Kneejerk: Week 1, Marshall
September 3, 2010
Well, that went much better than I thought it would! Color me pleasantly surprised at the 2010 Buckeyes in their first game action of the season. They beat down the Marshall Thundering Herd 45-7.
IN A NUTSHELL:
- TP had no turnovers. Clean game with great stats. 17/25 for 247 yds, 3 TDs, 17 yds rushing on 8 carries. I was a little nervous seeing TP in the game so late (flashbacks of Beanie from the 08 season opener against YSU). Like Beanie that year, TP is a Heisman candidate. Maybe the 1st team stayed in to get him the stats he needed?
- Another note on TP. He just looked so comfortable in the pocket. Very much in control & fluid. Improved from the Rose Bowl, as we suspected.
- Offense was awesome. Sure, The Vest didn’t didn’t show too much, but there was a nice balance that we normally don’t see in Week 1. Nicely done, Buckeyes!
- Didn’t think I’d see the team make it to the 40s in points scored. But very happy to see it!
- WTF is wrong with Special Teams? I think, based on this game, they should be called something else; like “Lackluster Teams” or “Forgot-How-To-Tackle Teams”. Needs to get better, STAT!
- Although the defense didn’t show much, they missed Nathan Williams. Tressel says he should be good to go next week, so that’s fine.
- Welcome back, Tyler Moeller! Dude was all over the field, taking out his frustrations from missing last season on anyone and everyone! Leading tackler. That pretty much says it all!
- Brian Rolle is so clutch! He always seems to have a huge play in openers. No complaints here! Loved seeing him get that pick 6!
- Very impressed with Jaamal Berry’s debut. He is so fast! Kinda embarrassed that the official graphic on the scoreboard spelled his name wrong, but what can ya do?
- Very glad the weather cooperated. It only sprinkled on us for about 15-20 minutes. Felt good, to be honest!
Pregame Postage: Week 1, Marshall
September 1, 2010
So it’s upon us!
Back in March, I thought the season would never get here, but here we are!
I don’t even know where to begin with this game! It’ll just be great to see the Buckeyes run out of that tunnel again. From a scouting perspective, I’m not sure anyone knows what to expect from the Marshall Thundering Herd, seeing as how they have a new coaching staff this year. But they did go to a bowl game last year, which we can’t say the same for the last team we met in the regular season…
But, let’s all remember who the head coach is. This is Coach Tressel’s team, people. Put that together with the fact that this is the opener and we’re likely to see a hefty dose of Tresselball. This is not going to be a beat down. I know that’s what fans are going to want to see, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. Remember last year versus Navy? Now, granted Navy was a damn fine football team, but who was really expecting that game to be decided on the final play? Not this girl!
So, just tame those expectations and appreciate the fact that the Buckeyes are back, and you’ll enjoy the game all that much more!
What I Want to See:
Expectations are high, no doubt, but I’m not looking for a well oiled machine from Day 1. That’s just not realistic. I would like to see the offense move the ball well. I’ll be paying attention to how TP manages the game. Practice footage has been showing a lot of passes to the RB, TE, and FB, in addition to the WR position. I’m very interested to see how this plays out or if it’s even a factor to begin with. This game plan will be vanilla, so maybe there won’t be a lot of those type of passes.
I know the defense will do it’s job. They always show up. I’m sure they won’t show a lot of aggressive blitz packages once we get a lead, but I do want to see how the line plays (even without Nathan Williams) because the Dline, and its backups, will factor heavily into how the 2010 Buckeyes fare this season.
Most importantly, I don’t want to see any injuries, on either side of the ball. So key!
What Will Happen:
The Buckeyes win and then go back to work to prepare for Da U.
OTHER NOTES:
Weather: There has been some concern about rain during the game. Some of the local meteorologists have said that we will make it through the game dry, while others think we could see some. It’ll be warm, humid, & in mid-80s, so it certainly could happen. 20%-30% chance, so very slight. If you’re concerned, bring a poncho. I know I am.
Tickets: There are still some available via Ticketmaster. You’ll be in the C-Deck, but you’ll still be in the ‘Shoe!
Tribute Jerseys: See them here. They will be worn, once again, for the Michigan game.
Conference Divisions: Ohio State is teamed with Penn State, Wisky, Purdue, Illinois, & Indiana. See the breakdown here.
Spring Practice Gets Underway
April 1, 2010
It’s that time of year! The weather starts getting warmer (Columbus broke records with today’s high temp of 81 degrees) and Buckeye Nation starts thinking about football. Actually, let’s be real, Buckeye fans never really stop thinking about football. They just get more into it as spring practice opens.
From all accounts, because Captain Tress opened today’s practice to the media, Terrelle looks good. There appear to be no leftover effects from his knee surgery, though he will be limited in spring contact. That’s pretty much a rite of spring, as most QBs are strictly hands off. You don’t want to risk injury to your franchise, do you? Didn’t think so.
I’ve also read that he’s really taking his position as the leader of the offense seriously. He’s talked many times about how he really wants to be a leader, and so far, it looks like he’s on his way. Good to hear!
