An Ohio State Sports Blog
There wasn’t a whole lot of stiff-arming going on this past Saturday. There were stiffs out there, but that’s about it. Hopefully Beanie will give us our fill of his Stiff Arm of Justice against USC, but for now we’ll just enjoy Terrell’s mini SAoJ’s.
Wow…you would have thought that OSU lost yesterday with the negativity flying around the interwebs yeserday and this morning.
First things first…OSU won. A win is a win. I remember a certain team in 2002 knocking off win after win in an ugly fashion. It happens (See UC in 2002). In-state schools will always give OSU their best shot. It is commonplace…like girls reading the “Twilight” series of books (ZOMG…Edward Cullen is so dreamy!!!). It is going to happen and there is nothing that anyone can do about it.
Are there questions going into USC? OF COURSE….This team could have put a whoopin’ on the Ohio University Bobcats and we would all still have questions about the potential performance going into next Saturday’s tilt.
So lets look at it this way…I’ll give you guys three options and tell me which postgame emotional state you would prefer to have this Sunday.
You’ll be familiar with two of the three, but the third one happened yesterday and I was there to see the entire debacle in-person.
Option #1 – Winnarrr!!!
OSU beats OU 26-14, but it is ugly. We are talking 2008 UM Quarterbacking ugly…but Hey? A win is a win right?
Option #2 – Loooser!!!
A little ride on the “way back when” machine to 2004. OSU visits Evanston and loses to Northwestern for the first time in almost 30 years. I think that you guys can remember how Sunday morning felt after that game. I recall puking in my mouth a few times that day. OSU fans almost relived that one yesterday.
Option #3 – PAC-10 Refferrrr and The Gold Plated Plates of Provo Community College
Having tickets to all of the U-Dub Husky games this season, I was able to attend the UW – BYU game yesterday. For those of you that follow college football religiously, you already know what happened. Jake Locker scored a touchdown with :02 seconds left in the game to presumably tie the game after the extra point. Locker tossed the ball over his shoulder and cheered with his teammates (ie no taunting of other players at all…PERIOD). Needless to say Mr. Locker was happy…excruciatingly happy. Jake was so happy that the referees threw a flag on him for excessive celebration. Read that again…they threw a flag on the home team for scoring a touchdown with 2-seconds on the clock at HOME to send the game into overtime. The extra point turned into a 35-yard adventure that was eventually blocked. To make things worse and some insult to injury, a player for Washington suffered what looked to be a serious neck injury on the field after BYU converted on a 3rd and long. You could hear a pin drop in the stadium on the field as the trainers were sprinting over to aid the player. It was a very somber moment in the stadium, so what do the BYU fans do? The start chanting BYU-BYU-BYU over and over again while this kid is on the field and he cant move any of his extremities. Stay Classy BYU fans. It was a great game ruined by classless fans and inept referees. How do you think BYU fans would have been treated in Columbus after that stunt? Do you think that those referees would have made it of Columbus alive? How would Sunday feel after that helping of zebra injustiice with an appetizer of “gold-plated” BYU classiness.
So you tell me Buckeye fans, which option seems more reasonable to you going into the game against USC?
That is what I thought. All of us Buckeye fans can get a little overzealous of the “beauty pageant” that is college football. A win is a win…whether it is a 7-6 game or a Barry Switzer special where you “hang a half hundred” on your opponent.
Again…enjoy each of the games this season. No matter how ugly they get, they will still be remembered as wins…the score is of no consequence.
Over the next week, pundits will either over- or under-analyze today’s victory over the Ohio Bobcats. Here’s the fair and balanced (seriously) point of view of today’s 800th victory.
The defense was fine. I say again, fine. Whatever you do, don’t listen to the superficial ramblings of sports reporters that say the line wasn’t getting pressure. The problem was they were getting too much pressure against a very mobile QB in Boo Jackson. On every single snap, the front four was in the backfield almost immediately.
