Official Football 2011 Thread

[SinisterSS]

This is to all the guys that said I was wrong and Ohio State would have a losing record. O' ye of little faith... We will not lose 3 more games this season. Michigan will give us a headache but we are not going out negative. 7-5 on a rebuilding year... I'll take it!

 

at least someone else besides me still has faith, I want a Nebraska rematch

[V8 Beast]

at least someone else besides me still has faith, I want a Nebraska rematch

 

They would kick our ass Our offense isnt ready yet. Our d on the other hand is sick!

 

The only reason I have faith is Braxton is learning fast. In the next 4 games he will have a horrible performance with his arm... and I hope the coaches let him so he can learn from it this season. From there we have a lot to look forward to!

[bicranium]

5% odds of making it to Big 10 title game are now up to about 33% IMO. Thankfully Indiana is awful because next Saturday would be a classic trap game against anyone with a pulse. Continue to improve against Indiana next weekend. @ Purdue could still be a little tricky. Then hopefully PSU picks up a loss in 2 weeks vs. Nebraska and OSU beats them to take the lead in the Leaders division. Then it comes down to beating Michigan.

 

Scary though because if OSU does win out and go to Indianapolis... do they still announce Urban at halftime of the OSU-Duke basketball game with the championship game still to play? :dumb:

[99ta]

5% odds of making it to Big 10 title game are now up to about 33% IMO. Thankfully Indiana is awful because next Saturday would be a classic trap game against anyone with a pulse. Continue to improve against Indiana next weekend. @ Purdue could still be a little tricky. Then hopefully PSU picks up a loss in 2 weeks vs. Nebraska and OSU beats them to take the lead in the Leaders division. Then it comes down to beating Michigan.

 

Scary though because if OSU does win out and go to Indianapolis... do they still announce Urban at halftime of the OSU-Duke basketball game with the championship game still to play? :dumb:

 

the mich game dosen't effect winning the division though right? so if we win out and psu loses to someone else. osu would have the tie breaker....

 

what is it with our def collapsing in the fourth? before I thought it was they were tired but they can't use that excuse last night

[Dr. Pomade]

Wow, what a game - probably the most exciting game I've ever seen in person.

 

The defense looked great, minus the last four minutes. I hate when we go into prevent mode - it just invites teams to throw all over us. I get the theory of it and why you do it, but I just hate it. And, when you're playing prevent and a team scores in about 50 seconds (like Wisconsin did last night), then it's obviously not working like it's supposed to.

 

I'm completing nit-picking, though. I came away with a sense of optimism. I think our defense is eventually lights-out (in like maybe a year). I heart Hankins. Braxton had a few signature moments. Stadium was going bonkers a few times - after the punt block and of course on that final TD.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

I have no voice from being at the game last night. It was the best game I have ever been to. I am waiting on my buddy to get back home to Warren for him to load up the pics of us down on the field after everyone including us rushed it. I still do not think we are a better team then Wisconsin, but I will take the win. I do not see a way they announce Urban as the coach now, I never thought he was coming here to begin with. If Fickell leads this team to the B10 championship game, wins that and goes to the Rose Bowl, how the fuck do you explain to recruits that a BCS game just wasn't good enough for him to keep his job. It was so funny being up in the stands, everyone was yelling either Draw or QB keeper before each and every play.

 

I dont think a pass has hung in the air longer then that TD pass did. It seemed like an eternity for the damn thing to finally hit Devin Smiths hands. The defense is flat out nasty, scary thing is they only lose 1 starter and that is Andrew Sweat, rumor is Nathan Williams is going to get a medical redshirt and come back next year. You wanna talk about a dominant defense.

 

How about Clemson going down to Gerogia Tech and Stanford needing 3 OT's in order to beat USC

[AWW$HEEET]

Osu should be ranked. Knocked off ILL on the road and then wisconsin at home. 2 ranked teams in consecutive games.

[BStowers023]

From what I've heard....If tOSU goes on to win the big ten, Fickel will be hired as our head coach for next season according to an inside source (through like 3 people) lol.

[V8 Beast]

the mich game dosen't effect winning the division though right? so if we win out and psu loses to someone else. osu would have the tie breaker....

