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Drew Thurman (7:55 am)

For the third straight week the Buckeyes came out sluggish and found themselves down 10-0 in the first quarter. One would have assumed that the coaching staff and players would have learned from the prior two weeks, especially considering the fact that they were playing rival Penn State on Senior Day. They didn't. Instead they seemed to sleepwalk through the opening 15 minutes, looking completely unprepared for what the Nittany Lions threw at them.

In the first half it was the defense that really hurt the Buckeyes chances. On the first play of the game Travis Howard would get a pass interference call that would help get Matt McGloin and company going. Five plays later Stephfon Green would run 39 yards up the middle, untouched for a touchdown. It would be one of three 30 plus yard runs in the first half for the Nittany Lion offense, who had only had one all season long. After a Buckeye drive that stalled out on the Penn State 35 yard line, the combination of Brandon Beachum, Stephfon Green and Silas Redd would help setup a field goal, and a 10-0 lead. In the second quarter, long runs from Silas Redd and Curtis Drake would lead to 10 more points, and the Buckeyes found themselves down 20-14 at halftime.

Interestingly enough, that would end up being the final score. After a first half shootout, the Silver Bullets clamped down in the second. It would be the offense, who had played relatively well in the first, who shot itself in the foot. The team just seemed unable to put it all together at the same time. A great example was in the middle of the third quarter. After a botched snap in the Wildcat formation between Jordan Hall and Boom Herron, Penn State would take over at the OSU 11 yard line. Three plays later the Nittany Lions had first and goal from the two yard line, and Ohio State held on for four consecutive runs. Boom Herron and Carlos Hyde utilized the momentum and were quickly moving the ball down the field, before another fumble, this time by Hyde.

So as you can see, this loss was a team effort. Each half was frustrating for its own reason, and there are a ton of things to take away from this game. So let's take a look at some things I noticed... 
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Drew Thurman (11:52 pm)

A week ago Buckeye Nation was chattering about the possibility of still winning a B1G Championship and Fickell saving his job. Now the discussion has officially shifted to what is happening on the hardwood and when, not if, Urban Meyer will be signing on the dotted line. It's been a long time since November has seemed this bleak for the Silver Bullets. With rivals Penn State and Michigan still upcoming, though, there is still a lot of headlines to focus on, so let's take a look... 

DeVier Posey's Impact?

The biggest news this weekend has to be the return of DeVier Posey to the wide receiving core. With the Buckeyes currently ranked 118th out of 120 teams in the nation in passing offense, getting a veteran back in the mix like Posey has to help. The question is how big of an impact will he make? We all know Bollman's offense is horrendous, Braxton's mechanics seem to be digressing, and let's face it, Posey has missed 10 games this season. Is No. 8 the caliber of player to overcome all of these factors?

Brandon Castel of The Ozone answers some of these questions in his latest piece on Posey. As he puts it, Posey may not be Justin Blackmon or Robert Woods, but defensive coordinators will have to respect his ability. The current core of Buckeye wideouts have been getting jammed at the line all season and most of the time they have struggled to create separation down field. Both of those problems Posey helps to correct. Not only does he free up other receiving targets, but could be the difference in teams packing it in or not against the Buckeyes.

Another positive note is that Corey "Philly" Brown will be back to face the Nittany Lions. He proved himself as the most consistent option at wideout in Posey's absence, and having both lining up together could be a huge boost for a stagnant offense. Before you get too excited though, remember who is calling the plays. 
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Dave Thurman (10:35 pm)

"Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it,"  George Santyana

Sometimes maintaining a blog is cathartic.  It lets you vent and get stuff off you chest.  And this week I feel like their is an elephant sitting squarely on my chest!  The only question is where to begin.

Rarely have I been more disappointed with a game.  Two years ago when Ohio State got beat at Purdue it was a case of looking past the Boilermakers, as the Buckeyes made five turnovers, and got caught by a trap game.  But that was a good OSU team that came back to win the rest of their games, including the Rose Bowl.  This year's team had no excuse.  They had played poorly the previous week against Indiana and had every reason to be hungry. Consider that they had the motive of revenge, trying to atone for the 2009 loss in West Lafayette, as well as the chance to move beyond the flat performance against the Hoosiers the week before.  And, they had every reason to believe that winning out would secure a spot in the inaugural B1G Championship Game.  Yet they still came out totally uninspired and played terribly.
 