However, nobody had the answer for Boo’s feet, and he kept at least three drives alive by long third-down scrambles (where he had no receivers open and had to scramble for his own life.)
Shades of Illinois? Absolutely. But Mark Sanchez isn’t a mobile slasher like Boo Jackson or Juice Williams. Moral: Nothing has changed from last year (or 2006) – the Buckeyes continue to struggle with mobile QBs. Still, even while the Bucks struggled, they held Ohio to only one scoring drive.
Now, the offense. Here is where OSU fans should be nervous. Boeckman stuuuunnnkk for most of the game. When he did complete a pass, it was usually off-target to some extent. I was sitting on the 30 yard line, and for whatever reason, we happened to be lined up right along the line of scrimmage quite frequently. Boeckman was throwing passes to stationary receivers that were three yards off target. Throwing into double-and triple-coverage when two or three checkoff receivers were open. Pathetic.
Initially, the fumble into the end zone appeared to be center Cordle’s fault. However, replays show that Todd called the snap, and took his eyes off the ball. Boeckman was simply not into this game. The few decent passes he threw, it was the receivers that were daydreaming.
OSU’s passing game now has a reputation for inconsistency. When the QB is hot, the WRs are not, and vice versa. On occasion, the passing game has clicked (e.g., Penn State last year). But the further away we get from that great game, the more it seems like it was the aberrant example.
Finally, the coaching. The playcalling was puzzling and unimaginative. They get a decent drive together by using the pony and pistol, then switch to the I formation with a skinny tailback and the drive stalls? Again, from our vantage point, it was clear that the TE was open frequently. The first time they get the TE into the mix, it’s a 30 yard gain. Do it again? Nope. Back to the very predictable, slow-to-develop, low-percentage plays. Then, the puzzling decision to go for a PAT when down by two points. Uh, coach, do any of you even watch the game?
All in all, what does this mean for USC? Hard to say. Defensively, OSU matches up well against USC. No doubt the Trojans will have more success than the Bucks’ previous opponents, but I have full confidence that the OSU defense will perform well enough to put the team in position to win.
The offense, however, had better start clicking, or it’s going to be ugly next week. It starts with Boeckman. He’s played his worst in big games so far (with the exception of the previously-mentioned PSU). His accuracy, decision-making, and consistency have been called into question. What will he do? Without a stud QB, OSU is merely a good team. With a solid, consistent, veteran leader on the field, they have the potential to be an elite team. Which will it be?
Ohio: 7
Ohio State: 6
Do we miss Beanie Wells? Yes.
Are we looking ahead to USC? Most likely.
Are we getting OU’s absolute best shot? Yes.
Will we win this game? Yes.
Due to unseen forces (our bosses, lack of a 26 hour day, ennui), we were unable to get an open thread put together for today. So we’ll leave this thread open for anyone wishing to speak their peace, whether it be about Beanie’s golden toe, Terrell Pryor’s snaps or Mo Wells’ dreads.
Don’t worry, Buckeye fans. Things get really exciting next week.
Per “Jimmy T” Call-In Show, Beanie is a “no go” for this weekend.
This shouldnt really surprise anyone.
Lighten up Francis…Contrary to the popular belief of every mainstream media mouthbreather out there, the sky is not falling this week or the following week. Whether Wells plays this week orthe following, OSU will be lucky to stay within 12 touchdowns of the New England Patri…errr…USC Trojans. Just relax and enjoy the ride…and watch TP get some additional playing time this weekend.
Obviously…
Boom, Saine, and the other Wells (Maurice) will serve the running game just fine.
So now that we now (more or less) that Chris “Beanie” “Help us, Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re our only hope!” Wells could play this Saturday against Ohio University, we ask the question, “Should he?” Let’s take a look at both sides of the question:
Why Beanie Should Play:
In all serious ness, I could only come up with a few even remotely plausible reasons Beanie should play this Saturday. The first was all about the Heismans. I don’t think not playing against Ohio U. hurts Beanie’s chances to play, but coming in and playing through pain may earn him a few brownie points. Voters and fans love it when players grit out injuries and play through pain. This is probably not worth the effort.
