Time for Boeckman To Get a Few Snaps?

Some random thoughts following Ohio State’s lackluster 16-3 win over Purdue Saturday:

• Three field goals and 222 total yards from the offense? Progress and improvement are nowhere to be found for the Buckeyes’ inconsistent offense. As the game wore on, I expected to see Todd Boeckman back on the field, at least for a series or two. And if the offense continues its struggles Saturday at Michigan State, it is time for Jim Tressel to make that move. I believe Boeckman can still help this team win a tough game through the air when needed, especially one on the road. And if anything, it can give Terrelle Pryor a chance to gather himself and watch from the sidelines for a series or two, because he surely took a step backwards against Purdue.
• Perhaps with every bad comes some good: The defense put in a performance worthy of the Ohio State defense of the past two seasons. The Boilermakers never crossed the Buckeyes’ 30-yard line until their final possession.
• As I stated last week, Ohio State fans and players should not be delusional following the tough win at Wisconsin. The fact is that the Badgers just aren’t that good, as evidenced by Penn State’s 48-7 thumping in Madison. Ohio State survived in Madison and that is all that matters. It by no means beat a top-25 team in doing so.
• As I look at Ohio State’s next two games, the Spartans in East Lansing scare me much more than the Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in a night game. If the Buckeyes can just survive a tough game on the road for one more week, I see them motivated by all the “Penn State’s the Big Ten’s best team” talk and playing their best game of the year Oct. 25. Remember, Penn State has not won in Columbus since 1978 — Art Schlichter’s first game to begin Woody Hayes’ final season. Since, the Nittany Lions are 0-7 at Ohio Stadium, with the Buckeyes winning those seven by an average 20.8-point margin.
• Toledo’s “upset” of Michigan does not surprise me one bit, even though the Rockets entered the game with a 1-4 record coming off two one-sided losses to Florida International and Ball State. The Wolverines (2-4) are THAT bad. Behind the scenes, I figure the movers-and-shakers in Ann Arbor now are seriously doubting the hiring of Rich Rodriguez. And I am not in the prevailing school-of-thought that RichRod will make Michigan a big winner “once he gets his recruits.” On the contrary, I would bet he will be fired within three years — if that long — and his hiring will be labeled as a complete error in judgment. Ironically, 20 years ago this week, John Cooper’s first Ohio State team also started with a 2-4 record.

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