Obviously the blame starts at the top.  This is a poor coaching staff, and worse, they simply don't learn anything from past failures.  Tell me what the staff has done to improve as the year has progressed.  Tell me any major adjustments they have made in scheming or play calling.  They keep doing things the same way, even when those things aren't working, and that is extremely frustrating.  Both the offense and defense have continued to use the same schemes even when they have met with complete failure, and that is simply unacceptable. 

I have heard all the talk about how Luke Fickell is a good coach, who just needs time.  Well, Ohio State isn't the place to learn on the job.  Although I like him as a person, and think he has some potential as a coach, the fact is he has mismanaged this team too much of the time.  I am not a football coach, and don't even play one on television. But I can analyze talent enough to know that you don't put Antonio Underwood out there in a big game on the road.  All week I worried about this, because he just isn't a good player - at least not yet.  It is one thing to run block against an abysmal Indiana defense, but when asked to pass block against a mediocre Purdue line, he wasn't up to the task.  Most of us figured this would be the case.  Blame Bollman if you want, and he is the worst offensive coordinator in major college football, but I put the onus on young Mr. Fickell.  A head coach has to make the key calls, and playing Joe Bauserman against Nebraska, and Antonio Underwood against Purdue adds up to an epic fail.  Forget scheming, if you can't analyze talent then you won't last in coaching. 

Well, with that brief rant out of the way, let me mention a few things I noticed on Saturday (and I'll warn you that most of them aren't good):
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Family Feud is a feature where Dave and Drew throw their opinions in on various Buckeye football subjects, which many times are quite opposite. This edition takes a look at some of the hot topics in and around the B1G Conference.

1. What do make of the situation with Joe Paterno and Penn State?

Dave: Wow!  I never saw this coming in a million years.  This has the potential of making Tatgate look like shoplifting candy from the drug store.  Obviously there has been a big time coverup.  The question is whether or not Joe was involved.  My gut says that he didn't know the full story but knew enough that he should have intervened and dug deeper.  This is just a tragedy when you consider the lives impacted.  And considering how many young kids Sandusky worked with you have to believe there are dozens more who were at least approached if not abused.  In the end I think there is a total housecleaning of PSU administration and coaching staff.  Although Penn State fans annoy me, I have always respected JoePa and hate to see him go in this way, if that is what occurs. 

Drew: I definitely think it is a sad day for college football. I don't like Penn State, and was quite bothered by their better than thou attitude during the Tatgate scandal, but I have always respected Joe Paterno. One my earliest memories of watching football on television was watching him sprint down the sideline to stop the Penn State student section from throwing snowballs on the field at their opponents. Moments like that have always made me think of him as one of the classiest coaches in the business, a coach that did things the right way. Obviously, like many Penn State fans, that idea has been rocked thanks by the recent discoveries. As Buckeye fans, we just went through the same emotions with Tressel. As much as I hate to see what is going on with Paterno, my thoughts definitely are much more focused on the well being of all the victims involved.

2. The conference has a lot of parity this season and teams have beat up on each other. Who do think is the best team in the conference and who wins the conference title game?

Drew: That's a good question, and there really are two different answers. I still believe the best team in the conference is Wisconsin. While there defense isn't championship caliber they are a very complete offensive team, they are two hail mary's away from being undefeated. The problem is those two wins killed them in Leaders Division, and they need Penn State and Ohio State to help them out a lot to get into the conference title game. My prediction is that Penn State falls apart with everything going on and loses two of the next three games, including at Ohio State. I still believe the Buckeyes can run the table and I see them facing Michigan State in Indianapolis. While the Buckeyes are hoping for some sweet revenge, I'll pick Michigan State because they matchup so well against OSU.

