Buckeye Outpost

Yet again, the Buckeyes are Big Ten champs.  I really didn't think we would pull it off this year, but we managed to do it!  Now we have the bitter sweet task of dealing with Michigan this week.  While we wait all year for this game, we don't want it to be here because it signals the end of the regular season for us.  As always, this game will be tough (regardless of the records) and shouldn't be taking lightly.  In fact, this whole hub bub about the throw back uniforms is too much a distraction for my likes.  This is the Michigan game after all!

A few comments about last week's victory are needed.  Iowa's strength all year has been their Line play, so a close game was completely expected.  Every team rises to play us and, yes the Iowa freshman QB played lights out for most of the game.  In the end, he is a freshman and they paid for it.  I am not sure why so many people are disgruntled about going to the Rose Bowl and winning the Big 10.  Yes Tressel played conservatively and he had some good reasons.  The running game was strong again which is very surprising.  Pryor didn't have to make any big decisions and that is the key point.  Did you really want to see Pryor chucking the ball all over the field against the Iowas defense?  Did you really want to have Pryor run the 2 minute drill at the end of the game (have you forgotten the USC and Purdue debacles at the end of the games or the practice 2 minute drill against Indiana where he threw a pick in the endzone)?  I think Tress knew what he was doing when he opted to go into OT and then opted to kick the field goal.  The game shouldn't have made it to OT and probably wouldn't have if not for the Iowa kick off return and tipped ball which Iowa caught. 

We really need to celebrate what we have which is a winning coach and, yes, we will start winning these big games again.  It really comes down to player execution.  Tress does play the odds and he does win 0.800 of his games.

UM has a lot to prove this weekend and still has the best offense in the league.  If our offense doesn't show up to play then we could be in for a lot of trouble thiw weekend.  We shoudl never sleep on UM.

Go Bucks!

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If you had asked me to predict the outcome of last weeks game, I would have not said it would be a dominating performance.  I would have believed a tight game with either team squeaking out a win.  The fact that we dominated PSU on both sides of the ball was shocking (and most welcome) to say the least!

One has got to ask, who is this offensive line which showed and dominated a PSU Dline with 5-6 NFL caliber players?  More importantly, where has this line been all year and will the come back to play again this year?  Pryor also showed restraint in his decision making and didn't put us in danger to lose the game.

Heyward treated the PSU Oline like ragdolls for the entire game.  They couldn't get any rhythm established.  The secondary (especially Chekwa) held everyone in place. 

Really there are no complaints about this outstanding effort.  The only issues come after the game.  Pryor was a little too smug in the post game interview.  Sure a little cockiness is good in a QB, but a) he hasn't earned it and b) he is way too full of himself.  We won the game partly because he played within himself and partly because there wasn't tremendous pressure on him the whole game.  Before we get carried away with ourselves, let us remember we have been way too inconsistent on offense to allow ourselves to think we have arrived.  Just like in the Purdue game, we can have ups and downs through the course of the season.  Last time I checked, Iowa still has their defense intact and 4 turnovers from one cocky QB could end another day for us.  In addition, UM isn't a cake walk, as it is a rivalry game and will be desperation for RichRod who will be trying to save his job.

Sure, we may have gotten back on the track to our winning ways, but the verdict is still out whether we have twisted the Ginn...

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While I sit here in my Hotel in Taiwan waiting for my cab, I reflect on last weekend's game.  Even the distant I've traveled to get here can't dull the pain associated with the Ohio State offense.  Yes, the game was wrapped up by halftime and the scrubs came in for the second half.  But few good outcomes happened:

1) Pryor is 50% of our problem, he still isn't fluid and is still learning the game (nothing new here).

2) When Bauserman played the second half, it was painful to see how bad the offensive line really is.  They are at least 50% of the problem as well.  Face it, Pryor covers up a lot of the O line's issues.  They don't run block well and make way too many mental errors.  A good QB doesn't stand a chance playing behind them.

3)  We really do have some excellent receivers.  If we can get them the ball, Posey and Carter can and will deliver for years to come.   Posey has some excellent after catch moves and Carter has incredible hands. 

We need to overcome the poor decision makings of Pryor, pray for some O line protection and hope to get our receivers the ball to hope for a chance to beat PSU...

Sorry gotta catch a cab for a nice relaxing 24 hour trip....

Go Bucks!

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Technorati Tags: Decision Makings, Learning The Game, Line Protection, Lot, Offensive Line, Ohio State, Outpost, Poor Decision, Posey, Qb, Receivers, Scrubs, Second Half, Sit, State Offense, Taiwan

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