Another reason is it may be beneficial for Beanie to test the foot out under “Game Conditions.” I don’t care what anyone says, game-speed is not something you can really achieve in practice. Mentally, there is something that prevents top performance during a mundane Thursday practice. Being able to test the foot against OU may provide a little “game speed” test. Make sure he can make his cuts, make sure that nothing seems permanently damaged, and then get his butt off the field.
If the foot is going to get reinjured, would it be better to happen this week, giving Tressel and his staff the chance to change/adjust the gameplan? That thought makes me physically ill, so I want to stop thinking about it. 
Finally, the last reason I could think of made the most sense. In my head, we had actually stepped into a parallel universe where such things as college football are but trivial matters that count for little. The status of Beanie’s ankle is of no import. Let him play against Ohio, who cares?! There are more important things in life, like National Conventions and reruns of Iron Chef (the Japanese version!). His future doesn’t depend on his healthy feet, so what does it matter?
Oh, and in this world, Rich Rodriguez is king and Pete Carrol is a pretty pony. What a weird universe.
Why Beanie Shouldn’t Play:
Three reasons:
First: Duh.
Second: It’s Ohio University. Youngstown State may actually end up being more competitive than Ohio. There is no sane reason why Beanie’s precious little feet should have to plant and pivot on the turf in the Horseshoe. Let him sit this one out.
The experience that Herron and Saine gain from starting a game and having the team rely on them will be very beneficial. It will come in handy next time adversity strikes. Besides, I think we all really want a glimpse of the future — a future with Pryor and Herron in the backfield, making sweet magical spread option love.
Finally: Duh.
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | — |
| 2 | Southern Cal |  2 |
| 3 | Ohio State | — |
| 4 | Georgia |  2 |
| 5 | Florida | — |
| 6 | Missouri | — |
| 7 | LSU | — |
| 8 | West Virginia | — |
| 9 | Auburn | 17 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | — |
| 11 | Texas | — |
| 12 | Penn State | 3 |
| 13 | Alabama | 8 |
| 14 | Brigham Young | 3 |
| 15 | Oregon | 3 |
| 16 | UCLA | 10 |
| 17 | Texas Tech | 5 |
| 18 | Arizona State | 2 |
| 19 | Kansas | 1 |
| 20 | Fresno State | 6 |
| 21 | Wake Forest | 2 |
| 22 | South Florida | 3 |
| 23 | Utah | 3 |
| 24 | Cincinnati | — |
| 25 | Nebraska | 1 |
USC gets a bump due to their impressive win over Virginia and as a defense mechanism, should things go south for the Buckeyes in a couple weeks. OSU goes ahead of Georgia because holding YSU to no points and negative rushing yards is better than giving up 21 points to Georgia Southern. Oklahoma and their 50-point first half secures the top spot. Even if it was against Chattanooga Community Center, or whoever they played. Leaving Auburn out of our original ballot was an egregious error that has since been corrected.
Obviously, things will become clearer as the weeks progress, but we’re laying the foundations now. Comments, suggestions and ridicule is expected and appreciated.
Jim Tressel said in today’s press conference that Chris Wells will be kept out of this Saturday’s game, but expected him to return to practice in the next couple of days.
He did not give a specific diagnosis, but it seems reasonable to conclude that it’s not a major injury. X-rays were negative, and they couldn’t have seen anything too serious on the soft-tissue MRI conducted yesterday, otherwise his practice would be restricted.
It’s likely that keeping him sidelined on Saturday is just a precaution, to ensure he’s ready for SC the following week.
The hope is that we’ll see a lot more of these coming from Beanie’s Stiff-arm of Justice, but for now, hopefully this is just a taste of things to come.
