After Jim Tressel’s second game as Ohio State’s head coach, fans were questioning just why he was hired as head coach in the first place.
Luke Fickell might want to call the former ball coach for some advice after Ohio State’s embarrassing 24-6 loss to the University of Miami.
There are a lot of similarities in both coach’s losses: both were on the road (UCLA & Miami), both scored only six points, and both passing games were down-right horrible.
Maybe Coach Fick is just following in Coach Tress’ footsteps, but probably not. Unlike Fickell, Jim Tressel had experience has a head coach at Youngstown State. Quarterback is an obvious issue for the Buckeyes, but the first-year coach for the Buckeyes, looks like he’s in way over his head.
It was certainly a forgettable night for the Buckeye offense. Even “Tressel-Ball” would’ve gained more than 200 yards in total offense. Unable to establish a leader at the QB position was a clear problem, as true freshman, Braxton Miller, and 5th-year senior, Joe Bauserman, combined to go 4-17 for 35 yards and 1 INT. Ohio State’s offense was hit with two turnovers, both credited to the freshman, Miller.
Here’s a breakdown of how the rest of the game went for the Buckeyes in Coral Gables.
Coaching…
Now before I start my rant about Coach Fick, let me say that I am in no way saying that I’ve lost all hope for the first-year coach just yet.
With that said, the first-year head coach looks like he is in way over his head. I understand that he wants to make an impression on the university, the players and the rest of Buckeye Nation, but he looks like he’s drowning on the sidelines.
First of all, it’s either Bauserman or Miller. You’re not going to win many football games with a “quarterback controversy”.
Both QBs showed nothing to prove that they even belong on the field. Bauserman can’t stretch the field with his arm, and Miller was put in a tough situation when he was put in the game – trying to bring the team from behind.
It’s not hard to see why Fick decided on Bauserman as the team’s starter. Bauserman, in some ways, is a lot like former OSU QB, Craig Krenzel – a game manager who’s going to avoid the big turnover. However, unlike Bauserman, Krenzel could complete passes – at least the ones that weren’t dropped by wide receivers.
Miller has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but Fick isn’t doing him any favors with the way he’s playing the freshman QB. After not playing a single down against Toledo last week, it was hard to imagine the freshman bringing his team back against a decent Miami ‘D’. At times Miller looked confused, and it looked as if he felt pressured to try and make a big play.
Regardless of how the rest of the year is going to play out for this Ohio State team, Coach Fickell needs to establish a starting QB if he wants to taste any success with this team, this year.
Where is all this ‘talent’ at wide receiver?
Sure, the quarterbacks stunk tonight, but the receiver’s didn’t help the situation at all.
With their most experienced WR left in Columbus due to injury (Corey “Philly” Brown), the Buckeyes offense was forced to lean on youth and inexperience.
Both QBs only completed four passes combined, but all four passed were completed to running backs – and two of those were at the end of the game.
Understandably, the offense is in need of it’s top wide receiver back, Devier Posey, but it’s Ohio State. The name alone brings in top talent every single year, and that talent is expected to get it done.
I sincerely thought that Chris Fields would step-up tonight, as well as Verlon Reed and Evan Spencer. With Posey out due to suspension, our best receiver isn’t even a receiver, it’s Jake Stoneburner, who is a tight end.
If Philly Brown is out again next week against Colorado, these young receivers are going to have to step their game up. An entire game without a catch from the receiver position is absolutely ridiculous.
Missing Playmakers…
Obviously, the offense is without their leading rusher and receiver from last year’s squad, with Boom Herron and Posey out due to suspension.
However, Jordan Hall made his return tonight following his two-game suspension, and Stoneburner is the best “receiver” we got.
After an impressive first half, Hall rushed the ball only one time for 4 yards in the second-half. Now, Hall may have been hampered by “stiffness” after sitting out the first two games of the season, but if not, there is no reason Hall shouldn’t have been the workhorse the Bucks needed to move the ball against the ‘Canes. On the night, Hall finished with 14 carries for 87 yards.
Inconsistency at the QB position led to Stoneburner’s “no-show” in tonight’s game, but he certainly had his opportunities. Facing 3rd and GL, Bauserman found Stoneburner in the end zone for touchdown – except Ohio State’s sure handed tight end had an uncharacteristic drop.
This all goes back to Coach Fick appearing to be in over his head. He’s the Head Coach at THE Ohio State University. Ultimately, the final decision on what’s called on offense, is run through him. Hall needed more touches, and despite Miami’s obvious plan to cover Stoneburner, there were very few attempts to get him the ball.
