that still doesn't change my perception that we need knew coaching life around here. Coach Heacock is a fine coordinator, and coach. But I think the philosophy hurts us in a lot of different ways. I also think Jim needs to take his hands off the team just a little bit. Like another poster said, put some eyes above in the coaches box. It really is frustrating.
No reason for anyone to get angry about your feelings. I've been saying for months that our WR's are the main problem on this team IMO. TB may not be the answer, but you need to have 1 of the 2 to be real successful. Medicore QB, Medicore WR, good OL, great RB, equals a good offense, but not a championship offense IMO. I agree about our D- and keep hoping that the next week is the week I'll see what they could be if they'd bring the wood. Just one time blitz 7; you may pay, but probably not if our secondary is doing their job. Would feel real good i bet too
Heacock is a good coach, but nothing like Dantonio. I just don't get how our receivers don't step up their game. It's not like our coaching staff doesn't know how to produce top receivers. Our future is good at the position, but the present is a little shaky. By the end of the year I think we'll be all right, but our guys better step it up to be effective against the USC secondary. I'm not so sold on JT giving up the coordinator spot. I just don't see that as being our problem. At the same time, it might still be a good thing but I just don't think it's the weak link. A new dynamic coach at that position could help recruiting as well, but it seems we aren't having trouble with that right now. Look at OU, our play calling was pretty bland but I don't think it would have mattered. Our execution was terrible and it doesn't really matter what play you call if the O line doesn't do their job. I agree TB isn't the answer, at least not for a championship season. It could happen, but I doubt it. I think the D tackles will do better this year, but I do miss the Dantonio style D line.
The OU game was very dissapointing for me because two of my favorite players are Robo and Pretorious, and both performed poorly. I thought Robo made some great plays last year, but I haven't seen any of that spark in the first two games. And we should always be able to count on field goals, there were just mistakes all over the field that should not have happened.
I'm with Zuke 100% in regards on the offense. I've been campaigning for Bauserman to be the start over Boeckman ever since I went to the jersey scrimmage. He throws a better ball, has a stronger arm and is able to escape pressure a lot better than Boeckman. The WR's (Hartline and Robo) are good, but both are possession WR's at best. Neither one is a true downfield threat that has both tremendous athleticism or speed. I think they both have good hands (except last week) and they aren't afraid to make the tough catch, but this isn't at the level as any other group of WR's since Tressel took over. Rumors were going around that Walt Harris was considered to return to OSU to take the OC job. As I said in a post yesterday, no proven OC will come to Ohio State if Tressel is the head coach. As for the defense...I am all for Luke Fickell being the next DC and I think his time will come very soon. I'm tired of every defensive play being in zone coverage. I read constantly that this year's defense was going to play more man and i've barely seen it. This defense is capable of so many things and it seems like they're talents are being wasted. They don't play fast enough and it seems like they get worse each season in open field tackling. I think a younger and more intense guy like Fickell who was part of the great OSU defense in the 90's will bring that fire back what was NASTY Buckeye defense. I'm not ready to throw the DL under the bus just yet. I saw good things in the scrimmage and against YSU. I agree they are lacking that impact DT (though I think Larrimore will become that guy) but I really like our end's. Thad Gibson fits in the category of what Zuke mentioned as that athletic/disruptive end that OSU needs. Keith Wells will also be that guy and so should Nathan Williams. If it were up to me, i'd keep Cam Heyward at DT and let Thad Gibson be the starting DE instead of a pass-rush DE. All-in-all, I feel the QB play, WR's and the OL is what will hold this team back in regards of winning the NC. I feel they are capable of getting it done this year, but the offense still has a ways to go to get to the level where they need to be to win it all. Great post Zuke.