 

what is it with our def collapsing in the fourth? before I thought it was they were tired but they can't use that excuse last night

 

Yeah.. we suck under pressure

[bicranium]

the mich game dosen't effect winning the division though right? so if we win out and psu loses to someone else. osu would have the tie breaker....

 

what is it with our def collapsing in the fourth? before I thought it was they were tired but they can't use that excuse last night

 

It's overall B1G record that determines division winners. So OSU has to win out and PSU has to lose one other than the OSU game for OSU to win the Leaders. So winning the Michigan game would be needed if Wiscy and PSU are sitting with 2 conference losses at the end then OSU would have the head to head tiebreakers there.

 

Christian Bryant is a good reason for the defense collapsing...lol. He got absolutely lost in coverage on the loooooong Abbredaris TD to give them the lead. Had a whiff on the first Wiscy TD of the game too. Tried to arm tackle a guy probably 50-60lbs. heavier than him early in the game too. He's just a really bad safety who makes a few WOW plays that get people to like him somehow.

[kirks5oh]

at least i don't have to wear a badgers sweatshirt to work this year. was waiting every single set of downs for a first down throw. can anyone say "play action pass"?? wtf?? they couldn't buy first down yardage. it was an absolutely incredible game to watch, however. wish i would have gone to see it in person. i can only imagine what the possibilities would be if miller had posey to throw it to. would give anything to have that miami game back.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Christian Bryant is a good reason for the defense collapsing...lol. He got absolutely lost in coverage on the loooooong Abbredaris TD to give them the lead. Had a whiff on the first Wiscy TD of the game too. Tried to arm tackle a guy probably 50-60lbs. heavier than him early in the game too. He's just a really bad safety who makes a few WOW plays that get people to like him somehow.

 

I thought I was the only one that thought this about Bryant. The kid tries making the highlight reel tackle each and every time, only to whiff big when it matters the most. See the Nebraska game, he is the reason OSU lost that game in my opinion. He went for a ESPN type hit and completely missed, the kid then ran for an extra 20 yards and put Nebraska in scoring position. Someone tried telling me he was Antoine Winfield 2.0 saturday night at the game, I just laughed

[LJ]

Bryant will be a good player when he learns how to wrap up

[oh8sti]

He is a star or a nickel if I remember right, he is very small either way. He is an athlete, but needs another 20lbs to make those huge hits really do damage. Having a healthy Moeller in there helps, he has the weight. It's a shame he just kept getting hurt and finds it hard to bounce back. That's the position I was put at for a little (obviously im too slow and dont know coverage for shit, that's why I was moved to a linebacker on scout lol). Bryant is just a little guy though.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

He's young so there is hope, I just hope he stops trying to make hero type tackles each and every time and just goes for the sure fire ones. I'd much rather have a sure tackler that makes 99% of the tackles rather then the guy who makes a highlight reel hit maybe 10% of the time.

[bicranium]

If I remember correctly he made a big hit in the Nebraska game then later went for another and had the big whiff on Burkhead which resulted in a TD. I know he's a small dude and I agree with LJ that he'll probably be pretty good when he's done. Just needs to make those big hits within the scheme of the defense. Lots of people hated on OJ after last season because he was something of a non-factor at safety but I'd rather have a non-factor than a negative factor right now.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Yeah thats the play I was referring to, he went for the big hit against the RB and whiffed completely. Oh well I am still on cloud 9 after the victory. I however am tired of reading about how suddenly OSU is the best team in the b10, Fickell should be coach of the year and Braxton is god, none of those are true in my opinion. I feel like OSU has improved big time with Boom back, Fickell is doing great with what he has to use and Braxton still can't complete more then 8 passes in a game lol.

[bicranium]

lol... still hating on Braxton. Such a shame. Kid is going to be great by the time he's done here.

 

I don't think OSU is anywhere close to the best team in the B1G right now but by the end of the season they actually could be crowned the champion. It's shocking to think about considering the ridiculous display of ineptitude we saw against Michigan State but it's possible.

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

Haha Braxton grew up a little bit saturday night and that throw was huge along with his runs, I still am just not sold on him as being this great qb that he was hyped up as being. Now by his jr/sr year I could very well be a Braxton fan, but not right now.

