Buckeye Snowflakes
- Welp. Oregon was impressive despite not having their best player. They played really well.
- Stroud has a lot of learning ahead. Even though the stat sheet shows he threw for nearly 500 yards, he needs a bit more experience before he’s big-game ready. Many throws were high and missed open targets. He’s still WIP.
- Failed 4th down attempts missed out on several more potential points. Being in plus territory, if they convert on even one or two of their three failed 4th down attempts, there are likely more points on the board.
- Oregon won the line play both sides of the ball; the O-line was consistently getting push, the RB could fall forward for 4 yards. OSU’s O-line did not get the same push. This is the most disappointing part of all.
- We all knew going into the season that the back 7 on OSU’s defense was a huge question mark. But when even the few experienced players are hurt (Banks missed both games, Proctor left hurt both games, Brown didn’t play first game and played dinged up and eventually left the 2nd game), the entire back 7 is playing freshmen/inexperienced players. It will take the duration of the season for the back 7 to get quality game experience.
- There’s a lot of season ahead. This loss does not hinder aspirations for the B1G championship. This could be a learning opportunity like the VaTech game was in 2014; that team (also led by a freshman QB) gelled midseason.
- OSU has become a clone of Oklahoma. (Who else can lose despite 612 total yards of offense?)
September 11th, 2021 at 6:52 PM ^
Old woman! (sorry, I didn't know you were called Dennis) ... I hang here not just because I'm a college football fan, B1G fan, or a Buckeye fan, I hang here because I'm a fan of the greatest rivalry in the history of North American sports.
And we share that in common.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:05 PM ^
And I generally enjoy your presence here!
September 11th, 2021 at 9:48 PM ^
I was at a software conference once (circa 2000) and guys from Clemson and Auburn insisted that the UofM / OSU rivalry was, in fact, the most significant. I really expected the dude from Auburn to suggest the Alabama Auburn Iron Bowl but he declined.
September 12th, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
No, you’d have two posters telling you to get f***** on your first post and then five others telling them to stfu. We all love some good banter as long as it’s in good nature. Just don’t be a dick and all is well over there.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:02 PM ^
Good on ya Chuck and +1 for making this thread and taking your lumps. Respect.
if you’re ever in the Medina/Strongsville OH area, beer is on me
September 11th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
There’s a lot of season ahead. This loss does not hinder aspirations for the B1G championship. This could be a learning opportunity like the VaTech game was in 2014; that team (also led by a freshman QB) gelled midseason.
But, the 2014 OSU offense started slow, needed time to get their O-Line and running game in order. Barrett improved as the year went on. If the 2021 OSU offense needed time to gel, I would give Day the benefit of the doubt. But, that's not this issue here. The issue with OSU is their below average defense. As you said:
the entire back 7 is playing freshmen/inexperienced players. It will take the duration of the season for the back 7 to get quality game experience.
I am unlikely to give this OSU defensive coaching staff the benefit of the doubt. For instance, last year, their pass defense was bad in October and remained bad in November and into January. They didn't improve last year, doubt they will this year.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Yea, I've been unsure about Coombs as a DC all along. I WANT JEFF HAFLEY BACK!!!
I think the opportunity for this team to gel is at QB & the back 7. We'll see if that happens.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:00 PM ^
I am actually very suspect of the praise Hafley has gotten as a head coach. (His time as OSU DC was good; no objection here.) But he got SO much praise last year and this offseason on all the podcasts to which I listen. I don't think he deserves the praise.
Almost every year that Addazio was the BC coach, they won 6 or 7 games. Then, Hafley goes 6-5 (the most Addazio record possible) and people think he is an improvement?
I just encourage people to look at BC's schedule in 2020. They won 6 games, and 5 of their victories were against BAD, bad teams. The only team they beat that was near .500 was Pittsburgh.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:58 PM ^
I'm not interested in what Hafley does at BC, I just know what he did when he was at OSU. He was there for only one year (2019) and that one year was the only really good defense OSU has had in the past 4 seasons. The work he did for the DBs that year was well recognized.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:41 PM ^
Yes, agreed. He was good at OSU. But, was he "actually" good? Or did he just luck into Arnette (1st round pick) and Okuda (1st round pick) and Wade (5th round pick). Very difficult to tell with only one year sample size.
