One of the things we like to do here is an instant analysis after every Buckeye game. Sometimes they are fun sometimes they are painful to do. This one is kind of right in the middle.

The Good 🙂

1.) Ohio State won 29-15
2.) Jordan Hall gained 100 yards rushing
3.) Braxton Miller only ran 11 times
4.) Ohio State is 4-0
5.) The OOC season is over

The Bad 🙁

1.) Ohio State only won 29-15 while they were favored by 37 points.
2.) Blocked punt for a TD (Bad play call No way Zach Boren could block 3 guys)
3.) Defense still has tackling and play maker issues
4.) Honestly we have 2 Defensive Coordinators and Head Coach all who may be calling plays at some point during the game on defense. That is a problem.
5.) We have to go to Michigan St. next week.

I will have a lot more to say on Monday after I digest the game completely and watch it again. I will say this my critique wont be as bad as most. I truly think this team is much improved from last years 6-7 team and that is something to be happy about.

Edited by writer

So when El kaiser gave me the info on my first game preview assignment I swear to crap I thought he said the Univeristy of Alabama game. It caused me to go into a brief high pitched girls voice with excitement to know OSU had scheduled such a high profile and difficult opponent. What I hadn’t heard was his whole statement and the key word BIRMINGHAM. Then it hit me it was just going to be another cupcake game where I will have to try to find a reason to why the game may be closer then the stats project it will be. Then again this is the 2012 Buckeyes and there is no telling how this game will go so I will break it down and do my best to figure out if UAB is as bad as they seem or if OSU will make them look better then they really are.

Ohio State Defense vs. UAB Offense

So all of Buckeye Nation seems to be in an uproar over the defense this year so lets look at the actual numbers. OSU is 68th in the country in total defense. Giving up an ungodly 392 yards a game. OSU is also 86th in the country in TFL with 14 in 3 games. The Buckeyes are 104th in pass defense and 32nd in rush defense. All of these numbers add up to this years defense being pretty middle of the road to horrible. Who cares if OSU is giving up 17.7 points per game and are ranked 32nd in the country in that category. You would think based on these numbers that OSU would be 1-2 or 0-3 but they aren’t they are 3-0 and winning games by trying to keep the ball in front of them and between the 20s. is this the same dominating defense of years past? Heck to the no!!! We just don’t have the quality of LBers and Safeties we have had in the past and it is slowing down the progress this year.

UAB on offense is just plain awful. The Blazers are 86th in the country in yards per game at 383. They are 117th in rushing offense with 80 YPG. They are an almost impressive 30th in passing offense with 282.5 YPG. Scoring defense is where they really fail coming in at 110th with scoring 17.5 points per game. Here is a breakdown of the UAB offense they are extremely bad and most of their passing yards are gained in garbage time when their team is already well behind and they are trying to catch up.

Advantage: Ohio State

Ohio State Offense vs UAB Defense

I decided I wasn’t going to use any players names in this preview so I will just say this a certain OSU player who is their QB is basically their entire offense so far on this season. Ohio State is 22nd in rushing offense with 237 YPG and their QB accounts for 125 of those YPG. OSU is 76th in passing YPG with 216 YPG and the OSU QB accounts for 203 YPG of that. OSU is 42nd in Total offense with 453 YPG and the QB accounts for 329 of those YPG. Ohio State is scoring 40.7 PPG and is ranked 20th of that the OSU QB is responsible for 25 PPG. To say the QB is important is an understatement right now he is EVERYTHING.

UAB Defense is just horrible on defense I mean horrible is probably an understatement. They are 111th in rushing defense giving up 220 YPG. They are 85th in the nation in passing defense giving up 256 YPG. They are 108th in total offense giving up 477 YPG. Lastly, and probably the worst they are 123rd in scoring defense out of 124 teams giving up 44 PPG.

Advantage: Ohio State

I could keep going and going on every category but why not just cut to the chase and list them and tell the advantage.

Special Teams: Ohio State

Everything else in the whole Galaxy: Ohio State

Bottom line here is this is a game OSu must win and win big and fix some issues they have been having. Some players need to step up more and others need to just slow down and think more. The coaches need to use the game to prepare the team for the difficult B1G schedule coming up sooner then later. This is the 4th game of a 12 game pre-season slate getting the team prepared and used to a completely new system for next years run at glory. Fans need to remember that and give these guys some time to gel and fix the problems and stop with the constant comparing and complaining and whining. If you really want to enjoy a game turn off twitter and walk away from the chat rooms and just watch the game and see how much different this system is and how we all need to let them take this entire year to get better in it. The players haven’t changed from last years 6-7 team only the coaches and systems have and they are trying to find their footing in it so have patience I beg of you.

