The final score in a big game that was anticipated by everyone since it was on the schedule several years ago. You sit and wonder what happened and why it keeps happening to Ohio State, well I'll be glad to tell you that it starts with coaching.
I'm watching the game perplexed at the play calls going into Ohio State's offense and I'm also wondering why this game looked similar to what Ohio State did against Texas when they game to the Shoe two years ago. I want to take the opportunity to point somethings out about the USC-OSU game, give credit where it's due, and dispel the myths about the Big Ten/Midwestern Teams.
First and foremost, USC won the game as much as OSU lost it. People need to understand how complex a football game really is when you talk about the psyche of a team and or player, and the use of personel on the sidelines. It was abdundantly clear that when Terrelle Pryor was in the game, USC wasn't as prepared as they said, except when Tressel got predictable with his use of Pryor. TP was having FUN, Todd Boeckman was SCARED. You could see it in his eyes that he choked against USC, much in the same way he choked against LSU. Terrelle Pryor is apparently ready to take the reigns from this guy. His numbers were modest, but I'd rather let him play and make rookie mistakes than being afraid like Boeckman. Pryor was 5/7 for 52yds and rushed for 40yds on 11 carries, being sacked once. I could post Todd's numbers, but I don't want to further embarass the dude, but he was one factor.
Not having Beanie Wells available DOES MATTER. Pride and team #### glasses aside, even USC's best linebacker, Rey Maualuga, even said after the game that him not playing helped them out a lot. Just like Ohio State not having Ted Ginn Jr. against Florida MATTERED, but the biggest issue here is the DEFENSE.
Ohio State's defense is consistently ranked near the top in every category in the nation. Let's kill the talk about who they play, because EVERY team plays cupcakes, whether you're in the Big Ten, Pac-10, SEC, or Big 12. But there's a difference between getting beat and blowing coverage. EVERY sports analyst up here is SICK of how the coaches are misusing the team.
Don't be mislead by all these people who talk about speed and all that, because it's not logical to assume that all the athletes, or even the majority who play or Ohio State are from Ohio. They recruit athletes from EVERY state and region. The forty times and high school star rankings are the same in Ohio just like everywhere else.
If you pay attention to all of USC's touchdown passes, they're ALL against the zone defense. For those of you who don't know, zone coverage naturally has holes in it, that a good QB like Sanchez, with good WRs that USC has can find. Ohio State continually fails simply do this: LET YOUR ATHLETES BE ATHLETES. Play man and BLITZ. This conservative D keeps getting you torched, so APPARENTLY it's NOT working.
Also, if anyone gets potential TDs taken from them, then it's definitely deflating to your team's momentum.
While all these are legitimate reasons for the loss, the most obvious is this:
USC flat out PUNKED Ohio State.
Todd Boeckman is Public Enemy #1 and Tressel is a close #2 in Ohio's capital city.
It's clear there's a difference between those who love their teams, love football on the whole, and those who are just a-holes.
Me? I love football. I grew up playing in pads over half my life and I was born in Columbus, OH. Guess what CFB team I root for?
Anyway with that aside, ignorance on any side of these discussions needs to be dismissed.
Any
legitimate fan of FOOTBALL knows that right now is the SEC's time. Their
talent pools are deep, they have some of the best coaches in the
country, and some of the best teams. As a conference, from top to
bottom, they're the strongest as of right now. Period.
But let's clear somethings up real quick.
HATING,
on a conference or team, just to do it, is STUPID. I don't care who you
like and that includes fellow Buckeyes alike.
I think cheering for a conference on the whole is the dumbest thing I've ever seen, but that's just my opinion.
Still
the fact of the matter is that the SEC teams DO schedule "cupcake"
teams as well, case in point, defending champion LSU: App State, Troy,
North Texas, Miss State, Tulane, and Ole Miss.
Furthermore,
the Big Ten was around years before the SEC was in thought of. All of
you calling it the "Small 11" would do well to do your research. If you
study the logo of the Big Ten, you'll notice the two 1's (eleven) to show that
they indeed know how to count. The Big Ten committee voted on adding
the 11th team in Penn State in 1990. And if you want to be technical,
Northwestern, though an original member is still the only private
school amongst the other ten public schools. So indeed the name sticks
well as tradition intended.
Those who didn't know, consider yourself educated.
Also,
check the records. Everyone has a weakness, and tOSU's happens to be
SEC teams. It is what it is, but their record against ranked teams is
very impressive with only 5 losses I believe, over the last 5 years and
two of those were to SEC teams.
Just a few years ago, 6 teams in the Big Ten were ranked in the top 25 and now a lot of programs are simply rebuilding. (Ohio State, Michigan, Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Purdue have been ranked at the same time.)
tOSU
overachieved last year and EVERY sports writer knows that. Everyone
thought they would be a 1-2 loss team last year that would go to a
bowl, not the NCG. They simply lucked in because every team ahead of
them lost their chance to play in the title game.
Nobody calls USC perennial chokers for losing to teams they should beat in the Pac-10 these last couple of years. (Losing to Stanford at the Coliseum, or to UCLA.) When they could've been playing for a National Title for 3 straight years. While I'm at it, the Pac-10 isn't that great of a conference right now either. The SEC and the Big 12 are best conferences right now, but that's sans the point.
All this hate
needs to stop! Love your team, support your team, and talk trash when
your squads play each other unless you're heated rivals. Otherwise,
unless your team wins the National Title THIS year or are defending
champs, please, STFU.