September 12th, 2021 at 7:34 AM ^
Honestly, that’s a plus for him. He turned those players into top picks. Look at them in the NFL, they’re terrible.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
I'm interested to see how Day (and Stroud) deals with a loss like this. It's his first real misstep, and much of the OSU fanbase is notoriously psychotic, not to mention a bit spoiled with all their recent success. I keep hoping Day is some version of Larry Coker but haven't really seen it yet, although his faith in Kerry Coombs is baffling -- they take 5-star talent and have such a pedestrian D.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:12 PM ^
A bit? I’m betting Chucky’s hanging out in a Michigan forum because 11W is already well beyond flashover.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:40 PM ^
Well done Chuck. You guys are still the team to beat in the B10.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:46 PM ^
osu has such a joke of a schedule. Penn State is the only ranked team they have left.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:56 PM ^
Hopefully by season's end they have at least one more, right?
September 11th, 2021 at 5:04 PM ^
Well, we're gonna be 11-0 coming into that game, so...
;-)
September 11th, 2021 at 6:40 PM ^
Ohio has the easiest schedule in the B1G, while Nebraska and Michigan have the toughest.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:46 PM ^
That’s a loss in 2 of the last 3 games. You really hate to see it. ?
September 11th, 2021 at 4:48 PM ^
OSU lost by one score to a ranked team, out-gained them, and had more first downs. They lost a weird possession battle. Also it’s a non-conference opponent.
It’s fun, so crack open any bottles you’ve been saving, but I wouldn’t read much into it. It has little bearing on how they’ll play in November, and the B1G has plenty of time to ensure they win the conference again.
Ah, but those saved bottles will go down sweeter with Buckeye tears.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:59 PM ^
Eh, watching the game, it wasn't flukey. OSU's passing offense was good as expected, but otherwise Oregon just looked better. You are probably right but Oregon should have won by more, IMO.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:09 PM ^
To be fair, Oregon had some points left on the field too with some no-calls as well
September 11th, 2021 at 5:27 PM ^
You didn't mentioned they played a west coast team in Ohio with a noon kick. Also, said west coast team was down 5 starters on defense per their coach in the post game interview.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:37 PM ^
I love that he pointed that out in the postgame interview. What a kick in the nuts. Well, whatever nuts the Buckeyes had left at that point.
September 12th, 2021 at 8:52 AM ^
We had none. Daffy Duck was still munching on them during the presser.
September 12th, 2021 at 8:51 AM ^
Exactly and we got our asses handed to us on BOTH lines, which should never happen when we play a west coast team. All of those circumstances going against the ducks and we still got absolutely man-handled. Your post is about the most accurate as to why we’re all furious.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:49 PM ^
They don’t have that pressure off the edge. Bosa, Bosa, Young aren’t walking through that door!!
September 11th, 2021 at 4:49 PM ^
They put up yards, but still felt like they got dominated by a more physical and more skilled, better coached team. Ohio State stole one TD, they're starting the wrong tailback, back seven is bad, they expect to get bailout calls, and their kicker must really suck.
Day doesn't seem to be the in-game coach they need, and clearly is not in the ballpark of Urban Meyer as a gameday coach.
All that said, put some B1G refs in the house and they'll probably still make the playoff.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:24 PM ^
I’m curious, what makes you say Day isn’t in the same ballpark as a gameday coach? I mean, Meyer DID lose to Iowa and Purdue by four TDs apiece. Has some head scratchers like losing to MSU’s backup QB at home and a 14 point loss to unranked VT.
Maybe there’s something else you’re basing this on, and I’m not arguing Day is a better coach than Meyer or anything, but I’m curious to hear your reasoning.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:16 PM ^
First, Ohio State knew that you can lose one crossover road game and still win the big ten as long you sweep your division. I assume Meyer pretty much ignored that game every year to give extra time to Michigan.
Second, I admit I have no explanation for their 2015 game against MSU.
The things I'm referring to here are related to the handful of failed 4th down conversions, an inability or decision not to adjust defensively while they are getting gashed all day, palpable fear of their kicker, the feeling of panic that took them away from what should have been a good run game through Henderson, the inability to find any way to generate a pass rush. These are all things that Meyer tended to notice in-game and look for options to turn those weaknesses to strengths on the fly. I could be wrong, but those are my impressions.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:37 PM ^
I remember Curtis Blackwell saying MSU taped an opponent’s walk-through or practice. Seemed like MSU was in the huddle and knew OSU’s game plan in that one. Interesting how Dantini agreed to quietly “retire” and the Blackwell lawsuit was dismissed not long after.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:33 PM ^
Saul Goodman put together better lawsuits. He was a clown that did not have his contract renewed after he interfered with a sexual assault investigation. I'm sorry that makes him a victim in your book.
