Reviewing the tape-Buckeyes grind to win in Illinois

Been feeling a bit under the weather the last few days,so I have not gotten around to the Ohio State or Browns recaps on time.
I missed the final period comeback win of the Devils on Saturday in Nashville,so I'll likely skip doing that in favor of another post.

Annoying announcer Bob Davie used about every possible comparison of the Buckeye offense to the Woody Hayes offense in Columbus in the sixties and seventies that one can make.
As awful as this was to listen to,both in substance and style-Davie was correct-it was very much like the Hayes offense.
Braxton Miller only threw the ball four times and completed just one-a 17 yard touchdown pass to Jake Stoneburner in the fourth quarter to put a 17-7 win out of reach in Illinois against the 16th ranked Illini.
Boom Herron rushed for 114 yards and a touchdown in his return to action from various suspensions and was the dominant force in the game.
Ohio State earns their first Big Ten win of the season and moves to 4-3 on the season.
The Buckeyes have the next week off and hopefully can add some health to the lineup as the imposing Wisconsin Badgers are on their way to Columbus on October 29th.

Buckeye Leaves

1) As much as I hate to agree with Bob Davie,he did raise one other correct point-Boom Herron was the difference in the game and much of that was due to the "fresh legs" that Davie mentioned about 500 times during the contest.
Herron is a player that I have often lambasted in the past,but "fresh legs" or not-Herron was the best player on this day.

2) I like the running game.
My teams of choice growing up were the Buckeyes and the Barry Switzer Wishbone running Oklahoma Sooners,so I am a fan of the running game,but times have changed and this cannot go on every week.
If this is an isolated incident because Braxton Miller's ankle was too sore and Joe Bauserman replacing him would be,well Joe Bauserman,then this was a fun trip back in time.
If this is the game plan for the future-then look out because Wisconsin does that and does it better with bigger and more burly linemen.
This worked because Illinois wore down,that will not happen against quite a few others...

3) One more note on the four passes and a cloud of Pig Pen.
Why/How Illinois never figured out what the hell was going on and just put nine guys in the box is a wonder to me.It is like they were convinced that this was all a ruse to set up the passing game.
I might have bought that for a quarter and a half maybe,but all day?

4) Between that miscue,Ron Zook botched several calls that kept the Buckeyes in control and enabled them not to have to throw.
Illinois chose to run the clock out near the end of the first half,despite decent field position and Zook told Heather Cox that he was concerned about the wind.
The wind was bad (over 20 miles an hour),but not even trying?

5) Zook's bigger botch was the late game call that sealed the win for Ohio State.
Ohio State up by ten and Illinois has a fourth down deep in Buckeye ground.
Remember,you need two scores to tie/win.
A normal person kicks the field goal,moves to within seven and attempts the onside kick that you have to recover either way to stay in the game.
Zook goes for the first down,Ohio State rejects the attempt and takes over possession.
Dumb,dumb,dumb.

6) I was not impressed with freshman corner Bradley Roby early on this season,but Roby has picked up his play since an awful game in Miami.
Put aside Roby's interception-that pass hit him in the hands,but look at how he controlled A.J.Jenkins.
Jenkins did catch 8 passes for 80+ yards,but the longest was a 22 yard catch.
Roby refused to allow the big play and that made all the difference.

7) Every week,I seem to mention John Simon and here I go again.
The guy is simply all over the field,which could be explained if Simon was a linebacker,but he is a defensive tackle!
Simon rushes the passer,stops the run and the motor is always on max drive!
If Simon was a little bigger,I would say he would be a high draft pick,he will be a middle rounder more likely,but I bet he makes a team and starts for someone for quite a while...

8) Ben Buchanan's punting average of 39 yards a punt looks pedestrian,but he kept Illinois out of good field position and considering the wind conditions,did just what you hope your special teams can do-do not lose the game for you.
That is a lesson in our next post and Cleveland Browns did not learn from...

9) This was a must win for Ohio State.
My goal is six wins and a bowl bid somewhere.
I know a minor bowl bid is low expectations for the Buckeyes,but hear me out.
Six wins means 15 extra practices for a young team.
A bowl bid might be the chance for a new head coach to work with his new players and get a jump start for next season.
Trips to Texas,Arizona or Michigan for minor bowl games might not be the usual excitement for OSU fans,but it could go a long way towards helping this year be a small downward blip on the overall program.

10) Figuring that Indiana is a fifth win,Ohio State will have to win one of these four games to be bowl eligible.
At Purdue is not a slam dunk,but more likely than not.
Wisconsin is a likely loss and that leaves Penn State and michigan.
Penn State is 6-1,but one of the worst 6-1 teams that I have ever seen and that one is in Columbus.
michigan is in the big outhouse and they will be favored,but keep in mind-until you beat someone that always has beaten you,there is a psychological factor involved that one cannot dismiss....

11) If any games involve the announcing team of Bob and Bob (Wischusen and Davie) for the rest of the season,I swear that the mute button is in play!
Only the appearance of long time favorite Heather Cox salvaged anything from this bunch!

Photo Credit
Jonathan Daniel-Getty Images