Dave: It is pretty close between a number of teams, and I would have never thought that to be the case three weeks ago.  At that point I thought Wisconsin was head and shoulders above the rest.  But right now, it is a close race between the Badgers, Michigan State, and Nebraska, with the Buckeyes gaining ground.  Penn State has the best record but their schedule has been a joke, and they have some tough games left, to say nothing of their off the field distractions.  I agree that Wisconsin has the strongest overall team, and also agree that Michigan State will win the Leaders.  I would love to pick the Buckeyes in the Legends but think they stumble and lose one more game on the road.  So I'll take the Badgers over the Spartans in the conference title game. 
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Drew Thurman (2:54 pm)

Saturday afternoon while you were watching the mediocre slugfest between Ohio State and Indiana, I was at a golf scramble. Typically I wouldn't miss a Buckeye game for anything, but when I got the offer to play and saw the Hoosiers on the schedule, I thought watching on DVR would be just fine. Well, I guess I greatly underestimated what this game would be, which I realized as my dad ruined my golf game by giving me a text message play by play of the mess.

Since Saturday, I have had the chance to watch the game twice and break down what happened. Here is what stood out in my opinion...

The opening eight minutes set the tone for the game.

An accumulation of poor plays allowed Indiana to jump out to an early 10-0 lead and gave them hope that they had a chance in this game. Two in particular stick out: Drew Basil's terrible opening kickoff and Braxton Miller's lost fumble on the opening drive. Both of these plays gave Tre Robinson and the Hoosiers great field position, which they utilized to move the ball with ease against a sleepwalking defense. In fact, without a great individual play from John Simon on the opening drive, the Buckeyes could have easily been down 14-0 in the blink of an eye. Braxton's 81 yard touchdown would squelch some of the momentum going IU's way, but the damage had already been done. That 10 point lead gave them the belief they needed, and maybe more importantly, had to have changed things schematically for Bollman.

To me these first eight minutes were another lesson for this young team, and showed how far they still have to go. I understand the "hangover effect" and the difficulty of getting up emotionally after playing Wisconsin, but good teams don't just dial it in. The 1-8 record aside, Indiana is still a conference opponent. The Buckeyes on the other hand were 5-3 entering the game, not 8-0, and had to win this game.

Braxton looked like a freshman, and took far too many hits.

Yes, we know now Braxton can run the ball. He's shifty, he's quick, he's going to make things happen with his feet (105 yard, 2 TD). The hope going into this game, though, was that he would get into rhythm and gain some confidence in the passing game. Going 5/11 for 55 yards with one interception was a far cry was from what most hoped or imagined. This result can be credited to both Miller's erratic decision making and mechanics, as well as Bollman's unimaginative offensive strategy.

Like many freshman quarterbacks, Miller looks brilliant one moment then showcases his youth the next. Saturday he demonstrated this on numerous occasions. I thought he looked solid at the end of the first quarter on his third down strike to Chris Fields for 26 yards, then three plays later hitting Zach Boren underneath for 25 more. Two series later though, he would go 0/3 while not throwing the ball in the vicinity of his receivers. 
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Miller's legs worked a lot better than his arm
Dave Thurman (8:07 pm)

A week after their most impressive win of the year, Ohio State stumbled to a lackadaisical win on a beautiful early November afternoon in Columbus.  Nobody should have been too surprised that the Buckeyes lacked the kind of zeal they had demonstrated against the Badgers. The stage was set for a bit of a letdown: 1) The usual fall off after a huge adrenalin-filled victory; 2) The after-effects of playing a physical opponent; and, 3) A 1-8 team coming to town that looked like easy pickings.  Although the slow start should not have shocked anyone, there were a number of things that did stagger me:

1) The ease with which Kofi Hughes got open and sliced the Ohio State secondary.  This is not a big time receiver, and his statistics coming in were pretty pedestrian (20, 298, 2).  But Hughes finished with 8 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown.  Part of this was due to the scheme (Heacock played too much soft zone in my opinion) and part of it was due to the Silver Bullet secondary playing poorly.  Christian Bryant, in particular, was a lost ball in high weeds most of the day.