My gosh I am so sick of the Boeckman crap. The problem with this team is not Todd Boeckman. In 2002 we won the National Championship with Craig Krenzel at quarterback....does everyone remember that. Krenzel was a great guy, but he was no superstar. In fact the passing game was pretty frustrating at many times that season. We won on great defense, a tough running game, and a lack of mistakes. This team is totally capable of all of those things. Todd takes care of the ball, and he has a very solid arm. Sure he is not the best at throwing on the run, but he does not need to be a superstar. Against Ohio Boeckman had a offense line that looked absolutely terrible, wideouts dropping balls, and no Beanie. No quarterback was going to succeed under those circumstances! Plain and simple this team came out flat Saturday! Big deal! Teams come out flat all the time, and this does not mean we start with the doom and gloom stuff. USC came out flat vs. Stanford last year, did that mean the were a terrible team? No! I am not saying we are going to go undefeated this season, but this team is championship cailber. This is the same team that was there last season, and they are just as good. We had a bad game! Let's move on! ------------------------- Visit www.osusilverbullet.com !
My, how perspectives change after a bad showing. Here's to hoping it was the one bad game of the season that had to be flushed from our systems. Zuke, I respect where you're coming from and I'm in the same place in most areas. The one question I would have; can the blame for our defensive woes in big games truly be placed on Heacock's shoulders? Believe me, I've been calling for this guy's head ever since Dantonio left, but I wonder if it's truly his fault. This guy has been on staff since the Cooper years. He was in on all the defensive skull sessions/video breakdowns with Dantonio. Mark's scheme was incredibly successful, don't you think an intelligent coach would pick up on some helpful direction? After thinking this whole situation through after our last NC let-down, I've come to the conclusion that it has to be the personnel. Think back to the A.J. Hawk years. Heacock was our DC, correct? Hawk had 15 sacks and 41 TFL in 2005 and Carpenter had 4 sacks in a single MSU game (half of JL's 2006 season total). We just don't have that type of production from our LBs at the moment. Laurinaitis, Freeman, and Homan are just not known for their blitzing capabilities. Sure, it could be stated that they aren't blitzing out of their "soft zone"; then blame could be placed solely on the coaching staff. The problem is, there are multiple LB blitzes called during the game. Unfortunately, our LBs show a marked propensity for getting caught up in traffic fairly easily and getting man-handled out of the play. Honestly, can you tell me that our LBs are disrupting backfields the way they did during the Hawk years? Even if they are indeed in a "soft zone", shouldn't they be able to read a running play and at least once in awhile trip up a guy in the backfield? This Ohio game gave me flashbacks of Illinois, everyone and their mother knew Juice was going to run the ball in that situation. Where were our LBs? Meeting Juice eight yards upfield. Before you accuse me of throwing our LBs under the bus, collective blame also has to be placed on the interior of our D-line as well as our Secondary. Our DT's are obviously failing to clog up the middle and occupy blockers sufficiently. This failure makes it incredibly hard for our LBs to make plays in the backfield. Dantonio had better talent. Can anyone honestly tell me that our Secondary has similar talent? Mike Doss, Chris Gamble, Will Allen, and Donnie Nickey have all at least started in the NFL. Does our starting talent match up? Jenkins seems like the real deal, but after him its rough. Our lack of talent at DT and in the Secondary is to blame for our "soft-zone". We cannot man up against Big-Time WRs. Donald Washington and Chimdi Chekwa are not shut-down corners no matter how scarlet-covered your glasses are. We simply must send our LBs into coverage. They do not disrupt the backfield enough to justify the blitz, and our CBs will get beat if the opposing QB is afforded that much time. Heacock is an intelligent football coach. I've come to the conclusion that he is simply scheming in a way that best allows our defense to succeed throughout the season. We get overhyped by playing patsies, so the stats look great. When we've played a high-powered offense with this personnel, we get shellacked. Here's to hoping we've all been deceived by the genius that is Tressel, and the USC game will open our eyes to wonders we never imagined.
Oh the AUDACITY of Hope! Deceitful genius didn't work against Florida or Illinois or LSU I doubt it will against USC.
That was a great indepth post vic. I do agree that I feel like our LB corp isn't quite the same caliber as Hawk and co.
If we play conservative typical "Tressel ball" vs u$c, we're going to turn the game off early b/c we might very well get slaughtered.... Open it up, air it out, SMACK SOMEBODY IN THE F'KN MOUTH!!! I am so fired up....C'MON BUCKS......MAN THE F**K UP!