How I see this game it could very well be a 63-13 type game or it could be a 35-21 game but no matter how it plays out it will be an OSU win and thats the most important thing after all isnt?

(H/T to CFBStats.com for helping me provide all these numbers and not need to use any ones name)

Everett Withers is the Co-Defensive Coordinator but last year he was the Head Coach at North Carolina. One of the reasons he was brought on board at OSU other then his experience with defense and coaching was his prowess in recruiting a region OSU has had trouble with for years. Last years class it payed off but so far in this class it hasnt worked out very well with guys who were deemed to be be OSU leans going elsewhere to play their college careers. That all ended today with the 17th commitment in the 2013 class.

(Photo courtesy: Rocky Mountain Telegram photo / Alan Campbell)

Tyquan Lewis is a 6’4″ 225 lbs DE/LB hybrid from Tarboro, North Carolina and he becomes the 17th member of the Ohio State 2013 recruiting class. Tyquan is rated a 4 star by both Rivals and 247sports. ESPN and Scouts have him listed as a 3 star. Tyquan brings a lot of speed and strength to the position he will play at OSU. He projects as a LB in college but most likely he will end up playing in the Hybrid position of DE/LB much like Bobby Carpenter did for the Buckeyes. This is a big time get for Coach Meyer as it fills a need with a guy who has a ton of skills and flexibility. Below you can see his highlight reel and get a feel for what kind of player you can expect him to be.

The B1G almost bounced back from their dismal week two until Michigan State got embarrassed at home, on national television versus Notre Dame. The loss dropped Michigan State from number one all the way to number six in the weekly B1G Power Rankings. The conference has to take what it can get though at this point with some of the worst out of conference play in conference history recently.

1. Ohio State (3-0)- The Buckeyes squeaked out a win at the ‘Shoe versus Cal over the weekend, but as they say “a win is a win.” Kenny Guiton should see the field a lot versus UAB this weekend before heading to East Lansing in two weeks for a B1G showdown.
2. Northwestern (3-0)- The Wildcats defeated Boston College last weekend and their schedule gets even easier with back to back games against South Dakota and Indiana. They seem to be a product of an easy schedule but you cannot overlook their win over SEC wildcard Vanderbilt.
3. Michigan (2-1)- As expected, TTUN got to pad Denard Robinson’s stats against lowly UMASS but they travel to South Bend this weekend for a huge match-up. Notre Dame is coming off a surprising win at Michigan State and looks to extend their dominance over the B1G this season.
4. Nebraska (2-1)- After a slip up against a surprisingly good UCLA squad, Nebraska got back to running the football effectively versus Arkansas St. They welcome Idaho State into Lincoln before the Badgers come into town.
5. Purdue (2-1)- These next two rankings were based on their play versus one common opponent, Notre Dame. Purdue had the lead in the final minutes at South Bend before the Irish kicked a game winning field goal.
6. Michigan St (2-1)- On the other hand, Notre Dame went into Spartyville and controlled the game from start to finish, defeating MSU 20-3 on national television. Look for Coach D’Antonio to stick with his running game and for his defense to bounce back this week versus Eastern Michigan before Braxton Miller and crew come into town.
7. Wisconsin (2-1)- Once again, the Badgers looked unimpressive and could honestly be 0-3 at this point. To make matters worse, there could be a quarterback controversy on the horizon with Danny O’Brien being benched in favor for freshman Joel Stave. That is definitely something to keep an eye on before their conference schedule begins.
8. Penn St. (1-2)-  Coming off a resounding win over Navy, the Nittany Lions finally got their first win. They should take care of Temple and Illinois the next two weeks.
9. Iowa (2-1)- The Hawkeyes are another team that has not really played anyone yet and that continues this week against a Central Michigan team that is down this year.
10. Minnesota (3-0)- Sorry Gopher fans (if there are any,) but I don’t think I am the only one that does not buy your undefeated record. Look for Syracuse and their third ranked passing offense to throw the ball all over TCF Bank Stadium this weekend.
11. Illinois (2-1)- I still cannot get over that 31 point loss to ASU two weeks ago and do not be surprised if high scoring Louisiana Tech upsets the Illini this weekend.
12. Indiana (2-1)- In their first game without QB Tre Roberson, the Hoosiers lost to Ball St. They have two weeks to prepare for Northwestern so they should be able to put together a decent game plan.

It wasn’t a very successful week for many of these recruits teams but some of the players had ginormous games….