 

If OSU wins out, goes to the B10 championship game and wins that and lands in the Rose Bowl, do you fire Fickell?

[wagner]

I am pretty sure the whole Urban Meyer thing at halftime was started by some kid on an OSU board.....

[BStowers023]

Haha Braxton grew up a little bit saturday night and that throw was huge along with his runs, I still am just not sold on him as being this great qb that he was hyped up as being. Now by his jr/sr year I could very well be a Braxton fan, but not right now.

 

If OSU wins out, goes to the B10 championship game and wins that and lands in the Rose Bowl, do you fire Fickell?

 

No. He is an interim head coach therfore you don't fire him, you hire someone else (urban meyer). Will Ohio State re-hire fickell? probably yes if we win the b10.

[bicranium]

I am pretty sure the whole Urban Meyer thing at halftime was started by some kid on an OSU board.....

 

It wasn't.

 

And I think it's interesting that people seem to be hopping back on the Fickell bandwagon after a game won by 2 true freshmen just making an incredible, unscripted connection. There was a very logical line of thought coming into this season with regards to Fickell. If he had the team go undefeated or something incredible then you absolutely have to consider him. Otherwise, this is Ohio State and you don't cut your teeth as a head coach here. Thanks for keeping the boat afloat this season in a very trying situation but... this is Ohio State.

 

BTW - there is a new piece of coaching-related info going around from the same guy who started the Urban/Duke information (again, wasn't "some kid on an OSU board"). Said not to be surprised if Fickell sticks around as assistant head coach. This was thought to be impossible for a few reasons but between the incoming coach supposedly wanting this and Luke really just wanting to stay home it has become possible.

[LJ]

No. He is an interim head coach therfore you don't fire him, you hire someone else (urban meyer). Will Ohio State re-hire fickell? probably yes if we win the b10.

 

He's not an interim head coach. He is the Head Coach with a 1 year contract

[DaddyBuiltRacing]

You don't cut your teeth here huh, interesting. I hate to break it to you, but every coach in the past minus Bruce have done equal or worse then Fickell in their first year.

 

Woody Hayes- 4-3-2 5th in B10

Earle Bruce: 11-1 (followed by several 9-3 seasons)

John Cooper: 4-6-1 tied for 7th in b10

Jim Tressell: 7-5 3rd in B10

 

Need I remind you where these guys came from before tOSU? Dennison, Miami Ohio, Youngstown St, just to name a few of their previous coaching gigs.

 

I still don't believe the whole Urban Meyer rumor regardless of who started it. I also don't see Fickell just taking a step back and saying "gee golly that was fun, now let me go back to being the backup". If someone else is hired I look for Fickell to be the headcoach elsewhere next season. BTW going undefeated with this team under these circumstances was logical thinking? Wow I'd hate to see illogical thinking lol.

 

I too find it funny all the people jumping on and off the Fickell/OSU bandwagon, its so bad that I can't even go to scout and read cause it irritates me. I think tOSU has the most annoying, bipolar fanbase in the country. School A does something and they are horrible, but if Ohio State does the same thing its ok and should be over looked. Fickell loses to Miami and he's horrible, soon as he beats Wisconsin he's the man lol.

[bicranium]

Never said going undefeated was a logical thought, said if Luke somehow, magically pulled off an undefeated season or maybe 1 loss, then and only then would he be very seriously considered for the permanent HC gig. The reason I think it's funny was because that was pretty much the standard train of thought before the season started. Now OSU has 3 losses and gets a playground football play out of 2 freshmen to beat Wisconsin and people are back to wanting to keep him.

 

And I hate to break it to you but maybe you don't know the meaning of "cut your teeth." All of the guys you named had 5+ years of head coaching experience SOMEWHERE. Luke has never even been a sole coordinator. ANYWHERE. Woody had 5 years head coaching experience between Denison and Miami (OH) plus that was an entirely different era. Bruce had 7 years between Tampa and Iowa State. Cooper had 11 between Tulsa and Arizona State. Tressel had 15 years at YSU.

 

It's not about how they did in their first year. Luke has shown multiple times this season that he is still very much learning the ropes and that is not acceptable for the head coach at Ohio State in this day and age.