The team was just in shorts (no hitting), so most of observations focused on physique and other football attributes like quickness, route-running, and drills.
Here is a short list of coverage from Day 1 of Spring Ball and Tressel’s media session:
Official Site Practice Notes
Practice Insider: Spring Has Sprung (The Ozone)
‘Light getting brighter’ for QB Pryor (AP)
Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Notes
Sunny First Day of Spring (Dispatch)
There. That’s just enough to help get you going. You’re all welcome.
Kneejerk: The Rose Bowl
January 2, 2010
I haven’t been near my computer to make my usual kneejerk post. Too busy celebrating, know what I mean? I will share my thoughts later.
The below picture is how I feel about this win:
No, it’s not the BCS Championship, but this win kind of felt like it after the past few years as College Football’s whipping boy. It was simply huge for the Buckeyes!
TP’s message to his Twitter followers reads as follows:
Thanks for the support for the bucks we played a hell of a game. Go bucks god bless you all
Love it. Go Bucks!
Pregame Postage: The 2010 Rose Bowl
January 1, 2010
It’s finally here! I feel like we’ve all be talking about this game for much longer than a month and a half. Remember, we knew we were Rose Bowl bound on November 14th, so the anticipation has been at a fever pitch for quite some time!
I could do my usual pregame post breaking down what the Buckeyes need to do in order to come out victorious, but you’ve probably read just about every angle on the game. I, like many others have just one thought: Just win, baby!
The Buckeyes need performances like the final November stretch. Run, run, and more running is on the menu. Now, don’t fret, Xbox fans. Just because I have a preference for seeing us pound the much smaller Oregon Dline doesn’t mean I want to see the exact same running play for every down on every series. Over the course of the season, we’ve run from multiple formations and mixed it up. I want to see more of that.
Buckeyes Learn Their Rose Bowl Foe Tonight
December 3, 2009
This time last year, all of Buckeye Nation were Oregon Duck fans. We needed Oregon to beat Oregon State, on the road, in order to knock them out of the Rose Bowl and give the Big Ten (specifically Ohio State) a 2nd BCS bid. Had Oregon State won, they would have gone to the Rose Bowl for a rematch (and beating) by Penn State, and USC would have received the at-large bid we were hoping for. Things worked out for us and we went on to the Fiesta Bowl, where we were narrowly defeated by a Texas team that many thought would roll us and should have been in the National Title game.
So, we watch the 2009 version of the “Civil War” with a different type of interest as we already are locked into the Rose Bowl. The winner gets to meet us in Pasadena on New Year’s Day.
I don’t have a horse in this race. I really don’t care who wins. On one hand, I feel like I should root for Oregon since they helped us out last year. Also, we have much in common with them as the 2 schools then prep QB Tajh Boyd completely played (read: committed to privately) before announcing for Clemson. But, on the other hand, I don’t want to see a bunch of fugly unis in the Rose Bowl. And you know Phil Knight and co. would cook up something downright painful to watch for the Ducks to wear in their 1st Rose Bowl in 15 years.
So, may the best team win. I feel like it’ll be Oregon, but it doesn’t really matter. I am very confident in our constantly improving Buckeye squad. They’ll be ready to play and I’d put our defense up against anyone’s high-flying offense. Oregon’s style has been described as “basketball on turf” with very high scoring games. That isn’t going to happen if they meet us. Texas was averaging 52983750 points per game last season. We gave them 24. Ain’t gonna be no shoot-out in the Rose Bowl.
Also, there will be no home field advantage for this game. USC’s domination of the Pac-10 virtually gave them a home game for their bowl game. Same deal with a lot of OSU’s opponents in bowls. (e.g. 2008 National Championship in New Orleans vs. LSU). Either Oregon/Oregon State will be forced to make a little trek down to Pasadena, as will we. Oregon is tough, tough, tough to defeat at home, but they look beatable away from Autzen. Should they win, I expect a very competitive and entertaining Rose Bowl. Should Oregon State get the bid, I think it plays more into our advantage. I know they have a very talented RB, who is often the focal point of their offense, but you can’t run on this defense with much consistency. They’ll have to spread us out and switch things up.
I’m expecting a shootout tonight, like last year’s 65-38 finish that featured very little defense. I’m sure both defenses are better than that showing, but that was just a ridiculous display. Neither team will win if they bring that effort to Pasadena. But tonight should be fun. Rivalry games tend to be quite entertaining!
Kneejerk: Week 12, The Game
November 21, 2009
Another 10 win season. Another outright Big Ten Championship. A 6th straight win over TTUN. Ho Hum. A day in the life of Jim Tressel. I didn’t care how they did it, I just wanted a win. Thanks to the staff and team for giving that to me; beating Michigan 21-10 in their house.