2) The lack of passing offense from Ohio State.  With the exception of one drive the Buckeyes did nothing through the air.  This against one of the worst pass defenses in America.  Braxton overthrew some receivers, and held onto the ball too long at other times.  Making matters worse, his pass protection was less than stellar.  I really thought this would be a game when Bollman would air it out a little, but that didn't happen, as OSU completed all of five passes for 55 yards.  It didn't help when they fell behind 10-0, which changed the gameplan, and caused the Buckeyes to rely on what they do best, which is run the ball.   
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What a Waste! 11/02/2011
 
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Dave Thurman (9:33 pm)

"The saddest thing in life is wasted talent." - Lorenzo in "A Bronx Tale"

Another can't miss prospect has done just that.  Jamaal Berry, ranked as one of the top tailbacks in the class of 2009 has possibly played his last game in Scarlet and Gray.  Though he flashed some of his amazing potential as a redshirt freshman, Berry has hardly seen the field this year, due at least partially to off the field problems.

Earlier today Jamaal was officially charged with assault and disorderly conduct for allegedly punching a man off campus.  It was the second time in four weeks Berry was charged with assault, and there are strong rumblings that he has a major drug problem as well as possible psychological issues.  All in all it would seem highly probable that Berry, who has been suspended indefinitely, will never suit up for the Buckeyes again.  If that is the case he will join a large group of high school superstars who never panned out at Ohio State.

Players fail to live up to the hype and recruiting rankings for a variety of issues:

-Injuries that keep them from maximizing their potential.  A few of the names that come to mind from recent years are Richard McNutt, Mike D'Andrea (#1 LB in America as a senior), Devon Jordan, Aram Olson, Curt Lukens, Melvin Fellows, and Scott McVey.

-Possibly being overated coming out of high school, or reaching their ceiling early.  Some of the players that fit this description are Jason Ott, Devon Lyons, Kyle Mitchum, Sammy Maldonado, Chad Hoobler, Jamario O'Neal, Connor Smith, Robert Rose, and most recently, James Louis.  You could argue that some lacked football intelligence which stunted their development, and others lacked proper motivation, but in many cases these guys got rave reviews in high school, but never got any better, and were passed by players who weren't as highly recruited. 

-Not being a good fit for the team. I think runing backs Maurice Wells and Lamaar Thomas would have been better served to sign with schools that featured a true spread offense employing lots of bubble screens. Wide receiver Bam Childress, due to his lack of size, probably should have chosen a different desination, as well.  And quarterback Taylor Graham picked the wrong time to come to OSU, since he is a pocket passer, whereas the Buckeye offense is presently designed for a dual threat quarterback.

-Academic issues and off the field problems.  Unfortunately most "busts" have nobody to blame but themselves.  The list of wasted talent in the past 15 years is a lengthy one.  Here are a few of the higher ranked players who messed up, and never maximized their massive ability: Curtis Crosby (grades), Richard Hall (grades), Shawn Price (grades), Marco Cooper (criminal charges), Reggie Arden (criminal charges), Angelo Chattams (criminal charges), Maurice Clarett (where to start?), E.J. Underwood (grades), Ira Guilford (criminal charges), Louis Irizarry (criminal charges), Darius Hiley (grades), Sirjo Welch (grades), Freddie Lenix (grades), Keith Wells (grades, perpetual doghouse or both), Duron Carter (grades), Dorian Bell (violation of team rules), and Jamel Turner (criminal charges).  There are plenty more that could be added to this list, and so Jamaal Berry is in good (or maybe bad) company. What a waste of talent!  Jamaal, we hardly knew you.
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Drew Thurman (1:53 pm)

"Does Wilson have a 20 second miracle in his pocket? If not, the freshman quarterback at his first homecoming is going to be the homecoming king."

Those were the words of Brad Nessler in the waning moments of Ohio State's emotional 33-29 victory over Wisconsin. A victory that saw freshman Braxton Miller become the newest star for the Buckeyes, thanks to his playmaking ability and poise.

