Honestly,not that bad and I will detail some thoughts about the game below,but the game should quiet the Ohio State bashers for a little while.
Not only did the Buckeyes lose on a last second touchdown pass,they did it as a sizable underdog.
No shame in that.......
Buckeye Leaves
1) When did I know the game was lost?
A few seconds after the Boom Herron TD run that gave the Buckeyes the 21-17 lead.
I never had the feeling that OSU was in good shape even after the run.
The first thing that entered my mind almost as soon as Herron hit the end zone-too much time,we left them too much time...........
2) I felt that it was not destined to be when the Buckeyes stopped Texas on 4th and 3 on the Ohio State 40,but watched an official from the other side of the field run across and give Texas a more favorable spot,allowing them to make the first down.
The original spot from an arbiter right in front of the play looked to have placed the Longhorns short of the marker.
Jim Tressel asked for a replay,but (shock) it was upheld.
Not that I am saying that there was a Texas bias,just that at that point in the game-anything not blatantly obvious was not going to be overturned.....
3) Chris Wells ran for over 100 yards in the first half,but missed much of the second with a concussion.
Want the most plausible reason for the loss?
Without Wells,the Buckeyes went almost the entire third period without a first down,allowing Texas to control the ball and pull ahead....
4) I did like the coaching staff finding a way to use both Terrelle Pryor and Todd Boeckman in the lineup and use different looks.
Where was this in the regular season.most notably against Penn State?
A little bit of original thinking might have won a game that was there for the taking.....
5) Note to the writers that boosted poor Texas for the National title before the game and to the few that continue to-cannot have it both ways.
If Texas really had gotten screwed and the Big Ten is so awful,why did this game come down to the last seconds????
If we had a vote (and we don't) Our top three would be Utah,Florida/Oklahoma winner and then Texas....
6) Should Anderson Russell have made the tackle on the game ending play?
Yeah,probably-he went for the ball not the man and paid for it (Damn,didn't he see
All the Right Moves?),but at least,he was trying to make a play....
7) For those of you wondering just what the hell I am talking about in the above note.
I am referring to coach Craig T.Nelson yelling at cornerback Tom Cruise in the film when Cruise goes for the ball instead of following the man.
"This is a man,this is a football"
Sorry,no YouTube of this.
8) Two roughing the passer penalties on Thaddeus Gibson?
One of them was legit,but the other clearly showed Gibson hitting Colt McCoy on the shoulder pad.Awful call....
9) Terrelle Pryor needs to work on his passing.
I think he will improve as he goes along,but a major problem for Ohio State as the season progressed was a lack of confidence in the frosh being able to run a normal passing game.
It was clear to everyone (even Mack Brown) that when Pryor was in the game that some sort of running play was coming.
That type of predictability needs to stop in 2009..
10) And to do that,perhaps Jim Tressel needs to consider a shakeup on the offensive staff for next season.
With a talent such as Pryor,being predictable is the one thing that you don't want him to be.
Bonus Rounds
I saw Colt McCoy's parents on the broadcast more than I have seen my parents in the last year and I might recognize Mrs.McCoy before my own mother-Enough already!
It was four years ago now,but I haven't seen this type of overkill since Brady Quinn's sister/AJ Hawk's wife slammed us over the head for an entire evening in the OSU Fiesta Bowl win over Notre Dame!!
The Buckeyes non-conference schedule for 2009?
USC comes to Columbus as does Navy,New Mexico State and the Buckeyes will be in Cleveland for a battle against Toledo.(Yes,We will be attempting to attend that one).....
In Big Ten play,Indiana and Iowa rotate onto the schedule for the next few years,while Michigan State and Northwestern leave for two years....
As good as Iowa can be,this is a gain for OSU.....
Bullpen Notes
Yes,I know that Eric Mangini has been hired as the new coach of the Browns and watch for a post later today on my thoughts on the Browns whole hiring process since the season ended.....
The Pirates lost out on Rocco Baldelli as he signed with Boston.
I wont hammer Boston for their usual spending on this one,Baldelli is a New England native.
Pittsburgh cannot compete with that considering the difference in money as well...
That the Pirates still seem to consider Nyjer Morgan as their starter in left is still mind blowing.
For all the flaws in Steve Pearce,I would still rather see a Brandon Moss/Nate McLouth/Pearce outfield than a Morgan/McClouth/Moss version.......
Still have more on my mind on the fan letter to the Pirates on their lack of improvements to the team over the winter,but with the Mangini hiring and the Devils playing tonight,that will likely be the Saturday post.....
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