As is always the case in Buckeye Nation, many are grumbling about the offense. They do this whether we win or lose. Doesn’t matter. They can never be happy. They want a “sexy” offense here at Ohio State and are the exact “miserable fans” Tress referenced earlier this season. FWIW, he shouldn’t have apologized for that comment. He was absolutely right and it’s sad. This team just won an outright Big Ten Championship with a road win over their hated rivals and people are bitching. It’s embarrassing. These are the fans that give OSU fans a bad name. No one’s saying everything is perfect (it is not), but damn. Calm down and enjoy the win already! Read the rest of this entry »
Pregame Postage: Week 12, The Game
November 20, 2009
It’s finally here! THE GAME! I know some have been saying that this rivalry has lost its punch since Michigan is “down”, but don’t listen to that chatter. This game matters and always will! It’s cliche, but you really can throw out records, stats, and trends when it comes to The Game. Those don’t matter. What matters is what teams comes out and outplays the other on that given Saturday.
For those expecting a repeat of last year’s game, don’t hold your breath. Don’t get me wrong; I think the end result will be the same, but I really just don’t see a huge blowout. Last year was the exception to the rule that these games are hotly contested. Think the big 2006 match-up that was #1 vs. #2.
Michigan is improved over last year’s squad. And the real reason for that is Tate Forcier. He is a real QB. He knows how to play the position and that’s so important to the offense Michigan runs. Let’s be real. The guys they trotted out there last year were not QBs. And that’s why Michigan was killed on the field in Ohio Stadium. Read the rest of this entry »
Kneejerk: Week 11, Iowa
November 15, 2009
Ok, I think I’m sufficiently calmed down from today’s game enough to write the weekly kneejerk post. I’m not even remotely ashamed to admit that I had the previous post written before the game even started. For the first time in a long time, I just felt like OSU would win. After countless games where none of the chips fell our way, I just had a feeling that no matter what, we’d end up with the W. And even though it though it took an overtime session, the Buckeyes came out on top 27-24.
And I told everyone this wasn’t going to a blowout or shutout. Vegas may have been blowing smoke up most of the fanbase’s rears, but I wasn’t ever buying that we’d win by 17. I was thinking it’d be 10 max.
Iowa plays to the level of their competition. So, if they’re playing someone terrible, they won’t play as well either. But if they’re playing a good team (e.g. Penn State and Ohio State), they show up! And that’s exactly what happened today. If I were wearing one, I’d tip my hat to the Hawkeyes because they’re a helluva team!
TP finished 14/17 for 93 yards passing. No TD’s or INTs. He rushed just 8 times for 29 yards.
But let’s get down to business…
IN A NUTSHELL:
- TP managed another solid game for the team. But I’m tired of him just managing. He’s a game-breaking talent. I want to see more of that!
- Begs the question of exactly how injured is TP?
- All season, the team has been leaning on the defense to win games. Today, it was mostly the offense. Ironic?
- Man, could our receivers not get open deep or what?
- I can’t believe our TE, Jake Ballard, was our leading receiver
- I also can’t believe we pretty much had two 100 yd rushers today. Would have liked to see some J. Hall, but when you’re moving the ball as well as we were, you can’t really complain that much.
- Yes, some of the play calls had me pulling out my weave, but I said that all I wanted was a win. Tress delivered that.
- Having said all that, it is nice to fantasize about having an offense that isn’t from the stone ages. Someone said that TP is running Craig Krenzel’s offense. What a waste…
- That kickoff return for an Iowa TD was heartbreaking. You could have heard a pin drop in the ‘Shoe. I still can’t believe that happened. It never happens to Tressel’s teams. Ever.
- Nathan Williams’ offsides penalty hurt too. Like someone punched me in the face when I wasn’t looking.
- Jon Thoma was pretty terrible today. In order for Tresselball to work effectively, the kicking game must be tops; especially on punts. Today might have been his worst performance of the season.
- James Vandenberg is a solid QB. He will do good things for the Hawkeyes in the future.
- Loved all the Iowa fans in the house except when they started their “Let’s Go Hawks” cheer during Carmen Ohio pregame. You don’t start crowd cheers when a team is playing their alma mater. That is very tacky.
- Not gonna lie, got some man tears in the eyes when Kurt Coleman ran out of the tunnel for the last time. Gonna miss him and the rest of the senior class.
- The weather was perfect! I mean, it’s November in Ohio and you couldn’t have asked Mother Nature for much more than what we got today.
- Seeing all the stands empty onto the field after Barclay’s field goal was a thing of beauty. I thought about joining the fray, but I’d probably still be there now if that had happened.
- Definitely lost my voice at the game. And I’m ok with that.
- The knock on Ohio State recently, has been that they get beat and outplayed in the “big” games. Last week they beat the #11 ranked team in the country and this week they defeated the #10 team. In both games, OSU was the lower ranked team. I think they’ve officially gotten over the “big game win drought”.
- You’ve got to look at the big picture. A 5th straight Big Ten Championship and the conference’s automatic BCS berth…again. No matter what happens, Ohio State stays at the top.
- So, who’s going to Pasadena?
- It’s 11:23 PM, and Michigan still sucks. Go Bucks!
What a Rosy Day!
November 14, 2009
Smells so good!
The ‘Shoe is rockin’ and our Buckeyes are headed back to the Rose Bowl for the 1st time since 1997. It will mark the 1st trip for Jim Tressel as head coach of Ohio State. Go Bucks!