September 11th, 2021 at 7:26 PM ^
Re: 2015 MSU, Elliott was coming off of an injury and Urban wanted to preserve him for Michigan the next week and called an ultra-conservative game in the rain - remember if OSU won that game UM/OSU that year would’ve been for the East Division title
September 11th, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^
Doesn’t that logic also apply to this game? In the grand scheme, the Oregon game is irrelevant. Has no impact on the B1G and if OSU wins out they’ll be right back in the mix for playoffs.
Aside from that you’re nitpicking individual issues that you could nitpick from Meyer in some of his inexplicable losses. I mean SOMETHING has to go wrong for you to lose to Purdue by four touchdowns.
September 12th, 2021 at 7:39 AM ^
They finally wised up and benched Master Teague.
that guy is the most pedestrian RB they’ve had in years yet he stole so many carries from JK and Sermon and then even opened this season as the starter.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:57 PM ^
Yea, their offense will pretty clearly have to carry them. I wasn't sure if some of the defense struggles were a fluke against Minny but man....OSU defense is bad, bad. I'd honestly be shocked if they didn't lose at least one more game, I see likely two more losses. Keep in mind, Oregon was without 5 defensive starters. They play and this game could have very likely not been close.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:26 PM ^
Who else do you see them losing to? OSU certainly looks more human than most years, but it’s still hard to look at that schedule and see losses. That offense is still unreal and it’s hard to see anyone in the B1G being able to keep up with it and/or having the defensive capability to slow the Buckeyes down enough.
September 11th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
I was shocked that OSU’s DL was unable to generate much pressure. Even if the back seven is a question mark it seems like the DL is always a sure thing under Larry Johnson.
I’m sure OSU will still figure out all of its shit and have an elite, shutdown defense just in time for the Michigan game, but I can still love watching their misery for the duration.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:14 PM ^
Oregon played dink and dunk for the most part and then hit on a few big plays. They played a really smart offensive game. Verdell may have vaulted himself to the top of the early Heisman list.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:10 PM ^
I will say that the home crowd did everything they could to help bring a win. The noise was deafening and one Defensive hold can be attributed to that.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:11 PM ^
They pretty much got schooled. This was not a fluke.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:13 PM ^
I am not seeing the same dominant rushing game this season as in year's past. This could bite OSU in the ass over and over again this season. OSU gained 131 yards on the ground and had to rely on CJ Stroud throwing the ball way too much. Granted, Oregon's front is pretty good but still, OSU should be better than this. I'm not complaining though.
When I look at time of possession, OSU had the edge by a minute. But I swear it felt like Oregon had the ball the whole game.
September 11th, 2021 at 6:17 PM ^
From the stat sheet it didn't look like Oregon's defense played a great game, having given up 612 yards. But they made all the right plays at the most critical moments. And plugging in that tight end as a DE when OSU started to wear down Oregon's pass rush was a stroke of genius.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:20 PM ^
While I agree this game may not mean much about how OSU will play Michigan in November, they were beaten by a better team that outplayed them on both sides of the ball today. OSU is not invincible this year.
Good PAC 12 test for Michigan tonight. Go Blue !
September 11th, 2021 at 5:22 PM ^
The late hit penalty on Stroud messed him up. Getting popped like that got him rattled. That’s why he had the errant throws.
it seemed like Oregon was in his head.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:22 PM ^
"OSU has become a clone of Oklahoma. Who else can lose despite 612 total yards of offense?"
Whoever's playing Oklahoma.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:24 PM ^
OSU didn't play horribly -- just wasn't the Deathstar folks are used to. They had mistakes and imperfections today. Also, there were calls that didn't go their way -- at home, no less.
Oregon is a good team and played well.
I had a mix of desires for this game: that Ohio State would win (for Big 10 vs. Pac 12) but would show that they have vulnerabilities (to increase hope for The Game). I got half of that.
September 12th, 2021 at 7:45 AM ^
This take HAS to stop. Ohio State winning does not help Michigan in any circumstance.
Take a look at the flip side. Has the fact that Michigan sucked the last few years hurt Ohio State?
Give me a friggin break.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:25 PM ^
As a MSU fan on this board , I feel like this is Michigan's biggest win since Alabama smoking MSU in the playoffs.
September 11th, 2021 at 5:46 PM ^
MSU's last big win was getting the Situation to show up for a home game.
