| 18 September 2011
If Luke Fickell does not get the job he should immediately climb on a plane to Oakland, find Terrell Pryor and beat him until his hands are sore. The Buckeyes are left with one quarterback who does not have it and one who is not ready. The quarterback position has not been this inept since Steve Bellisari. I only hope to see Joe Bauserman be as good as Todd Boeckman. I was done with Bauserman after the third and goal on the second field goal drive when he threw the ball into the stands. He had three opportunities to throw the ball to Stoneburner. I am going to forgive him for the first window when Stoneburner was wide open. He may not have been in position to throw the ball. On the second he would not cut it loose. Bauserman has the arm. He could have put it in there. On the last window he had a low percentage shot but it was still a shot. If he throws the ball low only Stoneburner is the only one who could have gotten it. He threw the ball into the stands. He could have tried to throw it high at the back of the endzone to Fields. That way Fields is the only player who has a shot. He threw it into the stands. Taking either option would possibly gotten the Buckeyes a game changing touchdown but would have at least secured the field just as his throw away did. There is no reason not to go to Miller for the rest of the season. Joe Bauserman is not a quarterback at this level.
Once again we saw in this game that Ohio State cannot play from behind. Bad starts have been a hallmark of recent Buckeye loses. Four early plays were key to going down 14 points. The first play from scrimmage for Miami was a perfect
combination of the right play called versus the right defense. The Buckeyes had two linebackers in the box but both Klein and Sweat were shading to the B gap. Miami runs a play into the A gap and there is a hole big enough to drive a truck through. Johnson misses and Lamar Miller is off to the races. A couple of plays later it is 7-0 and the momentum is heavily with the Hurricanes.
Bauserman throws two terrible balls leading to a three and out so momentum for Miami is kicked up another notch. On big play number two, the Buckeyes give up another big punt return giving Miami great field position. Big play number three is a third down conversion on this drive. I would love to hear the defensive staffs thinking on zone blitzing from the second level. Asking a defensive lineman to cover for the time it takes for a blitzer to come from that deep is a real head scratcher. There was no chance that Bellamy was going to stay with that receiver that long. Harris keeps his composure, delivers a perfect strike, drive stays alive, 14-0 Miami shortly after.
The fourth was Millers interception. The Buckeyes had been running the ball well. The ball was late and behind. Stoneburner has a tough catch to make if the ball gets there. Smart senior linebacker gets deep enough to get a hand on the ball. The potential momentum swing to the Buckeyes goes the other way. The game was over for all intents and purposes right there as the Buckeyes could not throw the ball.
After those first two drives the defense really rose up. Gave up only 3 more points until that last drive when the game was over. If the offense had anything the Buckeyes could have won this game. Miami did little from the second touchdown until their last score. There was one good decent drive in between, the one Miami got a field goal on. 4 completions for an entire game, 3 to backs, 1 with just seconds remaining on the clock is just pathetic. That might be a reflection on the youth at receiver too.
I love big backs because you have to run between the tackles. 1000 years from now that will still be the case in the game of football. If a quicker guy is effective between the tackles you go with him. Hall is just as effective between the tackles as Hyde is but is so much quicker. He should be the starter.
Another change that has to be made is Corey Linsley for Marcus Hall. What a difference when Linsley came in.
The Buckeyes hesitated to offer Dwayne Stanford after he ran 4.81. We saw last night with the 6-4 Miami receiver Streeter how effective a big receiver can be even when he is not the fastest. He caught balls anyway despite being well covered.
First order of business when the Buckeyes get back to practice is to work on tackling. Last night was the worst tackling game I have seen from the Buckeyes in awhile, especially in the first quarter. Linebackers were taking bad angles on runners.
Last week Ohrian Johnson had some bad plays but he made some good ones too and ended up with 9 tackles. Lat night he was credited with one tackle. I can't remember it. All I saw was the same old Ohrian Johnson, bad reads, bad angles, hesitation and deer in the headlights. That first play from scrimmage he took a terrible angle. Lamar Miller ran right by him. Is there really no better option than Johnson? Come on, man.
You have to be realistic and see two more loses for the Buckeyes. There is no chance to beat Nebraska or Wisconsin. Michigan State can't beat Notre Dame so I refuse to believe Michigan State is a team to worry about. Fickells chances of keeping the job just took a big knock. Keep in mind that I have been hugely in his corner. He has to go to Miler. He has to find a way to beat Nebraska and maybe Wisconsin too.
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