Jalin Marshall– His team Middletown Middies enjoyed a 41-26 win over Fairfield. Jalin rushed 10 times for 91 yards and scored two touchdowns. Also went 7-of-15 through air for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Eli Woodard– His team Eastern suffered a 39-13 loss to Timber Creek. Eli did allow one receiving TD.
Cam Burrows– His team Trotwood-Madison beat Kettering Fairmont 52-6. Cam was part of a total defensive effort.
Joey Bosa– His team St. Thomas Aquinas suffered a 20-10 loss to Don Bosco Prep. Joey had 6 tackles in the loss.
Marcus Baugh– His team John W North suffered a 38-7 loss to Citrus Hill. Marcus didnt score in the game coming off an injury.
Evan Lisle– His team Centerville enjoyed a 28-19 win over Lebanon. As an O-lineman he helped his team rush for 345 yards and pass for 242 yards.
Ezekiel Elliott– His team John Burroughs HS enjoyed a 56-14 win over St. Louis Lutheran North. He rushed 11 times for 224 yards scoring on runs of 7, 29, 56 and 62 yards and returned a punt for a score as well.
Billy Price– His team Austintown Fitch beat Barberton 45-0. Billy had a sack and helped keep Barberton scoreless.
Jayme Thompson– His team Toledo Central Catholic won 56-19 over Oregon Clay. He helped his team with a strong defensive effort.
J T Barrett- His team Rider beat Amarillo 26-17. JT was 15-of-27 for 206 yards with a touchdown and added 119 yards rushing on 22 carries.
Michael Hill– His team Pendleton lost 35-28 to Chesnee in double OT. Pendleton is having major issues on defense.
Taivon Jacobs– His team Suitland enjoyed a 41-0 win over Parkdale. Taivon made three catches for 75 yards with a touchdown and ran three times for 47 yards.
Darron Lee– His team New Albany had a 55-33 win over Olentangy Orange. He 3 for 6 passing for 93 yards with two touchdowns and ran 9 times for 136 yards with 4 TDs.
Tracy Sprinkle– His team Elyria enjoyed a 41-14 win over Strongsville. Tracy had another great game with 6 tackles and 3 for a loss and 4 QB hurries in the win.
Tim Gardner– His team Lawrence Central defeated Columbus North 42-0. Tim helped block for 2 RBs one who had 225 yards rushing and the other 113 yards rushing.
Johnny Townsend– His team Boone won 44-26 over Winter Park. No punting stats could be found.

Ohio State fans continue to see what Urban Meyer and his staff sees in players like Ezekiel Elliott and JT Barrett and Jalin Marshall those guys are absolute freaks of nature. Taivon Jacobs and Marcus Baugh are quickly proving they belong in the same breath. On defense the surprise of the class continues to be Tracy Sprinkle. I finally got to see Joey Bosa play and I was shocked how big and fast and strong he is. He could easily play as a freshman. This class is full of stars that is evident and just proves OSU is set for the next 5 years with talented people.

The Buckeyes passed their final test by defeating California 35-28 before they head to East Lansing in two weeks (sorry UAB.)

But, they have failed to put together a full, 60 minute effort that would leave fans confident after a game. Urban and his staff have a lot to work on the next two weeks before the B1G slate begins.

After a Braxton Miller to Jake Stoneburner touchdown with 13:30 left in the second quarter that gave the Buckeyes a 20-7 lead, the offense did not score again until the 8:31 mark in the fourth quarter. It should not take seven drives to score against a Cal defense that does not have B1G type talent on that side of the ball.

There were some positives though; Miller had his first real taste of adversity and led the offense to game leading and game winning drives. After a Zach Maynard touchdown with 12:26 left in the fourth quarter, Miller orchestrated an 11 play, 75 yard drive that took four minutes off the clock which was probably the drive of the year so far. The drive concluded with a three yard, Tim Tebow-like jump pass to Stoneburner, who caught his second touchdown of the day.

Following a Brendan Bigelow 59 yard touchdown run to tie the game only 21 seconds later. Miller then found a wide-open Devin Smith for 72 yards and the game winning touchdown. It was very good to see Miller face adversity before the conference schedule begins and succeed.

What the Buckeyes need to work on:

• Missed tackles. This has been the biggest issue for the silver bullets this year and it has led to big plays by the opposition. This defense is lacking a sure tackler at linebacker and this is something that we as Buckeye fans are not used to.
• Bigelow, Cal’s backup running back who had 2 carries the first two games, had FOUR carries for 160 yards and TWO touchdowns. No, that was not a typo. Bigelow’s magical 81 yard touchdown run included a missed tackle in the backfield by Nathan Williams then Doran Grant four yards past the line of scrimmage, then Ryan Shazier missed on the sideline. This is unacceptable. His 60 yard touchdown later in the game also was a result of sloppy tackling, with Etienne Sabino and Orhian Johnson missing easy tackles.
• As I said in my preview, they had to watch Chris Harper (number #6) in the screen game. On third and three in the first quarter, he took a screen pass 19 yards for a touchdown. CJ Barnett lined up about seven yards off of the line of scrimmage and Harper went untouched for the score to put Cal up 7-6. One would think that on third and short Luke Fickell would call for press coverage and that should get cleaned up this week.
•  Braxton Miller needs to take more shots downfield, his receivers are proving themselves every week, why not keep the defense on their heels and keep them honest?
• When Cal went down 20-7, that was OSU’s chance to put them away for good. Instead, the offense took their foot off the gas; the defense got lazy with their tackling and started taking stupid penalties. What could have been a blowout, turned into a major scare at the ‘Shoe.
• Sandwiched between Miller’s two touchdowns in the fourth quarter that won the game for the Buckeyes, he threw an awful interception that could have cost them the game. It was 3^rd&7 for the Buckeyes after Bigelow’s game tying touchdown and Miller took way too long on Evan Spencer’s banana route. Spencer had the corner beat a few seconds before Miller vastly under threw the ball. There was still 7:17 left on the clock in a tie game, Miller had good protection and could have either thrown the ball away, checked down to another receiver, or tried to run for the first down. Instead, he gave Cal the ball back with good field position and all of the momentum.

O. Johnson’s missed tackle

What looked good for the Buckeyes:

• It was nice to see Miller not take as many hits as he did the first two games. Miller rushed the ball 12 times and he also ducked out of bounds a few times. The fewer amount of times he gets hit, the better it will be in the long run. Or, he can just break a defender’s ankles and go untouched for a 55 yard touchdown run.
• Jordan Hall had a solid game for his first game back. He carried the ball 17 times for 87 yards and did not have any negative rushes. Once Carlos Hyde comes back, they’ll have both an inside and outside rushing threat at running back.
• Both Philly Brown and Devin Smith are playmakers. Philly Brown plays more of the Percy Harvin role, as he lines up in the backfield, motions in and out and can basically play more than just receiver for the offense. Devin Smith on the other hand, can go up and catch the ball in traffic and is more of a prototypical, solid wide receiver. Smith ran a simple go route and Miller hit him with a great back shoulder ball that Smith made the adjustment to for a 25 yard touchdown in the first quarter. He has great field awareness and can go up and get the ball over many defensive backs.
• Coming into the game, the pass rush was non- existent with only three sacks total in the first two games. They doubled that number with six sacks versus Zach Maynard. Fickell drew up some excellent blitzes, including Bradley Roby’s 11 yard sack in which he exploded off the edge and basically went untouched for the sack. Sabino followed up Roby’s sack with one of his own later on in the drive to force a punt.
• Bradley Roby did an excellent job in coverage and in run support all game, he really has stepped up this year and is arguably the best defender on the team. Keenan Allen finished with 9 catches for 80 yards, but Roby contained him and did not give him anything after the catch. When the opposition runs sweeps to Roby’s side, he constantly blows the play up by either making the tackle or taking on the lead blocker. He is the type of player that can do everything and he will be getting even better as the season goes along, which is a scary thought for B1G quarterbacks.
• The pop pass that was ran successfully on the goal line twice for touchdowns adds another wrinkle to their short yardage offense. The defense bought the Miller fake, freezing their linebackers and that left Stoneburner wide open for a touchdown. With that play now on film, a linebacker will now have to stay with Stoneburner on the goal line, which will lead to easier Miller touchdown runs and vice versa.

Ohio State welcomes the University of Alabama Birmingham into the ‘Shoe this Saturday, which will serve as a warm up for Michigan State and the rest of the B1G schedule coming up. Hopefully the offense will execute and the defense will clean up some of their issues this week.

Roby sacks Maynard

Thanks to J. Winslow for the photos

jwinslow.com

Well, that game was much closer than expected. But, the Buckeyes improve to 3-0 after defeating Cal 35-28.

1. After a non-existent pass rush the first two games, the silver bullets sacked Zach Maynard 6 times and had constant pressure on him throughout the game.
2. Although the secondary has made a couple of big plays this season, they are still very sloppy with their tackling. The best example was Brendan Bigelow’s 59 yard touchdown run to tie the game at 28 where he broke two poor tackling attempts en route to the end zone.
3. The offense started strong, but fell asleep after halftime. They went 7 straight drives without scoring until the Buckeyes put together a nice drive to take back the lead with 8:31 to go.
4. This game got very chippy in the second quarter, Meyer talked about limiting dumb penalties at half time and there weren’t any in the second half.
5. Nice to see Jordan Hall return to action, he rushed the ball 17 times for 87 yards. He did not look as explosive as he was before the injury, but after a couple of games he will most likely return to form.
6. Nice wrinkle to the goal line package, where Miller fakes the draw or sweep and finds Jake Stoneburner wide open in the end zone. Don’t want to say it, but it was a little Tebow-esque if you remember his similar jump passes at Florida.

Full review to come later.