On the biggest stage of his young career, Braxton put together a phenomenal 2nd half, scoring three touchdowns. While all three of those scores showed off his raw athleticism, none will be more remembered than the final one. With 30 seconds left on the clock and the Buckeyes trailing 29-26, Braxton dropped back to pass and was quickly flushed out of the pocket. After avoiding and scurrying away from two Wisconsin defenders, Miller gathered himself quickly and made the decision to throw. At that moment he did everything a quarterback shouldn't; he threw across his body, away from his momentum, falling away on one foot. The result was an arm punt of sorts that hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity before falling to earth into the hands of fellow freshman Devin Smith. Miller had sucked the safties in with his mobility allowing Smith to sneak behind them on a post pattern.

As amazing as a pitch as it catch was, what was even more amazing was the cold stare Miller gave the Ohio State sideline after making the play. Rather than freaking out in jubilation or even acting like a freshman on such a large stage, Miller's gaze calmly communicated to his teammates and fans, "I got this." 
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Dave Thurman (9:13 pm)

Three years ago a freshman quarterback named Terrelle Pryor came of age with a fourth quarter drive at Wisconsin to lead the Buckeyes to a come from behind last minute victory.  Flash forward to last night.  Another freshman signal caller, Braxton Miller, showed his toughness, moxie (sorry Matt McGloin), and competitive spirit, when he led OSU to a last minute, come from behind win over those same Badgers.  Talk about an eerie pre-Haloween occurrence.

Don't get me wrong.  This was a very different game than the one Ohio State won 20-17 at Madison back on October 4, 2008.  And whereas the winning drive on that evening was marked by control and precision, last night's was more a case of an improvised, desperate, backyard play.  Still, the similarities are striking.

Pryor was a prodigy who took over for a senior quarterback and showed great promise, but had yet to put it all together.  But that one drive in Madison proved he had more than potential.  Although he would still take his lumps after that victory, there was no more debate about whether or not it was his team, and he never looked back for three years, leading the Bucks to a number of big wins. 

Last night at a packed Shoe it was deja vu all over again. A freshman ballyhooed as the next superstar took a reeling team on his shoulders, and led them on a drive that took down a good team, and helped salvage a season. 

Miller is clearly in a different situation, however.  Although he, too, replaced a senior quarterback, it was not one who had tasted success, as Todd Boeckman had, but instead a highly ineffective one in Joe Bauserman.  Miller also does not have the same kind of experienced talent around him that was at Terrelle's disposal.  If Pryor was needed to spark the 2008 team, Miller is needed to save this squad.  Talk about pressure.  And last night, in front of a national audience, he came of age.  Sure, he had played well at Nebraska before an ankle injury sidelined him late.  And, yes, he had managed the team to a solid win at Illinois.  But this was the night Braxton put it all together, making several huge plays with his legs and his arm.  And this was the night when he showed the kind of ice in the veins that defines great quarterbacks.  It was Miller time in Columbus, and hopefully the first of many big victories he leads the Buckeyes to in the next 3 1/2 years. 
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Drew Thurman (12:59 pm)

With five games remaining on the schedule, there are some big questions currently for the Buckeyes. Can this team run the table and shock the world? What bowl, if any, will this team qualify for? Will there be any additional penalties handed down from the NCAA? Can Luke Fickell do enough to save his job?

While it's not quite as big of question as those I just listed, there is something else I have been wondering about as I watch this season unfold. How will Mike Adams, DeVier Posey and Boom Herron be remembered? It's an inquiry that really yields very little more than speculation at this point.

The interesting thing is that we can already start to see the legacies of some of the others involved in this scandal being shaped. For instances, we know how Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor will be remembered in Buckeye Nation. Tressel is already being enshrined all over the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, and will go down as one of the greatest coaches in OSU history. Though his accomplishments have been slightly damaged, it won't keep Buckeye fans from honoring him in the future as they have with Woody Hayes. Pryor though, will always stand on the opposite end of the spectrum. Whether fair or not, he will always be remembered as the guy that brought Ohio State down. Any hope of him eventually repairing his imagine went down the drain when he threw more evidence out to get himself in the supplemental draft.

What about the aforementioned "Returning 3," will they suffer a similar fate to Pryor or will the history books talk about the 2011 season repairing their legacy? Let's take a look at each of these guys individually.
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