| 13 September 2011
It is only two games into the season but you have to think it is time to review already. There are some obvious concerns popping up that are too important to put off.
The first is obviously at quarterback. Going into the season I asked the question, can Bauserman win a game for you? That was in response to the reasoning behind why Bauserman would be the starter. After the Akron game it appeared he would defy all of us naysayers and be a guy we could depend on to make a play for this team. I never thought we could see Bauserman be the player he was versus Akron. The player we saw versus the much better Toledo team was the one I expected to see. Which one is the real Joe Bauserman? His performance in previous years says the Toledo version. In relief roles over the years I have come away wondering what he was trying to do with the ball. That is what I saw against Toledo. The decisions he made were so very conservative. Way too conservative. I like it when a quarterback is in trouble and throws the ball away. No gain is a far better play than sack, sack and fumble, interception. We saw Bauserman throw the ball away when he was not in trouble. There is a big
difference between throwing it away to avoid forcing the ball or taking a sack, and just quitting on a play, which is what Bauserman was doing. In addition he missed Devin Smith for a sure touchdown. He had no pressure on him and threw the ball into the tunnel. He underthrew him later. Smith has his guy beat in the end zone. Minimal rush. Bauserman throws it short. With pressure in a quarterbacks face you can expect some bad balls. He was not under pressure. He looked rattled and unsure of himself last Saturday.
Here is the thing. Can Fickell afford to go to the kid? I think if Fickell were sitting on a 5-year contract we see the beginning of the Braxton MIller era next week because Fickell could look forward to next year. He can't do that. This year is all that matters. The first week of December, 27-22 will not matter. 12-0 is what will matter. Bauserman missed the opportunity to make plays. Did he make any mistakes? No interceptions. No sacks. That is what Fickell believes he needs. What I hope is he returns to the rotation from the Akron game. My greatest hope is this is a week to week situation, that we are only waiting for Fickell to have enough faith that Miller is not going to make mistakes before making a change. I hope. What I suspect is it is likely that a loss is going to be what it takes to get Miller in there. A loss where better play from our quarterback would have made a difference. If Bauserman does not return to his Akron form I think that will happen. Toledo is a good team. There are better ones on the schedule. Bauserman leaving plays on the field like he did against Toledo will cost us a game.
The defensive line has been great. Nobody will run on this team. I am looking forward to this line versus Wisconsin this year. I am not worried about them running the ball down our throats like they did last year. I am worried about the transfer quarterback Russell Wilson, probably the best quarterback in the Big Ten. The reason I am worried is the pass rush. We are getting great play out of John Simon and Big Hank. Michael Bennett has made the most of his reps. He looks like a Cam Heyward clone. The bigs are getting it done but we are running this odd man front to get the Leo, the weakside defensive end, into an advantageous position to make plays, in particular to rush the quarterback. He is the speed guy that makes quarterbacks nervous. If all he is doing is making the quarterback throw before he wants to, he has done his job well. We do not have an effective Edge guy right now. Williams was not effective against Akron. He dropped into coverage some but even when he was rushing he was not making the quarterback nervous. I want to blitz because we want to, not because he need to. An offense like we saw versus Toledo takes so much of your blitz package out of the playbook.
Weakside end, the Leo, the Edge, whatever you want to call the position, he has to make some plays against the opponents offense. With Williams being out of the Toledo game because of injury, maybe that is why he was not effective in the Akron game. Maybe he got hurt in that game. Maybe he went in the game hurt but played. J.T. Moore looks like he could be a good player for us. I thought he had a good game overall but that position needs to make plays. Whatever we need to do, we need to do. We blew Steve Miller's redshirt in the Akron game. Put him in there. I think the staff may have recognized that something had to be done. I saw Simon out there on the edge for at least one play. Ryan Shazier was a terror as a pass rusher in high school. He is undersized for the position at this level but on obvious passing downs, why not put him in there? Dvo45 said he saw him in there on 4th and 14. I did not notice him. That is more evidence that the staff recognizes that we have to get more out of that position going forward. I think it crucial.
Rod Smith is the most talented back on the roster. He is not ready to play. He has two fumbles in two games, as a backup. He is not logging starter carries but still has two fumbles. For that reason alone he should have his reps reduced or even bumped to number three with Berry now healthy. I would sit him down and do a complete reset. He looks like he is running with blinders on. Run to the hole and go 'til you hear metal. He is running with his feet first. Backs should run with their eyes first. We may not be able to do this until Jordan Hall comes back. Hyde has a history of injuries. He got dinged in the Toledo game but shook it off. We need to have two ready to go. I do not see Smith being the player I believe he can be until he gets back to running instinctively and with his eyes wide open.
Marcus Hall is rusty. Very rusty. Good thing Linsley is coming back. I believe Hall to be the more talented player but the time away is showing. Linsley is a very good player and has been playing football for the last year. Hall has not. We need to keep Hall in the mix. I believe he needs reps. I believe he can help us again in time. We will need to keep a guard ready to step into the lineup at both guard spots. It is the one place where Bollmans insistence on versatility works. Guards are very interchangeable. BuckeyeGuy17 mentioned something I had not thought about before. Norwell could step in at guard. Mike Adams will be back here in a few weeks. Norwell has played very well. Guards cannot play tackle. We have too much evidence of that. Tackles can play guard. Adams-Mewhort-Brewster-Norwell-Shugarts puts the best 5 on the field at the same time.
Plenty of buzz about the Toledo - Boise State game on Friday night giving us an idea of where this Buckeye football team stands. I think it tell us nothing for one very simple reason. Boise State has Kellen Moore at quarterback. We will learn more about this team on Saturday night when we see the Buckeyes play away versus a team with big time athletes in Miami. This is not the Miami of old with a roster full of future NFL players but the do have some. Better quarterback play and an effective pass rush from the front four should give the team with the better talent a solid victory. That team is the Ohio State Buckeyes.
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