The lone bright spot for the Buckeye offense…
OSU’s offensive line played their tails off the entire game.
Even without, arguably, their best o-lineman – Mike Adams – the Buckeyes o-line played their hearts out for their team tonight.
Andrew Norwell, Jack Mewhort, Mike Brewster, Marcus Hall and J.B. Shugarts played, unquestionably, the best game of their careers against the ‘Canes Saturday night. Although they gave-up two sacks to the ‘Canes ‘D’ – the first time they’ve allowed a sack in three games – you can hardly blame those sacks on the o-line. Those sacks came from the QBs holding onto the ball far too long.
On a night where absolutely nothing went right for the Buckeyes offense, their offensive line performed admirably against the ‘Canes.
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The Defense is still among the Nation’s best…
About the only negative thing you can say about the Buckeyes ‘D’ tonight, is that they gave-up 240 yards – 184 alone to Lamar Miller – on the ground to the ’Canes. Other than that, the ’D’ should be left alone.
Like the offensive line, the Buckeye ‘D’ played their hearts out tonight for their team and Buckeye Nation.
The ‘D’ was on the field for most of the game, as the offense produced only one substantial drive that gave the ‘D’ a rest. I said in my game preview, that the defensive line had to play the game of their lives in order for the Bucks to have any chance to win tonight’s game, and they did just that. (Shame on the offense for being Debbie Downer).
After giving-up two quick scores to the ‘Canes offense in the 1st Qtr, the defense allowed only 3 points the rest of the game until Miami’s TD with just 38 seconds remaining in the game.
C.J. Barnett and Tony Jackson each had interceptions, and Andrew Sweat and the rest of the Bucks defense came up with a (then) critical stop on 4th Down to give the Buckeyes offense an opportunity to score. They pressured Harris into making the mistakes needed in order for Ohio State to win the game, but again, the offense blew those opportunities.
J.T. Moore, John Simon, Adam Bellamy, Johnathan Hankins and the rest of the Buckeyes d-lineman are far from the reason the Bucks left Miami with a loss. Andrew Sweat and Etienne Sabino were phenomenal from their linebacker positions, but Coach Fick has to be thrilled with the way sophomore Storm Klein played along side the two ‘veterans’.
Many may look at the 3rd Down conversions Miami converted on their final drive as a weakness for the Buckeye defense, but that had a lot to do with fatigue. Although Christian Bryan blew an opportunity for a pick-six on Miami’s final drive, this loss clearly falls on the Buckeyes offense.
Ohio State is known for their defense, and tonight, they once again proved that they have one of the best defenses in the nation.
Special Teams…not bad…
After last week’s debacle against Toledo, Ohio State’s special teams unit played surprisingly well.
Miami had some real burners back there returning kicks, mainly Travis Benjamin, but for the most part, the special teams unit stepped it up. Sophomore Kicker, Drew Basil, accounted for all of Ohio State’s points, which is encouraging for the Bucks as he entered tonight’s game 0/2 kicking field goals.
There’s still work to be done with the special teams, but after last week, I think Buckeye fans will take this performance anytime.
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It’s shaping-up to be a long season for Buckeye Nation, but there’s still a lot of football left to be played. Moving forward from this loss will certainly be difficult, but a less-than-stellar Colorado Buffalos team comes to Ohio Stadium next Saturday.
Coach Fickell needs to figure out who is going to be this team’s quarterback – and quick. If he can do that, it’ll give the offense an established leader on offense. Then, if they can hold on for just one more week – albeit a big week against Michigan State – Herron, Posey and Hall will return to provide a much-needed spark on offense for the Buckeyes.
Saturday night’s loss is a tough one to digest, no doubt, but there’s a ton of football left to be played. If we’ve learned anything over the past few seasons as college football fans, it’s that anything can happen throughout the course of a season. This loss is even tougher to digest for Buckeye Nation, because the ‘Canes are not that much better than the Buckeyes, certainly not 18 points better.
Next week’s game against Colorado at home will be a huge game heading into Big Ten play. It’s time for this team to turn it’s focus to winning the Big Ten, a victory over their biggest rival and a solid bowl game. After everything Ohio State has been through the past nine months, I think Buckeye Nation will be satisified with a win of scUM, a Big Ten Championship and, yet another, BCS Bowl appearance.
I don’t think I can handle Mark May being right twice in one season about the Buckeyes, let’s at least prove him wrong.
