Reviewing the tape-Buckeyes lose to Penn State

The Ohio State Buckeyes made one major mistake against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday night.
That one mistake was the difference in the game,as Penn State took advantage of it to score the games only touchdown in a 13-6 win for the visitors.

Shawn's Thoughts

1) Terrelle Pryor's fumble that led to the eventual game winner for Penn State was one that a talented freshman makes.
Freshman are so used to be the dominant player that "makes" plays and it takes a learning process to change the mindset to take what the opposition gives you.
Pryor learned it the hard way-now lets see what he learns FROM it...

2) I watched most of the game with Battlin Bob and we spent much of it screaming for the Buckeyes to open things up a bit.
The Nittany Lions took Chris Wells (55 yards) out of the game with eight and nine man fronts and forced Pryor to beat them.
The problem is Pryor has struggled throwing the long and intermediate passes and often had to settle for the check down receiver on screens and dump offs.
With Penn State crowding the line already,the passing game too was taken out of the game...

3) Most fans around the country likely found this game for Big Ten supremacy dull,but I thought it was what Big Ten football is all about.
Now many Big Ten haters probably agree with that for different reasons,but Ohio and Pennsylvania football is about hard nose,rock em sock em football with plenty of hand to hand combat.
This game was exactly that.

4) Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch offers his view on the low offense and it is about not keeping the formation/game plan simple enough for Pryor.
I can see his point,but I still think that the key to success is opening up the passing game more and opening the field.
Screen pass overkill is no different than a running game,it looses up nothing and Ohio State lacks a Ted Ginn type player that is capable of taking a three yard screen and turning it into a 75 yard touchdown....

5) I do agree with May's comment on Pryor though on this,maybe the idea should be spread the field and keep the opponent guessing.
Sound simple?
It is,but could be quite effective...

Bonus Round

I know that many in Buckeye Nation are disappointed with a 2 or more loss season-I am as well,but the difference between Ohio State and other Big Ten schools is this-When Ohio State is down,its a 10-2,9-3 season,when others are down they do the 6-6 thing.
Some schools are happy making a major run once or twice a decade and spending the rest of the time in Florida in the runner up bowls.
Buckeye fans and the program are not.
That sometimes makes things easier to take........

Photo Credit
Pryor:Chris Russell-Columbus Dispatch