I still feel like our LBs aren't the problem at all. Imagine what they could do if they had a secondary behind them that could go man and let the LBs roam free.
I NEVER SAID KRENZEL WAS A SUPERSTAR. Re-read the post. I told you exactly why Krenzel won big football games and Boeckman is struggling to win the signature games. And Saturday was not simply about coming out lackluster, because I will concede that we did. But the fact is that the WR's aren't getting open against freaking Y-St & Ohio U.! Furthermore they couldn't get open against Illinois, Wisky, Michigan, or LSU last year either. And as far as Ohio State coming out "flat"...define "flat" to me. -Do you mean flat as in almost lost to the Ohio Bobcats?...because they almost did. That is not flat. That is not focused, not prepared for the team you are playing at the moment, and having you're physically superior team getting their **** handed to them for 3 quarters. You're right. We as a team, have to move forward and place all of our attention on USC. But I am not a player, so my focus can be wherever it chooses to be. Go Bucks!
CaptainMorgan Okay Captain that's fair enough. Then give me your thoughts on what this offense does need, because since last year, he is the only weapon on that side of the ball. Or check that, the only one being utilized to its full potential. What are you're thoughts on what we need?
invictusxp Well your stats are off regarding Hawk and Carpenter. And I would actually have to agree with you that The Animal and Freeman aren't at the level of Hawk/Carpenter...but then again how many tandems are up to that par? While I don't feel Laurinatis and Freeman are at the level of Hawk and Carpenter, I don't think they are the problem. As for playing the scheme Heacock playing...If that is the case why was he recently quoted as saying this is his most talented defense since he's been here? This is the defense he would run no matter what his personel. Granted he may blitz a shade more if they had more pass rushing talent up front, but this is his style like it or not. But you overall I think you have a point that player evaluation and recruiting may need to be looked at. Good post.
Ha, fair enough-if my stats are indeed off then thats the last time I'm trusting a player's bio site. I agree its not strictly a LB problem. Thats why I'm saying we don't see them disrupting backfields in part because of weak DTs and a subpar secondary. Hawk's group was just bigger and more dominant.
Flat as I define it is exactly what you said. You nailed it! All I was saying was that this was a team effort, and not just Boeckman. It was not a shot at what you said at all, but more about the fact that in later posts that people said to start Bauserman. I just think that is ridiculous! But I agree with ya man, we were under prepared, and way under motivated. Pretty disappointing from a team who should have a chip on its shoulder after the last two NC games. So dude, no argument from me! You are on it! ------------------------------- Visit - The Silver Bullet !
invictusxp Well invictusxp, I think James and Marcus are just as fast and athletic as A.J and Bobby were, I think the main difference is that you had Quinn Pitcock who was a tremendous disruptive force in the middle. Quinn created penetration into the backfield and commanded more attention than these current tackles are. Also I'd agree that Bobby and A.J were both superior blitzers. I think the strength of this group is run support and coverage...with coverage being where I feel this unit is actually superior. Problem is that Marcus and James really at the moment don't have a guy in the middle that MUST be double teamed. I would like someone to try and tell me who if they think I'm incorrect. And when you don't have a game changing, disruptive force in the middle it give you an extra O-Lineman that is able to get to that second level and put a hat on one of those linebackers. I would even go so far to say that throughout this starting 11, that this is the most athletic group that we have ever had. But to me, defensive tackles don't have to be athletic freaks of nature, they have to accomplish two tasks...1) command two blockers 2) get a push into the backfield, and collapse the pocket. Now if they get a sack or a tackle behind the line because of that, to me that is a bonus...but the first two tasks will accomplish your ultimate goal as a defense. Keeping your linebackers clean of blockers to fly to the ball and make plays behind the line of scrimmage your tackles took control of and collapsing the pocket and not giving the quarterback free lanes to throw through. You had that in the past with Pitcock, Pickett, Wilkinson, Anderson etc...you haven't had that lately and that HAS to change.