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I am at a loss to explain the lack of enthusiasm for this win. I think we got some things going right for the first time in a few weeks. This was not a game that we looked like a national title contender but we did look better than we have in weeks and I would say we looked like a pretty good football team.
First, I have to get this off my chest. JT just can't stop playing it safe. It hurt us early and could have been devasting if Minnesota was not so mistake prone, not to mention their quarterback not looking like the player we thought he would be. Talk about going backward. We go down the field with good play calling and execution. I thought we were sure to score when JT decided to go for on fourth and short. That we go for it, run Dave to convert, and Bryant Browning gets not one but two guys as the lead blocker was a triple good omen. Then we get nothing on a first down quarterback draw, surprise surprise, Pryor throws late
and short to Posey in the corner, though Posey should have caught the ball, then JT runs a play to set up the field goal. One bold call was all he could bring himself to make. We miss the field goal. We get nothing because we play it safe. Disco is dead. So is that way of playing football. The game evolves. Tressel doesn't. It worked back when polyester was all the rage. That is the point of the game evolving. Someone trying to defeat a certain way of winning. They have succeeded. JT doesn't seem to get that. Play it safe, don't make mistakes, wait on them to lose it to you. It no longer works. I have always given JT credit for being an intense competitor. I am losing faith in that. It seems to be more important to him to do it his way than it is to win football games. Very frustrated with that first drive into the red zone.
Griese, a Purdue guy, thinks the criticism of JT is ridiculous. Spielman thinks it is deserved. That starkly shows the difference in the programs. At Purdue this would be glory years. At Ohio State it is not good enough.
We have to recognize how much better Pryor is out of the shotgun and no huddle. It is proff that he is thinking too much. Line up and go. He shows what he can be when we go with the hurry up.
Forget about the rest of the mechanical problems. If Pryor would not start throwing the daggone ball off his front foot I would bench him. Big ol'd gun of an arm but still underthrows receivers all the time, or he is high. Posey should have caught that ball in the corner of the end zone but if Pryor finishes the motion, steps through onto his front foot, the ball is on Poseys outside shoulder and an easy catch. On the first touchdown that they did hook-up on, Posey had to wait on the ball. All that arm and he is underthrowing wide open receivers, and in this case with no rush in his face. Another problem with the lack of stepping through is the high throws. It is really costing us. It is becoming obvious to every DC we go up against. No throws in the short or medium range in the middle of the field. When Pryor misses, so often it is high. You can't let him throw over the middle except the last third of the field. Enough of that. Make him throw off his front foot. That puts maximum velocity on the throw, so no underthrows, and gets his hand over top of the ball so no high throws.Whatever we need to do to make him do that needs to get done. It makes us a better team and him a better quarterback.
Posey dropped three balls in the first half, one a touchdown and another that goes inside the 5. I don't care if it was a bad call. It was but if he holds onto the ball we don't have to worry about the zebras. Too many drops this year for a player as talented as Posey. The great ones make all the catches they should and some of the ones they shouldn't. He is capable of greatness. Great game for him but it could have been, no, should have been, a better game. Great to see Pryor and Posey finding each other. DCs started to see that Sanzenbacher is Pryors go to guy. Started to take that away from him. Posey is a game breaker. He and Pryor getting their act together could reap huge benefits, especially if we can convince Pryor to step into his throws and get it out there to him.
We have been good at punter for so long. Thoma is solid but he is not the weapon we are used to with our punters.
I wonder what could happen if we gave Saine the ball 20-25 times once? The line looks like they could be primed for some smashmouth. Saine is averaging over 5 yards a carry. He is never going to be an elusive guy but he is fast, strong and has great balance. Feed him and lets see if we can help our young quarterback.
John Simon is too young to be this smart a football player. He always gets my attention when he is out there, usually with a very heady football play.
Rolle is playing well but Ross Homan is the best linebacker we have.
Thaddeus Gibson had his best game of the year. He played the run and rused the passer so well today. I have been hearing 2nd round if he comes out early. Games like this will push him into the first round.
Jermil Martin breaks off a 40 yard touchdown run? Didn't even show as a runner in high school but shows he can help at this level. Who woulda thunk it. I think inserting him was smart and could be telling about the state of Saines injury. Taking Hall out tells me we may be looking at him as the starter next week. Can't take the chance on getting him injured. It also tells us Berry is not ready to play.
24 points off turnovers. Against Wisky 21 points off turnovers. At least one other game double digit points off the defense in the last 5 or 6 weeks. You can win alot of football games like that.
Ohrian Johnson just stands there and lets the receiver not only catch the ball but waits on him to run him over at the goal line instead of attacking him. I have heard good things about him since he arrived on campus. Still waiting to see it with my own two eyes.
I always thought we should have offered Marquise Gray. He should get a shot at the starting job. We talk about Pryor regressing. Gary is their best quarterback.
If we win out I think we can go back to the start of the second half of this game. Getting the fumble on the kickoff then Pryor taking it in seemed to do something to this team. I saw a little swagger come back into the team. I saw the confidence return. It looked like they are again thinking they are a pretty good football team.
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The worst an underthrow does is cause the Defense to catch back up and possibly prevent a TD, and making make a play on the ball, depending on how open the WR was.
Outside of that, I agree. Pryor must stop throwing off his back foot.